Credit Card Guitar Picks

by admanrocks

93K66109

Intro: Credit Card Guitar Picks

here is something cool to do with old credit cards or fake ones you get in the mail

STEP 1: Materials

you will need:
Credit Card
Scisors
Sharpie
Guitar Pick

STEP 2: Trace

Using your other guitar pick trace the shape on the card, you can also make you own cool designs, try and get as many on one card as you can

STEP 3: Cut

Cut out the picks

STEP 4: Done

YAY! now you have cool guitar picks that work great!

110 Comments

kmug500 8 years ago

I have made tons of awesome guitar picks from credit cards. I just need to know what works best at removing the writing on the back.

JackB4 9 years ago

If you don't have time, but you do have money you can also buy a punch for this from ThinkGeek.com

Pastorrichard52 9 years ago

This is exactly what I did with my credit cards, I highly recommend it!! Do it!!!

gtiba 11 years ago

I made mine from a cancelled credit card.
Very cool idea. Thanks.

sahejchops 11 years ago

I'm in India as well. But I don't get it. What are you talking about?

jensantonho 12 years ago

A little tip to people that thinks they are to thick. You can make a thinner one out of plastic from the side of a bottle. ;) They still work! just did it myself :P

wevvie 12 years ago

Since I like a medium flex pick, I tried taking cards to work on the train with a small pair of scissors, a pencil and a bit of 200 grit sandpaper (to feather the edges).
I would trace the shape of my favorite picks, cut the shape and sand the edges so they were slightly rounded and the resulting pick had a nice, even shape.

Sometimes I'd cut the raised letter/numbers into the pick as well (when it's cold outside the picks tended to slip around and I didn't always have surfboard wax to keep them in place).
I've had different experiences with different cards but mostly positive.
I've taken people's old ID cards and made picks with their photos visible.
All in all, it's a great way to give that plastic another life, if only for a while.
Many of my picks have lasted years.

d_malakian_69 17 years ago

Sorry to destroy your world but I've tried a credit card guitar pick and in 3 days of using it it broke in half, you have to consider a better material for them. Although of that this is very original :)

wevvie 12 years ago

All credit cards are not the same. some are laminated pressed paper which will come apart with little use.
I used to take my favorite shaped picks (triangular) to work with me (I was a locomotive engineer) and when I had time I'd trace the outline, cut two or three from a card, use a little sandpaper to do the fine shaping.
I've got picks I've used for years. I have a wallet with about ten in it most of the time. Even found that the embossed numbers and letters were easier to hang on to.

beehard44 14 years ago

i guess you were too hard...

admanrocks 17 years ago

thats strange never happened to me. you should consider trying this again. i posted this instructable almost a year ago and still have those pics :)

Joe857 17 years ago

Your "cool shaped one" won't work very well. >.>

Gambite 17 years ago

y do u say that?

beehard44 14 years ago

he wants to comment. lets not make a big deal about it

dannyo013 13 years ago

I would just like to point out that playing with a normal credit card itself would work... so why wouldn't a lopsided pick made from the same material work? >.>

asdfcrow 13 years ago

If you want a low gauge pick, just use the top of a yogurt container or something else. My Dad's been doing this for years, he prefers them to normal picks.

nuckthebuck 13 years ago

great idea and the area with numbers idented is great for grip. it changes the sound of your guitar strumming but turtle shells sound great. i wanted to try the carbon fiber picks havent found any cheap ones tho.

An Angel Called X 13 years ago

 Oh boy! This was a great Instructable. I always kinda wanted to make my own, but never knew how. Thanks! Here are how mine turned out. Just made them out of some ID cards from previous school years. 
It makes my guitar sound a bit flat, but it is alright. Guess I just have to find a better material for them. But all-in-all, this was very nifty!^^

www.flickr.com/photos/50451027@N06/4628227354/

beehard44 14 years ago

same here in the philippines, bread name is Gardenia.
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