Fig Picks

Subject: Fig Picks
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 08 Sep 00 - 09:52 PM

These are great flat picks that I used to buy at Goldie & Libro's in New Haven, CT. The part you hold is dipped in some kind of vinyl coating, so it doesn't slip and is easy to grip. They're shaped like a fig, and the dipped end is red for mediums and blue for heavies. (Can't remember lights).

Goldie & Libro doesn't sell them anymore. I'm told they were made by someone somewhere in Connecticut. I'm down to my LAST TWO PICKS!! I've tried buying my own dip from the Janet Davis catalogue, but it doesn't work as well.

Does anyone know where I can find real fig picks? Help!

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: dwditty
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 08:31 AM

Hi Barbara,
I couln't find anything on fig picks but did find NoSlip Picks Maybe these will serve as a replacement.

dw

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 08:44 AM

I'll look at Winfield. If they have them do you want med. or heavy, and how many? Amazing things or info can be found at Winfield.

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 08:51 AM

dwditty,

Wow! Those look almost like the original fig picks, except Hollywoodized. I wonder if the guy came from Connecticut. I'm going to ask my son in L.A. to check them out for me. Thanks so much for the link.

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 08:55 AM

Sorcha, I'm so jealous that you're going to Winfield. We had a jam last June with a young man who was the Winfield mandolin champion, and he was amazing. And a nice person.

I use mediums. Please don't go to any trouble, but thanks for offering.

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: Sorcha
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 09:05 AM

It'll be no trouble to look and ask, I spend HOURS shopping in the craft section, and some of the best jams are at the guitar/banjo vendors so I'll look. I don't know if I can find a puter to let you know if I found them or not, but I'll be back home in the AM on the 18th. Hell, at Winfield, you could just put a sticky note on your back that says "Looking for Fig Picks" and somebody is likely to stop you and say--"They're HERE, how many you want?"

Several years ago I was gifted with an instrument no one could identify, (we called it a "boy"dolin, because it was too small to be a mandolin). I took it to Winfield and wore it across my back all weekend. Most folks just stopped me and asked--What the hell is it?. But finally, someone asked--Where did you get a soprano bouzouki? Sucess!! Still can't play the sucker,tho. Only has 3 courses instead of 4 and I keep running out of notes......

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: Big Mick
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 10:08 AM

Barbara, I sweat mightily so finding picks that work for me over the course of a 4 hour gig has been a chore. I have found two solutions. One is to use the Versa Pik. This is a variable thickness pick. If you want to use it as a medium pick you hold it in the middle. Light, hold it at the upper edge, hard near the leading edge. It has a wonderful grip on it that I like. Having said that, I still prefer individual picks better. I was in Elderly one day and noticed that they carry a rough stick-on for picks. It is a non slip surface that you peel the back off and stick one on both sides of your picks. They allow me to find the right weight picks and then just stick a couple of these on and trim the edges. They work wonderfully and are cheap. You might be able to find picks you like and just stick them on.

Mick

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 10:19 AM

And Barb.......I am not familiar with the stuff you used to coat the other picks you tried to make, but I know something that I think will work extremely well. You can get it at most chandleries (Sailing stores) and its used to coat the end of ropes to keep them from fraying, the old practice of "whipping" being an almost lost art. Its called "Whip Dip" and now that this has come up, I'm going out and dip a few picks to try it out!!! I'll let you know........BTW, by fig shaped are you talking a kind of "football" shape? I used to have a few of those, I think Fender maybe? Anyway, I'll try a few and send you some too if you want to PM me your addy.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 11:20 AM

Gorilla Snot is great stuff for holding on to your picks. Can't remember if I get it from marsmusic.com or musiciansfriend.com, but one of them has it. It also makes for interesting conversation when you are asked how you keep your picks from slipping out of your fingers.

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: dwditty
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 12:03 PM

As my daughters used to say when they were teenagers, "eeeewwww!"

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 12:13 PM

Yeah ... the name sounds gross, but it sure works good, and you never forget the name.

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: Mooh
Date: 09 Sep 00 - 04:50 PM

...then there's the stuff they sell to coat tool handles by dipping them in some kinda rubberized stuff...available at hardware stores...Mooh.

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 02:53 PM

I finally followed dwditty's advice and got a noslip pick from his link above. The web site wanted an order of 25 for $18.25, but I e-mailed back and forth a few times, and they sent me a sample to check out.

The pick is pretty close to what I used to get and it's pretty good. The only complaint I have with the straight picks is that the coating goes too far down the pick, and I sometimes hit the strings with it. But they also have a slanted coating, which is what I'm going to order.

Thanks, dwditty for the site!

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: Sorcha
Date: 21 Jan 01 - 10:27 PM

Barbara, I did look at Walnut Valley last fall, and nobody even knew what I was talking about......sorry, I did remember to try. Looks like you found something that will work, tho. I am surprised they aren't/weren't more popular.

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 12:21 PM

Update on the pick problem:

Thanks so much to Big Mick for sending me a few of his pick stick-ons. It's a sandpaper like thing that you can stick right onto your picks. Works great, and he's such a good guy to send them to me. I tried that for awhile, but found that I don't like the feel of sandpaper that much, so I kept looking.

Bought some no-slip picks from the site mentioned above by dwditty, and they were OK but not great. The grip was not that good, and it wore off after a couple of gigs.

Finally tried Mooh's suggestion. Good ole Wal-Mart has a product called "PLASTIDIP - Heavy Duty Flexible Rubber Coating" ($5.96) which is intended for tool handles and other things -- like PICKS!! It turns out that this must be the exact stuff they used on fig picks, because it feels the same, grips the same, even looks the same, since I bought a can of red.

Thanks, all!

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: Mooh
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 12:28 PM

Barbara.

You're welcome! I hope the solution lasts.

Mooh.

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: Big Mick
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 12:55 PM

And thanks right backatcha, Barbara. I tried the picks you sent me. They don't work well for me. In fact I found that when you are playing backup on songs that require a strong attack, such as certain reels and jigs, they self destruct. I broke 3 of them in 5 songs. While in Elderly the other day I found another alternative that I am trying, as well. They are called Brain picks. They have a roughened surface molded right in. I will let you know how they work.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 08 Aug 03 - 10:23 PM

Update on my pick problem: GOOD NEWS!

dwditty sent me a note about a guitar store in New Haven, CT, USA which sells picks called "Cool Picks." I went to this very upscale guitar store and bought a few picks at 50 cents each, and they are great. They have tiny bumps dotting the hold area consisting of some sort of plastic or rubberized coating which makes them easy to grip. And the pick itself is very nice looking and easy to spot, a kind of white marbled plastic.

The store, by the way had all kinds of unusual things like Alembic and DeAngelica guitars, stick basses, Granada banjos, Cool Picks, but nary a Martin!! G Guitars

Finally got me some new picks. Thanks dwditty!

Subject: RE: Fig Picks
From: Bert
Date: 08 Aug 03 - 11:16 PM

Of course real folkies use a strip cut from a plastic bottle. About half an inch wide and four inches long (Like most Mudcat Men), and shape the point however you like. It's much easier to hold because of it's shape.