Acri brass fingerpicks source

[Pete Martin]

Every place I try is sold out. Any source that has them in stock?

[Michael Kiese]

Aloha Pete!

I've never heard of that brand.

But I use JIM DUNLOP .025" Brass Fingerpicks. They come 20 in a tube for $35 on Amazon.

I like them a lot, and they work just fine for me.

Best thing is that they are easily sourced, affordable, and replaceable.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EENECS?re ... in_title_1

[Steve Lipsey]

I recently discovered Acri also...they grab the fingertip over a pretty wide area, so they don't fall off, and the finger doesn't compress as you pick, so it is a cleaner result than other picks that compress the fingertip and then spring back.
I use the steel ones...never tried brass...

[Jerry Overstreet]

Some used ones on eBay.

[Pete Martin]

Thanks Jerry. I’ll try that.

[Mark Evans]

I love these.
A bit pricey, but durable and comfortable. Brass and stainless steel options
https://www.perfecttouchpicks.com/perfe ... picks.html

[Peter Jacobs]

I have a set, but while they’re comfy to wear, they take a lot of getting used to, as compared to Dunlop brass .020 picks (my usual). They feel secure, but it’s harder to shape the tips to my preferred angle. Still messing with them.

[Bill Groner]

I have had a set of Perfect Pics for about 8 years. I tried them and didn't care for them on my lapsteels. About a month ago I bought a Recording King Dobro. I use Dunlop .0225's Brass on my lapsteels and I am happy with them, but they didn't give me the sound I wanted on the reso. (they were quiet) After reading the post I dug my Perfect Picks out. I could not believe the difference in the sound of that Dobro. That thing WOKE UP! It was exactly the sound I was looking for.

[Mark Evans]

I have had a set of Perfect Pics for about 8 years. I tried them and didn't care for them on my lapsteels. About a month ago I bought a Recording King Dobro. I use Dunlop .0225's Brass on my lapsteels and I am happy with them, but they didn't give me the sound I wanted on the reso. (they were quiet) After reading the post I dug my Perfect Picks out. I could not believe the difference in the sound of that Dobro. That thing WOKE UP! It was exactly the sound I was looking for.

I concur. They are GREAT with my weissenborns. For lap, I’ve gone to bare fingers

[Bob Sykes]

It looks like they are made of unobtainium now. I shoulda coulda woulda got a spare set when they were available. I love my Acri brass fingerpicks. It looks like Elderly still has some stainless ones. Might have to try them. Hard to tell if Acri is still in business based on their Wordpress page.

I have a drawer full of other brand picks but the Acri brass are my #1 go to set.

[Pete Martin]

Bob, I found a few extra brass ones on Ebay, he might have some left. I wanted to make sure I had some spares in case of loss.

Pete

[Bob Sykes]

Thanks Pete, I called a guitar player friend who I had given some to when I got mine. He never bonded with them and is going to send them to me. I only knew about the solid band ones, but apparently my friend also bought some with holes in the bands. I'll try them out too. Appreciate the heads up on these things.

[Michael Kiese]

This is an interesting thread. I've never heard of Acri brass fingerpicks. I may try some out if I ever come across them. Thank you for putting them on my radar.

That said, I don't like the idea of using essential tools that are hard to replace.

I went down the rabbit hole with thumbpicks when I first started learning Chet Atkins style. I tried out Red Bear, Blue Chip, and all kinds of fancy Thumbpicks and Fingerpicks. My favorite thumbpick is the Fred Kelly bumblebee. Feels just like a Dunlop Jazz III pick, and it's easily available for purchase on Amazon.

I like the Dunlop brass fingerpicks. Feel good to me and are easily available.

It's just a shame that I love tapered bars, so I'm forced to scour the market and make a personal stockpile. lol.

What is it about the Acri Brass Fingerpicks that make you guys like them so much? I'm curious.

[Pete Martin]

What is it about the Acri Brass Fingerpicks that make you guys like them so much? I'm curious.

Hi Mike, hope you are well!

Since there is more surface against the finger on the Acri, I find these much more comfortable, but I also really like the sound. I don't hear as much metal to metal contact sound, both in the air and thru the amp. I haven't tried any other brass picks, so don't know if that is the brass or the Acri. i also like the shape they come in, much easier to make final adjustments for my desired amount of curve. Just texted you a picture of the picks.

Pete

[Pete Martin]

Thanks Pete, I called a guitar player friend who I had given some to when I got mine. He never bonded with them and is going to send them to me. I only knew about the solid band ones, but apparently my friend also bought some with holes in the bands. I'll try them out too. Appreciate the heads up on these things.

Glad to help Bob! Let me know what you think of the solid vs more holes picks.

[Michael Kiese]

What is it about the Acri Brass Fingerpicks that make you guys like them so much? I'm curious.

Hi Mike, hope you are well!

Since there is more surface against the finger on the Acri, I find these much more comfortable, but I also really like the sound. I don't hear as much metal to metal contact sound, both in the air and thru the amp. I haven't tried any other brass picks, so don't know if that is the brass or the Acri. i also like the shape they come in, much easier to make final adjustments for my desired amount of curve. Just texted you a picture of the picks.

Pete

Aloha Pete, doing fine thanks.

Also mahalo for the text.

https://www.elderly.com/products/acri-l ... re-details

I'm kinda flabbergasted that Elderly Music is selling 2 Stainless Steel Acri fingerpicks as a pair for $17. That's $8.50 per pick.

They don't even mention how thick the picks are either. That matters.

I use 0.025 Brass Dunlop picks which are 20 for $34. That's 5x less per pick.

That said, if Elderly ever has the Brass ACRIs available again, I might YOLO 2 pair. If I like 'em that much, I might make 'em my permanent pair and use Dunlops as a back up for emergencies.

I just checked, and Paul Franklin's National Fingerpicks are on sale on Sweetwater, $20 for a 4-pack. Usually they're priced at around $25.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... cks-4-pack

I'll order a set. I prefer brass, but SS will work too.

Jerry Byrd used 18 gauge Dunlop fingerpicks.
Bobby Ingano uses 25 gauge National fingerpicks.

Both those guys made it work. It's probably because they had to go with whatever was available at the local music stores in Hawaii. They picked what they liked and stuck with it.

I'll give anything a try. Judge with your ears, not your pocketbook works both ways. lol.

Thanks!

[Jim Newberry]

I showed Pete the Acri picks. I think Mr Acri is a banjo player, perhaps from Arizona… I’m a delicate flower. Dunlop, ProPick, National, and the like just tear up my cuticles, so I went looking for something different and found the Acri picks. I first got brass ones in medium and large to find the right size (and they were cheaper than Stainless). I then got stainless Medium and switch between those and the brass. I tried other “cuticle-friendly” picks like Saddle Picks and PerfectTouch that others like so well, but settled on the Acri for me. I hope they become more available. I went down the fancy thumb pick rabbit hole too and found I like some inexpensive and very available Fred Kelly SlickPicks.

[Anne Marie Werbitsky]

IMG_4139.jpg

Regarding Acri Brass Fingerpicks;
I have 2 extra. PM me if you are interested. I bought them more than 20 years ago.
Cheers, Anne

[Lee Rider]

I met and picked with Gordy Acri years ago at the Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival. A real character:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PT6VfyCitQ

[Pete Martin]

I met and picked with Gordy Acri years ago at the Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival. A real character:

I met him there at that time, you're right, a real character. I got the feeling he was a very smart individual, very creative. I loved his motorhome on the flat bed trailer.

[Michael Kiese]

Aloha Everyone,

So here I am picking this thread up again. Why?

Because I YOLO'd the pair of ACRIs that Anne Marie offered. She sent them all the way from Canada.

Dammit. I love them. lol.

They're very stiff, and it takes some real force to bend and shape them, but once I got them where I want them, they were super comfortable, and I found they produce a more pleasing tone and attack from the Brass Dunlops I usually use.

I told Anne Marie that I was actually hoping to not like them because they are so rare and hard to find.

I'll try anything because you just never know if you'll like them or not.

Well, I love the pair of ACRIs Anne sent me. Now I have to protect them like Gollum and the One True Ring. lol.

These are now my #1 favorite pair of fingerpicks. The Brass Dunlops are now officially back ups.

Darn it Pete, if you hadn't started this thread, I'd still be happily unaware of ACRIs. Now I'm on yet another search for rare items. lol.

Enjoy!

[Pete Martin]

Glad to be of service Mike!!!

[Dave Ristrim]

I have a set of the solid ones if you want a second pair. Or, if anyone else on this thread wants them. I got them from Gordon Acri at a bluegrass festival back in the 90's.
Only used them a couple times.
Dave

[Michael Kiese]

I have a set of the solid ones if you want a second pair. Or, if anyone else on this thread wants them. I got them from Gordon Acri at a bluegrass festival back in the 90's.
Only used them a couple times.
Dave

Aloha Dave,

Just PM'd you.

[Larry Allen]

I have used the SS Acri’s on steel, dobro and acoustic for years after 40 years of NP2s..I tried the brass but the SS got my vote.. Banjo Ben always had them.. if they work it doesn’t matter how much they cost for multi $$$$ guitars!