I have a touch of dystonia in my picking hand that manifests itself with small micro contractions of the muscles that grip the pick. This means that my index finger tends to curl up and i have to stop and regrip the pick. Very annoying and was holding back my practice schedule no end.

I tried thumbpicks and while they're good i find you don't get the same flexible feel as you do with the pick when playing really fast shred type licks.

Anyway up until now i haven't been able to solve the issue and have been working around it. Then i got a tip from someone that maybe could help people in the same situation as me or who just have a problem dropping picks on sweaty gigs when their fingers get really slippery.

The answer: Violin Rosin! The thing that violin players put on their bows. It comes usually in a small block or the like, in a tin sometimes. Mine came in a small tin. You have to score the surface up until you get a small amount of the rosin becoming a powder. Use a sharp small screwdriver or something similar to score it up to get it powder like. Then take a small amount and rub it between thumb and index finger. Keep rubbing it in until it starts to get really sticky and tacky and glue like.

Then you get the pick and start playing! It stops, in my case, the tiny neuro-muscular contractions moving the finger and almost glues the pick into position. But you still have the ability to reposition the fingers if you want to. It's not like a regular glue that would need surgery to get off!

Great tip for me as i can keep shred picking and working on technique without losing the positioning of the pick due to this hand problem. Also good for regular ordinary players who just need a bit more grip on the pick if their hands sweat a lot.

Hope this can help some people with hand problems with the pick.

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Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

that's actually a simple clever solution nice tip there.

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Have you tried triangular picks?

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...I for one, sure would appreciate the return of intelligent conversation, spirit of assistance and the simple yet effective ignoring of those who can't seem to hang with that...
Best regards,
rob

I've been using Gorilla Snot for pick grip.

http://www.gorillasnotusa.com/

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"The individual is handicapped by coming face to face with a Conspiracy so monstrous he cannot believe it exists. The American mind simply has not come to a realization of the evil which has been introduced into our midst." J. Edgar Hoover

http://www.davapick.com/picks/grip_tip
Don't know if anyone's tried these picks, my search for a stay-put pick ended when I got myself one of these a few years back

I use Dunlop Tortex picks.
They provide a good grip.

First I used sharkfins but then I switched to drop shaped picks.

I never had probs since then.

Tortex has a slightly rough surface. It's perfect and provides a nice tone as well.

I tried many, many picks over the years and with Dunlop tortex drop shaped picks I finally found a great solution regarding grip AND tone!
I use the green ones (.88) and rarely the yellow ones (.72, I think).

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Kindest regards from Germany, Dee
My recordings --> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=564337
STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!

This is something the same RCB, but cheaper more you sweat the stickier it gets.

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Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

I can make a tub of Gorilla Snot last a year, sometimes two. I purchased 2 tubs 4 years ago and had 1 that I was still using. There's about a 1/2 tub left out of 3. They were $2.49 a tub back then, cheap. The tubs last longer if you dip the pick into the snot instead of using a finger tip to apply it.

When this tub runs out, I'll give the rosin a whirl. But, if using a chunk of rosin entails extra steps to use it, and it sounds messy, I'll stick with the GS because the tubs are easy to use, not messy, lasts a long time, stays sticky, but washes off quickly.

...Fender Super Bullets, bags full of different picks, gorilla snot, nut sauce, gorgomyte, distilled water, blue micro-fiber clothes, Revlon nail files and nail clippers, and Oatmeal Exfoliant Ginger Almond hand soap for me.

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"The individual is handicapped by coming face to face with a Conspiracy so monstrous he cannot believe it exists. The American mind simply has not come to a realization of the evil which has been introduced into our midst." J. Edgar Hoover

There's no extra steps to it RCB apart from using a sharp implement to score the top of the rosin. Scrape it a few times and it go's into a powder and you just apply it.

I'd never have believed how sticky it can get, but you can wash it off under a tap straight away.

I wanted Gorilla snot but couldn't find it anywhere. I think they stopped making it for a while 'cos i see lots of people complaining they couldn't get it!

Here's where i learnt it from!

http://www.300guitars.com/300s-tips/guitar-picks-how-to-stop-dropping-them/

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Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

whatever it takes to get the job done. Rosin, snot, cork, picks with lil ridges....

Seems like the only thing sweat sticks to is a glossy neck. (a lil rosin can help that NOT stick.)

Art

that's an idea! give the picks a good spray of clear nitro

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I guess everyone is different. I can't for the life of me properly hang on to picks that aren't made of nylon. Looks like it's Jazz II's for me from here on.

the rosin is actually a good idea. Gymnasts rosin in a pinch. Even billiard chalk if nothing else is available. Of course your lady friend or significant other might go home with blue smudges in strange places. Sorry, had to say that.

Art

I just started using these in the JazzII size and like them a lot. They are a little hard to find around my area, so I'm always on the look out for them.

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'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

Some good tips In the above posts..Im a fan of the star picks having recently discovered them..however admit it..the joy of waiting for the sweet part of the song..when you can quickly adjust the pick if needed goes with playing..lol..you know that ahhh feeling when its back where its supposed to be..

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Mona
"Music is What Feelings Sound like"