It’s common knowledge that a lot of bass players take offense to those who use a pick when playing, claiming that it’s the “wrong way” to play a bass (even though the “right way” is whatever way you feel comfortable with.)
The standard complaint from the No-Plectrums-Allowed Club is that use of a pick does not promote the “true sound” of the electric bass instrument. Yes, there is some truth to this complaint, due to the fact a string has a decidedly different sound from a pick strike compared to using fingers. The attack of the pick can be an overpowering thing to the point the strike noise takes too much away from the note afterward, and result in the string vibration sounding a bit on the brittle side.
There is, however, a “non-offensive” pick that has almost no strike noise, but is also something you can make yourself – the wooden pick.
A plectrum made of wood has almost no “clack” to it whatsoever on strike of the string, and in addition results in a string sound that has a nice “thummmm” vibration to it, almost like a palm-muted sound.
Wooden picks are typically thick with very rounded edges (else they would break easily), allowing the player to effortlessly roll the pick over the string without any harsh strike noise.
What kind of tones is a wood pick good for?
This is best answered by saying the wood pick is best used for any instance where you need slightly more attack than your fingers can provide, but not so much that all you hear is strike noise.
For vintage-style tones, wood picks work very well.
For low-B (and lower) tuned strings where you need just a little more strike when recording to be heard in the mix better, wood picks work well there too.
What is a good wood to make picks out of?
Anything you have available, although you may prefer a dense wood so the pick has some more weight to it.
Some builders purposely build exotic wooden picks out of things like Jatoba, Blood Wood, Macassar and so on as can be seen here.
As far as what you should use, just use whatever you have. Try both hard and soft woods and see which you like best.
“Wouldn’t a thick synthetic material basically act the same?”
If for example you decided to use a Dunlop Big Stubby Nylon in 3.0mm size, that will most likely result in still having too much strike noise compared to a wooden pick.
When the goal is to have as little strike noise as possible, it’s really tough to beat a wood pick.
Generally speaking, the least strike comes from wood and felt picks. Felt picks, by the way, are great for bass players. But the wood picks are something you can make yourself and you have more options of what to use and how you want it shaped.
Don’t worry, we’re not trying to convince anyone in the No-Plectrums-Allowed Club to use picks over fingers. All we’re saying here is that not all picks are bad. And if you have a few pieces of scrap wood lying around (especially the more exotic kind), fabricating a pick or two is easy, fun and adds in a tone to your bass you didn’t have before.
I use both a pick and fingers when playing, sometimes switching between he two during a song. However, I tend to use a pick more and I’m able to get a great sound with it. A lot depends on your strings, tone settings on the guitar and settings on your amp, the type of pick you use and your stylke of playing. If you have nice equipment, you can virtually get most any sound you want. I use Dunlap tortex picks with D’Addario Chromes (flatwound). I can go from a nice mellow sound to a punchy sound easily with the pick or switch between fingers and pick.
The Chromes really are versatile, and they really sound great with a pick. I’ve gotten many compliments on my sound and they’re always shocked that I’m using flats because of how present they were.
Leo Fender patented the Precision Bass as an “Electric Bass Guitar” yes the word GUITAR!!! So we are all playing guitar my friends. The upright is a bass…Check out Paul Gilbert playing upright with a pick on youtube.
a LONG time ago, they used to sell FELT picks for electric bassists.
just a bit of trivia…
FELT PICKS are still available…even guitar center is known to have felt picks…just ask at your favorite music store…
Cow hoof picks have a softer attack, more like a fingernail.
The ‘Wedgie’ rubber pick sounds very close to a finger sound. They come soft, medium or hard in 2 different thicknesses.
this whole fingers vs picks thing is useless.. you do what you have to, to serve the music.. it’s really as simple as that..
I just made one. Highly recommend using two thin sheets glued and clamped together with the grain going in different directions for strength and stiffness. I used 1/16″ walnut and 1/32″ mahogany that I had handy. Cut it close to shape with a scrollsaw then finished with a belt sander and then some hand sanding to round the edges. Works as advertised, and will come in handy. A company called Midwest supplies thin sheets of hardwood to hobby shops that are perfect for this, but be advised that you’ll have a LOT left over even after making a dozen wood picks, and it’s not cheap.
Hi, I’m not a big fan of palettes but I’ve used a few times as he played many hours of carnival music, medium and heavy as colored fender, Jin Dunlop 3mm; metallic, very sharp and thin; credit cards used and created a coconut shell that we have many here in Salvador, Bahia site “guitar Bahia” but I play electric bass in the band metafora
If I want to sound like fingers, I’ll use my fingers. The whole reason I use a pick sometimes is because I don’t want it to sound like fingers. And bass players who have a problem with that can bite me. Sheesh…who cares what they think?
I am primarily a finger player, but I also have been known to use a pick. Usually I use a felt pick, I think that gives the best of both worlds.
Felt picks (as used by Sir Paul McCartney) or rubber picks (search on ebay) work really well, especially with flatwound strings
it really depends on what you are playing and different techniques just widen your range which can not be a bad thing
If you call yourself a bass player you should be able to play with a pick or without. One is not better than the other.
Wedgie rubber picks are much better than wood picks, and certainly felt, IMHO. And its crazy to say that a metal string instrument held horizontally and plays alongside electric guitars and drums only sounds right with fingers. Really stupid. The only thing the bass guitar and the upright have in common is that they are tuned the same. Whereas, a classical and conventional guitar are mostly different only via string material.
Lignum vitae is a great wood for making picks. It is extremely dense and practically impossible to scratch or break. It is super waxy (but wont rub off on strings or clothes) which I personally like. You can usually find small pieces on ebay for a decent price