What the heck is "pick swirling"?

[Number Of The Priest]

I assume they're the marks left behind on the guitar by a slipping of the picking hand, making the pick come into contact with the body/pickguard of the guitar.

But what I don't understand with is how it makes a "swirl". To me, a swirl is circular, and I noticed my guitars have circles on them caused by my wiping of the guitars after playing. Hence, I guess mine aren't really even "pick swirls" at all. I don't think I've ever "dug deep" enough in my playing to hit the guitar body with my pick before. [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

[Child Of Norther]

Re: What the heck is "pick swirling"?

This begs the question... How the hell do you scrape/hit a guitar body with a pick???

I've never done that in my near 6 years of playing.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: What the heck is "pick swirling"?

That's what I was sort of insinuating in my original post. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Maybe I've hit my guitar during REALLY aggressive acoustic strumming... [img]images/icons/blush.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[fett]

Re: What the heck is "pick swirling"?

Is pick swirling when you rotate your pick to hit the string in a circular pattern?

[toejam]

Re: What the heck is "pick swirling"?

Originally posted by fett:
Is pick swirling when you rotate your pick to hit the string in a circular pattern?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It's similar to Marty Friedman's circle picking. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Rikrok]

Re: What the heck is &quot;pick swirling&quot;?

It can come from jewelry as well (pinky rings, bracelets, ect.)It is an easy fix.

[Newc]

Re: What the heck is &quot;pick swirling&quot;?

It's not from the pick, it's from your fingernail resting on the body (pay attention next time you're playing, your fingernail of your ring and pinky are most likely resting on the guitar when soloing).

Some players who use a large pick and move it in a wide pattern (like EVH) may get it from the pick, but most players I've seen touch their fingers to the guitar's body, thus causing the swirls.

Newc

[toejam]

Re: What the heck is &quot;pick swirling&quot;?

Originally posted by Number Of The Priest:
Maybe I've hit my guitar during REALLY aggressive acoustic strumming... [img]images/icons/blush.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That's possible. I've done that before. Also, it seems easier to do on guitars with recessed trems or Fender-type hardtails which keep the strings closer to the body than TOM bridges or non-recessed trems.
Also, as you mentioned, wiping down your guitar can do it, mostly because of dust on the body. You should first use a damp cloth to clean the body before you do your normal wiping down and polishing, as dust that has settled on the body can be abrasive. I read this not too long ago.

[~K~]

Re: What the heck is &quot;pick swirling&quot;?

Newc hit the nail on the head at least in my case.. When I do certain things I tend to rest my pinky on the body as an anchor thus creating swirl marks over time .. it's nothing that can't be buffed out though ..

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: What the heck is &quot;pick swirling&quot;?

Hmm, I'll have to pay attention next time I play my electric guitars. I know that when I do acoustic flatpicking, my pinky is resting on the soundhole rosette or the pickguard for stability.

Damn, Toejam got me paranoid about the abrasive settling dust. I'll have to keep that in mind. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

[Child Of Norther]

Re: What the heck is &quot;pick swirling&quot;?

I rest mine on the actual floyd rose... further back than a palm mote.

[mm2002]

Re: What the heck is &quot;pick swirling&quot;?

I keep all my guitars covered in saran wrap so I never get any scratches on them at all. If I decide to sell one I just peel off the wrap before taking the pics. They still look good as new!..........

[Newc]

Re: What the heck is &quot;pick swirling&quot;?

That's the most anal-retentive idea I've ever heard [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/poke.gif[/img]

Newc

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: What the heck is &quot;pick swirling&quot;?

[img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Pickguards already come with that clingy clear wrap stuff on it, so might as well cover the whole damn guitar in it. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Yeah, I noticed that I rest my entire hand lightly on the Floyd. No pick swirling for me! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Thanks for the responses guys. [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]