I find that Alaska Piks work wonderfully and sound just like I'm using my fingernails. You can trim and shape them with nail clippers, and you can even strum in both directions just as you can with a pick. I prefer using my own fingernails, even for strumming, but when I break a nail, an Alaska Piks is a great temporary replacement. (Sounds like a commercial, but I have no financial interest in them!) - Steve Smith

You’re correct. They are picks; not fingerpicks.

Don, I use those Wedgie rubber picks on an acoustic bass guitar, and they help make the instrument sound more like an upright bass.  But I don't think they make fingerpicks, do they?

--
Dusty T., Northern California
Site Moderator

As a musician, you have to keep one foot back in the past and one foot forward into the future.
-- Dizzy Gillespie

I use Wedgie rubber soft picks.

Thanks Dusty! I do have Gorilla Tips - and when I use them on my fretting hand I wear a thin silk glove over them so I'm able to slide. I've not heard of the guitar gloves - I'll look them up! Another thought you reminded me of - when I (try to) play the harp, (same hand issues), I tape my fingers with paper tape. I'll try that on the dulcimer and see if I can finger pick that way. Thanks so much!

UPDATE: Just ordered the Guitar Glove. Will see if that is an option for my picking hand....

updated by @jill-geary: 02/11/20 07:10:24PM

Jill, plastic or metal picks will always sound like plastic or metal.  The felt flat picks have a softer sound, but you can't play individual notes very well and they certainly wouldn't help you with fingerpicking.

If the issue for you is the physical contact between your fingers and the strings (rather than some muscular issue), you might explore some of the products intended to help people who don't like the fingertip pressure on their fretting hand. 

There are products called "guitar gloves" that are tight-fitting gloves intended for the fretting hand. They supposedly reduce the wear on fingertips.  It might be that you could try one of those for your picking hand.  And if you don't like wearing the whole glove, you might be able to cut off the fingers themselves, and just use the fingers you want to pick with.

There are also products for the fingertips themselves, again intended for the fretting hand, such as Gorilla Tips.

I've never used any of that stuff and imagine that even if they worked for you there would be a period of adjustment where you would have to get used to the feel of the strings through those products, but if you have no other solutions, you might give them a try.

--
Dusty T., Northern California
Site Moderator

As a musician, you have to keep one foot back in the past and one foot forward into the future.
-- Dizzy Gillespie

IIRC there are plastic ones, which should sound less metallic and more finger-y.  

Hi all,

I love to fingerpick with my fingers/pads - but my hands have "issues" and they rebel. Are there any fingerpicks that don't sound like finger picks?  That sound like bare fingers? 

Thanks!