But wait, there's more!

[ericcoleman]

Going to the doctor tomorrow. Another case of trigger thumb, this time on my right hand. I hope that I can avoid surgery for awhile, but it's coming.

I went in in December and they gave me a cortisone shot, which helped for several months. If all goes well they will do that again, and I can get through this years shows and take some time off from playing in October. If not, I have a plan. I know that my grip was dodgy on my left hand for awhile. I have never gotten back quite all the strength. So I am worried about it being my pick hand. But I have a plan for picks involving super glue and staples that I think will work. I just want to be able to keep playing my instruments. I already had to quit the drums, I don't know what I would do if I couldn't play guitar.

Oh, and I have this issue with my left knee. I guess I'm not done with surgery until I collect the entire set. I limp therefore I am. I will say that where I work seems to have a lot to do with my knee. It gets better the longer I am away from work. When I was home with pneumonia, my legs were great by the end of it. I have tried all kinds of configurations with my work space, but nothing seems to change. By the end of the day I can't walk. The real worry is that it kept it up all weekend, something that hasn't really happened before.

Comments

[lemmozine.livejournal.com]

Wishing you the best with all this, and agreeing that it's nice when you can play guitar.

Do thumbpicks or fingerpicks help at all?

[ericcoleman]

I'm going to work with some thumbpicks. I hate most of them, because they don't feel like picks to me. I have a few of the Hercos and just ordered a couple of the Fred Kelly Bumble Bee picks. We'll see what works.

[lemmozine.livejournal.com]

I use a (somewhat) expensive metal thumbpick, because I use metal fingerpicks and they don't sound right to me with plastic. In general, for plastic, I think those that are thickest and have the shortest distance from thumb to string offer the best control. Except on 5 string banjo, where the thin ones seem better.

[ericcoleman]

I use three different gauges of picks for different songs. My usual is a Dunlop Nylon .60. I also use the .73 and the 1. depending on what sort of attack I need. Widows Garden does not sound right with a light pick, it needs a certain snap to it. It's easier to do the triplets on Disenchanted with a light pick and I also get a smoother sound from the light pick on that song.

I hate the sound of metal on metal, at least up close. I could never use a metal pick.

[hofdave.livejournal.com]

Hope it goes well for you, tomorrow.

It was great having you both at FKO and your concert was great.

[wyld-dandelyon.livejournal.com]

Aw, man!

I know that with my dry skin, picks fly away if they're not textured or clamped onto my fingers. I'd be willing to try to brainstorm and/or fabricate something if it comes to that.