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Off Topic Area => Other Hobbies => Topic started by: ILMSteve on December 05, 2017, 06:58:16 AM

Title: Musician
Post by: ILMSteve on December 05, 2017, 06:58:16 AM
I play in a band in Wilmington NC. I have combined my passion for music with my love of minerals and make guitar picks from various minerals.

I sell them locally and gift them to other musicians I meet along the way. I have a very newbie operation but I enjoy the hobby and producing what I call "Picks of Destiny".

I took some time off from the hobby but I am gearing up to make more during the winter when the music scene is quiet.

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Title: Re: Musician
Post by: Sapphireminer on December 06, 2017, 12:08:40 AM
Well done IlmSteve you have done nice work there some choice pieces of stone as well
Title: Re: Musician
Post by: edgarscale on December 06, 2017, 04:11:42 PM
Well done IlmSteve you have done nice work there some choice pieces of stone as well
i agree...well done
Title: Re: Musician
Post by: Kaljaia on December 07, 2017, 09:07:22 PM
Those are lovely!
Title: Re: Musician
Post by: Phishisgroovin on December 08, 2017, 08:38:44 AM
which stone is more resilient to the strings?
How thick?

I have a couple riends hounding me to make a few.
Title: Re: Musician
Post by: ILMSteve on December 09, 2017, 05:09:40 PM
which stone is more resilient to the strings?
How thick?

I have a couple riends hounding me to make a few.

In my experience, jasper is the most resilient. Fewer fractures and a Mohs hardness of 7 seem to provide a nice "sharp" tone on the strings. Plastic/Nylon picks are duller sounding. On the negative side, the "stone" picks tend to be noisier than a plastic pick when they pass along a string. Also, they can also be slippery when wet from sweat. I am working on trying some transparent material that can be applied to increase friction in the finger contact area. Some guitar players love them and some hate them.

For their look, they are unlike anything around. Pick collectors love them and they make great gifts for guitar playing family and friends.

The best material I have found is either Quartz or Rose Amethyst. They can make an acoustic guitar sound wonderful but they tend to have fractures which means, of course, that they can break with too much finger pressure.

For guitar players, I shoot for a thickness between 1.8 - 2.5mm thick. Plastic picks are really thin (about .68mm for a medium pick) so the thicker picks can take a little getting used to.

For bass guitar, anywhere from 2 - 3.5. I have produced some for bass that are 4.5mm at the top but I taper them to 2.5mm at the tip.

Edges can be either fairly sharp or rounded. Shapes can vary from tear drop to a wide offset to just a standard size, depending in the player's preference.

Let me know if you have any other questions. People have been very helpful to me here so I want to return the favor.

I tend to put a fairly sharp point on mine and I tell people they shouldn't "windmill" like Pete Townsend of The Who while playing their $5000 guitar because they can easily damage the wood. Used properly, they will last a very long time. 

Title: Re: Musician
Post by: Sapphireminer on January 08, 2018, 10:35:22 PM
Hi ILMSteve here is  photo of 4 mini slabs the smallest 45mm x 35mm and largest 75mm x 55mm one is super slim 1.3mm rest about 2.4mm if you like them I will stick them in the post to you.
Dave
Title: Re: Musician
Post by: ILMSteve on January 09, 2018, 07:49:56 AM
Awesome! Definitely can make them into picks! PM sent! Thank you so much!