DIY Guide How To Make Homemade Guitar Picks

Creating your own guitar picks at home is a rewarding and cost-effective way to personalize your playing experience. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned guitarist, having a stash of custom-made picks can be a game-changer. This comprehensive guide will walk you through various methods and materials you can use to craft your own unique guitar picks. We'll explore everything from repurposing everyday plastic items to using specialized tools for a more professional finish. So, let's dive in and discover the world of homemade guitar picks!

Why Make Your Own Guitar Picks?

Before we get into the how-to, let's address the why. Making your own guitar picks offers several compelling advantages:

• Cost-Effectiveness: Guitar picks can be surprisingly expensive, especially if you're prone to losing them (and let's face it, most guitarists are!). Crafting your own picks from readily available materials significantly reduces this expense. You can produce dozens of picks for the cost of a single pack of commercial ones.
• Customization: Homemade guitar picks allow for unparalleled customization. You have complete control over the material, thickness, shape, and even the texture of your pick. This level of personalization can drastically impact your playing style and tone. Experimenting with different materials can lead to the discovery of your perfect pick.
• Sustainability: Repurposing old plastic items like credit cards, gift cards, and CDs into guitar picks is an environmentally friendly practice. Making your own picks reduces waste and gives new life to materials that would otherwise end up in landfills. This is a great way to be a more conscious consumer and contribute to a sustainable lifestyle.
• Convenience: Running out of picks mid-jam session is a common frustration for guitarists. Having the ability to make your own guitar picks on the spot eliminates this problem. You can quickly whip up a new pick whenever you need one, ensuring your creativity never gets interrupted.
• Creative Expression: The process of making guitar picks is inherently creative. You can experiment with different designs, colors, and materials to express your personality and style. This can be a fun and engaging way to further connect with your instrument and your music.

Materials You Can Use to Make Guitar Picks

One of the most exciting aspects of making your own guitar picks is the sheer variety of materials you can use. Here are some of the most popular and readily accessible options:

Repurposed Plastics

Repurposed plastics are an excellent choice for making guitar picks due to their durability and availability. Common sources include:

• Credit Cards and Gift Cards: Old credit cards and gift cards are a go-to material for many DIY pick makers. They are typically made from a sturdy plastic material that provides a good balance of flexibility and rigidity. Plus, you're giving them a new lease on life!
• Membership Cards and ID Cards: Similar to credit cards, membership and ID cards offer a consistent thickness and material composition, making them ideal for crafting uniform picks. If you have old cards lying around, they're perfect candidates for this project.
• Plastic Rulers: Plastic rulers offer a larger surface area compared to cards, allowing you to cut out multiple picks from a single ruler. They also come in varying thicknesses, providing you with options for different playing styles.
• CD Cases and Jewel Cases: CD cases are made from a slightly thinner plastic than credit cards, resulting in more flexible picks. This can be advantageous for players who prefer a softer feel. Scratched or damaged CDs themselves can also be used, although they might be more brittle.
• Plastic Packaging: Some types of plastic packaging, such as blister packs or clamshell containers, can be repurposed into guitar picks. However, it's crucial to ensure the plastic is thick enough and durable enough to withstand regular use.

When selecting repurposed plastics, it's essential to consider the thickness and flexibility of the material. Thicker plastics will produce stiffer picks, while thinner plastics will result in more flexible picks. Experimenting with different materials will help you discover your preferred feel and tone.

Specialty Materials

For those seeking a more professional finish or specific tonal qualities, several specialty materials are available for making guitar picks:

• Pick-Making Plastic Sheets: These are specifically designed for making guitar picks and come in various thicknesses, colors, and materials (such as celluloid, nylon, and Delrin). They provide a consistent quality and are ideal for producing a batch of uniform picks.
• Leather: Leather picks offer a unique warm and mellow tone, making them suitable for acoustic playing or jazz styles. Leather picks tend to wear down more quickly than plastic picks, but their distinct sound is worth the trade-off for some players.
• Wood: Wooden picks produce a bright and articulate tone and offer a unique tactile feel. Different types of wood will yield different tonal characteristics, allowing for a wide range of sonic experimentation.
• Metal: Metal picks are known for their bright, aggressive tone and exceptional durability. They are popular among metal and hard rock guitarists. However, metal picks can be harsh on guitar strings and may not be suitable for all playing styles.

Tools You'll Need

To successfully make your own guitar picks, you'll need a few essential tools:

• Pick Punch: A pick punch is a specialized tool designed to cut out guitar pick shapes from plastic sheets or other materials. It's the most efficient and precise way to make uniform picks. Pick punches come in various shapes and sizes, allowing for further customization.
• Scissors or Utility Knife: If you don't have a pick punch, you can use scissors or a utility knife to cut out your pick shapes. However, this method requires more precision and may not yield perfectly consistent results.
• Sandpaper or Files: Sandpaper or files are essential for smoothing the edges of your homemade guitar picks. This prevents the edges from snagging on your strings and ensures a comfortable playing experience. Different grits of sandpaper can be used for progressively finer smoothing.
• Pick Templates: Pick templates are helpful for tracing the desired shape onto your material before cutting. You can find free templates online or create your own from existing picks.
• Drill (Optional): If you want to add a hole to your pick for grip or to attach it to a keychain, a drill with a small drill bit will come in handy.
• Safety Glasses: When cutting and sanding materials, it's always a good idea to wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from debris.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Guitar Picks

Now that we've covered the materials and tools, let's get into the step-by-step process of making your own guitar picks.

Method 1: Using a Pick Punch

1. Select Your Material: Choose the material you want to use for your pick, such as a credit card, plastic ruler, or pick-making plastic sheet.
2. Insert the Material: Insert the material into the pick punch, ensuring it's aligned properly with the cutting mechanism.
3. Punch Out the Pick: Firmly press down on the pick punch handle to cut out the pick shape. The pick should pop out cleanly.
4. Smooth the Edges (Optional): If the edges are rough, use fine-grit sandpaper or a file to smooth them out. This will improve the feel and playability of the pick.

Method 2: Using Scissors or a Utility Knife

1. Create a Template: Trace an existing pick onto a piece of paper or cardboard to create a template. You can also find pick templates online and print them out.
2. Trace the Template: Place the template onto your chosen material and trace around it with a pen or marker.
3. Cut Out the Pick: Carefully cut out the pick shape using scissors or a utility knife. Take your time and be precise to ensure a clean cut.
4. Smooth the Edges: Use sandpaper or files to smooth the edges of the pick. Start with a coarser grit and gradually move to a finer grit for a smooth finish.

Tips for Perfecting Your Homemade Picks

• Experiment with Different Materials: Don't be afraid to try out various materials to find the ones that best suit your playing style and tonal preferences.
• Adjust the Thickness: The thickness of your pick significantly affects its tone and flexibility. Experiment with different thicknesses to find your sweet spot.
• Customize the Shape: You can customize the shape of your picks by modifying your templates or using different pick punch shapes. Try different shapes to see how they affect your grip and playing style.
• Add Texture: Adding texture to your pick can improve your grip. You can do this by lightly sanding the surface or using a specialized grip-enhancing product.
• Smooth the Edges: This is crucial for comfortable playing. Make sure to thoroughly smooth the edges of your picks to prevent them from snagging on your strings.
• Store Your Picks Properly: Store your homemade picks in a pick holder or case to keep them organized and prevent them from getting damaged.

Conclusion

Making your own guitar picks is a fun, cost-effective, and creative way to personalize your playing experience. By repurposing everyday materials or using specialty pick-making supplies, you can craft a collection of unique picks that perfectly suit your style and tone. So, gather your materials, grab your tools, and start experimenting! You might just discover your new favorite pick in the process.