Recently, while jamming in Pegram, I ran into a friendly chap named Rusty Thornhill. Rusty, it turns out, has invented a metal finger pick designed specifically for old-time banjo players.

My initial reaction was one of skepticism, but I agreed to give it a try. The first pick I tried was the wrong shape and the wrong size, so Rusty pulled out another one. The second pick was the right length (a smidgen longer than my fingernail) and fit perfectly.

I played with the pick for a while and liked the clear, crisp sound. I told Rusty I would have to take it home and use it for an hour or so to be totally comfortable with it, so he gave me the second pick and his card.

Back home, I was surprised to discover that I felt absolutely at ease with the pick after playing for only 10 or 15 minutes. I still liked the sound, which improved when I added a plastic thumb pick to the mix.

I wish I could show you a picture of the pick. I looks a little like one of those metal finger picks that Bluegrass banjo players use, but it is larger, goes on backwards (covering the nail), and has a small flange that goes from the tip of the pick down under the pad of the finger.

Rusty is still perfecting his design and experimenting with different types of metal, but his picks should be on the market soon–for about $15 per pick. (Yes, I told him that the price is too high.)

Most of us would prefer the sound of our own fingernails plunking out those old-time tunes, but if your fingernails are soft and fragile, these picks may be just what you need. I’ll be taking my picks to Mt Airy and Clifftop, where I often destroy my fingernail after about two days of constant picking.

Perfect Touch Clawhammer Finger Pick
Handcrafted in the Mountains of Tennessee
by Rusty Thornhill