Black Mountain Thumb Picks
A guitar pick built for fingerpicking.
Move from a fingerpicked passage to strummed chords or a picked melody without putting your pick down. Black Mountain’s spring-loaded clasp holds the pick on your thumb, ready when you want it, while your other fingers are free to play.
One Light, one Medium, one Heavy, and one Jazz Tip. Recommended for first-time buyers.
Free thumbpicking course included.
Shop individual models
The spring makes the difference.
The clasp flexes around your thumb to hold the pick in place, instead of relying on one rigid plastic ring. You don’t need to keep the blade pinched between your thumb and index finger just to hang on to it.
For strumming or a lead line, hold the blade between your thumb and index finger as you would a flatpick. Let go with your index finger to return to fingerpicking. You can change how you play without reaching for another pick.
One song. More ways to play.
Fingerpick a verse, bring in the pick for a strummed chorus, then return to your fingers for a quieter section. The pick stays on your thumb through those changes, ready for whichever part comes next.
Designed by a guitar teacher.
Cole McBride invented the Black Mountain Thumb Pick while working as a full-time guitar teacher. After trying hundreds of guitar picks and deciding there was room for improvement, he began experimenting with a spring. That experiment became the spring-loaded Thumb Pick you see here.
What players are saying.
“I've gotta say, none feels, works, and sounds as natural as Black Mountain!”
“Just a note to say that after over 50 years of playing guitar you have produced the perfect pick for my right hand technique.”
Hear it in action.
Four models. Find your feel.
Pick feel is personal. Light and Medium give you flexible blades for strumming; Heavy and Jazz Tip offer firmer blades with different tip shapes. The Variety Pack includes one of each, so you can try them with the music you actually play.
Light
A very flexible blade with the feel of a 0.7 mm nylon pick. A good starting point if you like lighter picks for strumming.
Shop Light
Medium
A flexible blade with the feel of a 0.8 mm nylon pick. A little firmer than Light, while still giving you flex for strumming.
Shop Medium
Heavy
A firm blade with a standard pick shape. For players who prefer a familiar outline with less flex than Light or Medium.
Shop Heavy
Jazz Tip
A firm blade with a pointed jazz tip, for players who prefer that shape for picked melodies and lead lines.
Shop Jazz TipBefore you choose.
I've never used a thumb pick. Where do I start?
If a thumb pick is new to you, give your picking hand time to get used to the feel. Start with a familiar pattern, then try moving between fingerpicking and strumming. A free thumbpicking course is included with your order.
What if I need a different fit?
Individual Thumb Pick models are available with Regular spring tension for medium to extra-large thumbs, or Extra-Tight for smaller thumbs and players who prefer a tighter hold. For a specific spring-tension choice, shop the individual models below.
Shop individual Thumb PicksWhich orientation should I choose?
Choose Right-Handed if you pick the strings with your right hand, or Left-Handed if you pick with your left. All four picks in the pack match your selection.
Play the way you want to.
Fingerpick, strum, and play picked lines with a pick that stays on your thumb. Get one Light, one Medium, one Heavy, and one Jazz Tip in the Variety Pack.