Coin Picks

[River]

Do you use a coin as a pick? If so, which one and why?

I use pennies (US). They are thicker and bigger than dimes, but for some odd reason they seem "softer". And just right. Obviously they don't flex, which strikes me as strange because I can't handle Heavy nylon picks, only mediums or lights.

I know of one famous guitar player who uses pennies (Jim McCarty).

Input anyone?

[specter1001]

I use coins if I'm missing my pick
and
I heard that billy gibbons uses pesos

[Jayce62]

Brian May uses a sixpence...

[radicalcon]

I'm in a nickel (US) phase right now...plays hell on my pickguard. :P

[Scooter2112]

[agejaded]

I read an interview in Guitar Player magazine from the late 70's with Billy Gibbons (pre Eliminator) in which he talked about using a "railroaded quarter" as a pick. Living in Scotland I wasn't sure what a quarter dollar looked like, however I decided to give coins a try. After trying every coin I could find and none of them were to my taste, I bought a bunch of stainless picks which I still use.
Those pesopicks look interesting but are pretty expensive.

[River]

Originally Posted by agejaded

I read an interview in Guitar Player magazine from the late 70's with Billy Gibbons (pre Eliminator) in which he talked about using a "railroaded quarter" as a pick. Living in Scotland I wasn't sure what a quarter dollar looked like, however I decided to give coins a try. After trying every coin I could find and none of them were to my taste, I bought a bunch of stainless picks which I still use.
Those pesopicks look interesting but are pretty expensive.

Railroaded means run over by a train. I'd forgotten about that and will give it a try.

[NawlinzVoodoo]

I use pennies rolled over by trains. I only use them for a certain sound, but they work great!!

[Jayce62]

Hmm I think now I'm going to go put some pennies on the railroad tracks by my house.

[mojofilter]

I have a friend from England,he gave me a sixpense! it eats the strings up,but it does give the strings a unique chime sorta!

[geochem1st]

I use regular US Quarters if I don't have a pick handy.

[jeff_farkas]

Never have used a coin but I might just try that out today.

Jeff

[Loserface300]

The best to do is to flatten a coin my means of a train, and then while hot, cut into shape disered.

[5F6-A]

THe #1 coin user as a plectrum has to be the incredible Brian May.


Some info:

Brian's rather unusual choice of guitar pick is a coin - an english sixpence, which is a small circular coin with a serrated edge. He chose to use the sixpence as a pick because he finds plastic plectrums too flexible. He holds the coin very lightly and occasionally uses its serrated edge against the strings to produce a rasp. For quiter sections, Brian will often pick the strings with his fingers and only use the coin for the louder sections where more attack is required. For his first solo tour, Brian actually had some sixpence sized coins specially minted and these were on sale during the tour.

[Jayce62]

Originally Posted by 5F6-A

THe #1 coin user as a plectrum has to be the incredible Brian May.


Some info:

Brian's rather unusual choice of guitar pick is a coin - an english sixpence, which is a small circular coin with a serrated edge. He chose to use the sixpence as a pick because he finds plastic plectrums too flexible. He holds the coin very lightly and occasionally uses its serrated edge against the strings to produce a rasp. For quiter sections, Brian will often pick the strings with his fingers and only use the coin for the louder sections where more attack is required. For his first solo tour, Brian actually had some sixpence sized coins specially minted and these were on sale during the tour.

Agreed.

[River]

Originally Posted by Jayce62

Agreed.

Great avatar. I usually don't like animated ones. That one tickles me.

[volusia1*]

I've tried coins but never got the feel for them. Another I have tried is shell fragments from the beach. They have to be thicker in size for them to hold up. You can getsome nice tonal textures from them.

[Jayce62]

Originally Posted by River

Great avatar. I usually don't like animated ones. That one tickles me.

Ha, thanks I have no idea where I found it, but I knew as soon as I had found it that it was going to be my avatar.

[ai3gtmc]

sometimes I use 100 yen coin I use to slide it on the low E string just for kicks. XD

[River]

Originally Posted by ai3gtmc

sometimes I use 100 yen coin I use to slide it on the low E string just for kicks. XD

[ai3gtmc]

Originally Posted by River

here's a 100yen coin.. :P

[teeloh]

I take euro coins, and panel-beat them into a plectrum-like shape.

It is illegal to use Australian coins (within Aust) for any other purpose than currency; but our 20c is similar to the US quarter, and would probably be ideal.

I have experimented with New Zealand coins, but they have recently changed their currency (it used to be identical to Aust, and produced/ minted in Aust). It is a little expensive and time consuming to panel-beat 40 NZ $1 coins into shape. That said, they are the right size and shape.

t

[lowe]

Originally Posted by Jayce62

Ha, thanks I have no idea where I found it, but I knew as soon as I had found it that it was going to be my avatar.

im prettty sure its the goo goo dolls playing somewhere on mtv. like the video music awards or something

[pawpek]

I have been using a 1948 british sixpence for some years, I have a few different years some are heavier, some are lighter, but the '48 is just "right" somehow. I got into using them because I am a big fan of Brian May, and the funny thing is I went to play one of his Guild copy's in '94 and the shop wouldn't let me use it. Never had a problem with string breakages either!