Does anyone know any specifics? What kind of picks he uses, how he holds it, etc? What about that fan picking thing where he bends his arm so he attacks it from the bottom? http://www.vhlinks.com/vhlforum/smilies/confused.gif

I know he used mediums for a long time. I myself use what all my friends and family call "paper piece of shit" it is a Dunlop .38. THIN!! Anyway,during Van Halen III he used metal picks.

2711

Ed changes picks like they were clothes. Metal, thick, thin, he uses them all. I think he's like I am, because I can't decide what kind of pick I like best and I've been playing 20 years. Eddie holds his pick between his middle finger and his thumb. When he picks real fast he puts his index finger on the edge of the pick. Go look at the Live Without a Net video or RHRN, and you can see how Ed picks.

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Eat Us And Smile!!!!!

"I won't go down in history, but I will go down on your sister!"...David Lee Roth

He also rests his hand on the bridge when he picks. That's one of the reasons that his Floyd Roses were always stop pieces instead of floating (with the exception of his Frankenstrat however...he glued a quater under the top corner or the Floyd so it would n't raise in pitch).

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"I feel like a shining example, but I'm not sure what of." - Dave
"We're not in the music business, we're in the business of making music." - Edward
"Yeah, I saw a yard gnome once...it didn't scare me." - Space Ghost

Not to disagree about III's pick choice but weren't they made of ocean rocks. Thought I caught an interview where he said he and Wolfie would go to the beach and look for rock's in the shapes of a pick. Regardless, it could've been either by the way the attack and sound came out, it was obviously different.

I also thought Eddie used rocks on 3.
I've got an interview where Eddie shows different picks and one is a rock that looks like a pick.

As far as the "fly"picking...I can do it ...but it is really hard to be consistent!!!! It is almost like you force your wrist to have a muscle spasm!!! It doesn't hurt, BUT, it is hard to control when you are only trying to play on one string...it takes practice and patience!!! DO NOT BEND YOUR WRIST TOO MUCH..that will trash your wrist and cramp you up..just "twitch" your wrist and use a lite nylon pick at first...then move up to a thicker pick until it's comfortable. It's still a great eye catcher at gigs!!!!!! http://www.vhlinks.com/vhlforum/smilies/biggrin.gif http://www.vhlinks.com/vhlforum/smilies/biggrin.gif http://www.vhlinks.com/vhlforum/smilies/biggrin.gif http://www.vhlinks.com/vhlforum/smilies/biggrin.gif http://www.vhlinks.com/vhlforum/smilies/biggrin.gif

Ive got the fan picking down pretty damn good.For me,I have pick hitting string with side of pick close to the tip.In other words,the pick is held at angle to string rather than traditional pick nose hitting string.Rest forearm on guitar body and have wrist dangling over close to pickup and floyd rose.It takes patience,patience,patience and lots of practice.Been playing for 29+ years now,and the guitar is an awesome instrument because every time I pick it up,I figure out something new.There is so much shit you can do on a guitar.I LOVE THE INSTRUMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow another 8 year old thread that has been revived.

How you found this Kramerboy I don't know........and I'm not sure I even want to know.....:D