# Hello people, I have a question please?



## MerryCitrine (Feb 1, 2008)

I am a complete beginner at guitars... I was just wondering... I have a steel string acoustic guitar, is it ok to use a coin as a pick until I buy some picks? I need all the advice I can get..I dont wanna ruin my guitar.. Thanks a lot!!!


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

*Cheaper alternative*

May I suggest you try one of those little plastic closure tags from a bread bag? Then save your coins 'til you have enough to buy a pick. You probably won't damage the guitar using a coin, but the scratches on the pickguard will be impressive! No worse than using a metal finger pick.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Don't use a coin,I agree with Washburned, use a bread bag clip instead, I think the metal picks are a little smoother than a coin might be, and I think most picks run you about a whole 10 - 20 cents, or if you PM me I will gladly send you a few for free.Ship


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

you can also cut up a plastic card for a pick. you can use a coin (brian may from queen does), but as a beginner, you're pretty likely to break strings, and you're also pretty likely to drop the coin inside the guitar, so i wouldn't recommend it.


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## drak10687 (May 24, 2007)

...I am not sure if this is true, since I've never tried it, but I heard that using coins, or pretty much any steel will ruin the strings relatively fast.

Why not try playing with just your fingers? Not necessairly finger picking, but you can still strum with them many different ways... just be carefull - when I don't have or just don't use a pick, I often get carried away and strum 'till I bleed or tear off a couple layers of skin without noticing, and then it hurts to play for a while.


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## Wheeman (Dec 4, 2007)

A coin will affect the strings, metal on metal usually isn't great esp. with different grades of hardness or softness. 

I've used coins on occasion, usually for bass guitar when I need a pick. I recommend using a quarter or a loonie.


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## Gilliangirl (Feb 26, 2006)

> ...I am not sure if this is true, since I've never tried it, but I heard that using coins, or pretty much any steel will ruin the strings relatively fast.


I've heard that too. Makes sense.

For years we used triangles cut out of plastic milk jugs, so you could try that too. Also, I've heard some people, in a pinch, have used triangles cut from plastic laundry jugs.

If you're just starting out on the guitar you'd be wise to get a pick that has some sort of grip to it as most beginner's complaints about picks are that they fall or spin out of your hand. Brain pics (cat tongues) are really good and relatively cheap.


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## Grenvilleter (Dec 22, 2007)

You will find when starting out, as others have professed, your pick will fall into your guitar a lot. I have found with new guitar players, I start them with a very soft pick until they can get a basic strum going. A stiff pick (plectrum) will tend to stick between the strings causing you to lose your beat because there is not much give in the pick. Using a lighter pick helps you "smooth out" your strum.
Something around a gauge of .38 to .46. Picks sometimes are rated this way in accordance to thickness of the material they use. 
As your strum develops, increase the thickness or gauge of your pick up to a .60 or .73 or even an .80 Staying with a really light gauge pick is not really good for a couple of reasons namely, your guitar will not sound as good as it's potential with a light pick and a "snapping" of the pick can be the predominate sound of your playing and secondly, your right arm strum techniques will not develop as "crisply". Using a heavier pick after you get going will force your right hand strum to improve to try to do what you could with the thinner pick when you were using it. 
I may not be explaining it properly but as you get better playing, your pick gauge should also increase.

Gather up a few milk jugs and instead of cutting them up, cash them in and buy a real pick. Nylon picks do not break the same as the cellulose or plastic type. A few good brands are the Brain (cats tongue) mentioned above and the Jim Dunlop or Martin picks.
The most esteemed picks(plectrums) are made from tortise shell but are very limited and expensive. They are also very stiff to use but reputed to have no "clicking" pick noise that happens from the nylon or plastic types.

Hope this helps your decision
Cheers


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## darreneedens (Nov 13, 2007)

I use a coin as a pick all the time... When I want that type of sound, havent had any issues and I dont really understand the big deal? I have been playing guitar for around 8 years and sometimes like the tinny sound of a quarter on metal strings.


May I also mention that picks are about a buck for 3 (if not less).... if you are really concerned, buy a pick.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

darreneedens, you pay that much for picks in Ontario, maybe I should sell some from the Westcoast.Ship


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## darreneedens (Nov 13, 2007)

next time I need a pick I will keep you in mind Ship lol. 

Either that or I will use a nickel....


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

darreneedens I played with a Rocker in the 60s that used washers to play his Gibby with, until one nite when we discovered that its all fun and games till someone gets poked in the eye, and crap did we have to buy that guy a ton of beers for the night, he must have consumed over 16 beers :food-smiley-004: and when we where finished we never went back to play that bar again.Ship :rockon2:


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

It's not really the material a pick is made of that's important but the shape. Coins are the wrong shape. I'd suggest taking some coins to a music store and have them convert them to picks. However, when you're in a pinch, fingers, stray plastic, or loose change can sometimes be substituted. :smilie_flagge17:


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## splitter (Jan 29, 2008)

Wheeman said:


> A coin will affect the strings, metal on metal usually isn't great esp. with different grades of hardness or softness.
> 
> I've used coins on occasion, usually for bass guitar when I need a pick. I recommend using a quarter or a loonie.


absolutely correct...
picks can be real cheap only a few cents for the cheapest ones...
if they aren't available at your place then use a plastic cutout instead

:rockon2::rockon:


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## darreneedens (Nov 13, 2007)

> It's not really the material a pick is made of that's important but the shape. Coins are the wrong shape. I'd suggest taking some coins to a music store and have them convert them to picks. However, when you're in a pinch, fingers, stray plastic, or loose change can sometimes be substituted.


I actually hold my picks sideways, always have, always will. So holding the coin isnt really that far off as far as shape. 

I am just playing devils advocate here, it is all preference really.

I would say stop being so concerned with what your picking with and just play.

cheers.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

ya, like darreneedens i use the rounded corner of the pick, a penny is the same shape, i like the feel of a penny, but it does chew the strings up fast.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Just as long as its got strings on it, then it must be meant to play. And I have been around enough to see some of the strangest things being used as picks, on e friend no I mean acquaintance used part of his grannys bridge once as a pick, so use whatever gets you playin :rockon2:
and as Jimi would say, purple haze gets in your brain,maybe things just don't seem the same sdsre.

Ship:2guns:


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

darreneedens said:


> I would say stop being so concerned with what your picking with and just play.
> 
> cheers.


Agreed.
:rockon:

Brian May & Billy Gibbons are known for using coins. Although Billy gets his shaped into a pick shape.


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## simescan (May 15, 2007)

Way back, (in the old days) we used crudely carved peices from the plastic tops of spray cans as picks...


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## gpower (May 12, 2006)

The bread bag tags work great. Just clean up the edges.


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## MerryCitrine (Feb 1, 2008)

Thanks a lot everyone!!!!! =)) :rockon2:


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## Vincent (Nov 24, 2007)

If you need to make a homemade pick I would use thin cardboard from something like a ceral box or pop tart box...cut a piece out and fold the the piece in half and use that...I have also used matchbook covers...just remove matches staple and cut off the sandpaper like striker and then fold it...thin cardboard is a good way to go...just remember you will go through a few matchbooks so buy 5 or 10 just to have around just in case...its better that the strings chew up the pick than the other way around.


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## Steeler (Oct 31, 2007)

Cut one out of a credit card.

If you can't afford a real pick, the card isn't good for anything else.


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