When you think of guitar picks, do you think of those tiny rounded triangles of plastic that probably cost about a penny to manufacture? Guitarists used to file down materials like wood, bone, stone, amber, ivory and even metal or shell to get the size, thickness and shape they wanted. D’Andrea Picks created the first plastic picks in 1922 out of a piece of celluloid with a tortoise-shell look that looked very close to the real tortoiseshell in the picks commonly used in Greenwich Village at the time.

The most popular shape for guitar picks was the shape first used in those original picks created by D’Andrea picks. D’Andrea was also the first company to create custom picks for certain guitarists. One of the first guitarists to make pick imprinting popular was Nick Lucas, back in the 1930s. One of the most popular and recognized custom guitar picks today are those that bear the logo of Fender Guitars.

Throwing guitar picks into the audience has become a popular thing for musical artists to do at concerts, much like crooners of old would throw their scarves, or the towel that was around their neck to mop their sweat. Any item touched by a celebrity has value in the eyes of a fan, especially one that was worn around their neck or held in their hand. So even a plain guitar pick tossed out by a favorite artists becomes a priceless collector’s items to an enthusiastic fan.

But many artists used personalized guitar picks, which make them even more fun. The band’s name, their logo, or the guitarists name might be on the pick. Artists also autograph picks, or put their faces on them in some cases. These, when thrown out into a crowd or signed at an official gathering and sold, make the items even more special.

One of the first big acts to throw custom guitar picks into the audience was the rock band Cheap Trick. Rick Nielsen, the brightly-colored, ball-cap-wearing guitarist would throw hundreds of custom picks into the audience during a concert. Now, most acts have started throwing their personalized picks into the audience.

Collectors love guitar picks for several reasons. They’re small and easy to display, there’s a huge variety of colors and styles available, and they’re inexpensive and fairly easy to acquire. If you can’t make that concert in the hopes of catching a personalized pick that your favorite act throws in to the audience, then check the band’s or the artist’s website. Many sell their personalized picks online. And if they don’t, you can look in any online auction site like eBay and probably find dozens of them available.

If you’re looking for an autograph from one of your favorite musical artists, guitar picks are easy to carry for them to sign. Though they’re small, autographed guitar picks are quickly becoming a favorite among musical collectors. If you’re not lucky enough to meet your favorite for a signature, autographed guitar picks are popular items on eBay and through autograph dealers.

Originally posted 2008-10-17 14:00:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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