Guitar pick holder for Hosmer 5 hook /Dunlop TORTEX picks [3d printed solution]

I was searching for a practical way to get back to playing guitar with a pick for quite a while. I knew what I wanted – I just had to make it happen.

And with a few dozen rapid prototyped thingies down the line, I now have a shape that I find so useful that I started practicing guitar playing with it.

I use Dunlop TORTEX picks, and the thingy fits a Hosmer Model 5 hook, of which I now got myself a steel version just because I wanted to see how much comfort I would lose by not wearing the nitrile / aluminum version. I know!!! Others save up to buy themselves an iLimb “upgrade” for 30 000 bucks and I go for a stability / longevity over comfort upgrade that I can use to fit a guitar pick.

Here is a view of the 3D model: on the left side, the assembled / clipped together view. Right side with the two parts apart – they just fit together and are kept in place also by the hook. The grooves match the Hosmer model 5 hook.

This is how it works:

  • The two shells clip into each other, and the shape is made in a way that you should be able to figure that out. Your print precision should be good enough for both parts to fit – at least here, with normal PLA and a Makerbot printer, all is sweet. I will publish these via Shapeways where I assume that quality is a given.
  • You should place a Dunlop TORTEX (or similarly sized) pick into the place where it is supposed to fit (obvious) and then close the shell. Then squeeze it into your right sided hook and all is well.
  • I now added a bit of double sided sticky tape just to allow minimal swivel of the pick, and that seems to work quite well. Rather than a rigid squeeze you get just without adding any rubber or tape to the pick mount.

Features that were kept in mind for making this item:

  • I can swivel the pick to not be parallel to the strings lengthwise,  but slightly oblique (towards the x-axis, see below), which may be important for alternate picking direction where we want to avoid not getting caught in the strings.
  • I can change the angle from vertical (parallel to the z-axis) to slightly oblique with regard to the drop, so the pick can go both ways – up and down – when it is more vertical, or, it can be used for gentle strumming when angled with the tip towards the lowest string.

Guitars should come with a standard coordinate system. So: x = along neck, y = along bridge, perpendicular to the strings but parallel to the front plate of the guitar body, z = axis between strings and the rear side of the body.

As soon as that works out for me, playing wise, I will likely put some more pictures / videos / sounds online. Until then see you later alligator ; )

Meantime, other people also figured out how to use 3D print to help guitar play. Now, yes, personally, I tried holders such as this but picks eventually fell out. So that one came out flat on the AUA vs WIFUCD test dimension.

This also fits my iLimb revolution : )

If you want one, order your own pick holder here:


Cite this article:
Wolf Schweitzer: swisswuff.ch - Guitar pick holder for Hosmer 5 hook /Dunlop TORTEX picks [3d printed solution]; published 11/02/2017, 00:08; URL: https://www.swisswuff.ch/tech/?p=7189.

BibTeX 1: @MISC{schweitzer_wolf_1738964481, author = {Wolf Schweitzer}, title = {{swisswuff.ch - Guitar pick holder for Hosmer 5 hook /Dunlop TORTEX picks [3d printed solution]}}, month = {February}, year = {2017}, url = {https://www.swisswuff.ch/tech/?p=7189}

BibTeX 2: @MISC{schweitzer_wolf_1738964481, author = {Wolf Schweitzer}, title = {{Guitar pick holder for Hosmer 5 hook /Dunlop TORTEX picks [3d printed solution]}}, howpublished = {Technical Below Elbow Amputee Issues}, month = {February}, year = {2017}, url = {https://www.swisswuff.ch/tech/?p=7189} }