How to Get a Pick out of a Guitar

Co-authored by Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA

Last Updated: December 11, 2022

Did you drop your guitar pick through the instrument’s sound hole? Fret not, and don’t race to the music store for a replacement. There are quick and easy techniques you can use to rescue a lost pick from inside the body of your acoustic guitar.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Flipping the Guitar Quickly

1
Hold the guitar flat on your lap. The sound hole should be facing upward. Ensure that the floor around you is free of grates, nooks, or other spots in which your pick could get lost. Also be sure that you've got clearance to move your instrument around without knocking over a nearby object.
2
Shake it until you can see the pick through the sound hole. Finesse is key here. Gently use the guitar’s interior support braces to help slide the pick directly under the sound hole, so it sits over the label inside. Grab a flashlight if the room's lighting isn't enough to get a good look inside.

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3
Flip the guitar so the sound hole is facing down. If you flip it over quickly enough, inertia will cause the pick to "stick" to the back of the guitar until the sound hole is facing down. The pick will fall in your lap.^{[1]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Shaking It Through the Sound Hole

1
Hold the guitar while standing up. This technique involves some up-and-down movement, so it's easiest done standing. You should have some space to move around, so be aware of your surroundings. Make sure you - and the guitar's neck - are far enough away from your 60 inch flat screen TV or mom's favorite lamp.
2
Flip your guitar over. The sound hole should be facing the floor. Keep a firm grip with one hand at the heel where the fretboard meets the body, and the other on the lower bout. If you're lucky, the pick might just fall out, but you'll more than likely have to do some maneuvering.

EXPERT TIP

Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA
Professional Guitarist
Carlos Alonzo Rivera is a guitarist, composer, and educator based in San Francisco, California. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from California State University, Chico, as well as a Master of Music degree in Classical Guitar Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Carlos specializes in the following genres: classical, jazz. rock, metal and blues.

Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MA
Professional Guitarist

Our Expert Agrees: Flip the guitar over so the soundhole is facing the ground. Then, shake the guitar up-and-down instead of side-to-side. The pick will bounce around inside the chamber and eventually fly out of the soundhole.
3
Shake your guitar with the neck angled toward the ground. Listen for the sound the pick makes from inside the body to track where it is. If the pick doesn't fall out of the sound hole, try to shake it to the top and center of the guitar, toward the neck. The goal is to strategically corral the pick.
4
Shift the guitar so the neck is now angled upward. Do this in a quick motion once you’ve moved the pick to the top and center of the body. Let gravity slide the pick down the body until it falls out of the sound hole.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using a Stick Tool

1
Find a long, narrow object and place an adhesive on one end. It should be long and thin enough to get through the sound hole without touching the strings.
- A chopstick, small paintbrush, or pencil will work fine. Go with something you're comfortable with modifying. Don't select, for example, your favorite pen.
- For the adhesive, you can use poster putty, double-sided tape, a bit of glue from a glue stick, or even chewing gum.
2
Hold the guitar on your lap. The instrument should be facing up, with the strings and sound hold facing the ceiling. Position it so that you can see the pick through the sound hole. You might need to carefully shake it around until the pick comes into view.
3
Insert the adhesive end of the stick tool through the sound hole. Touch it to the pick. Apply pressure so it sticks. Make sure you've got a grip on it before you start to pull it out of the guitar.
4
Lift the pick out of the hole. Slow and steady wins the race: don't rush or you might drop the pick and have to start over. Be careful not to hit the strings or sound hole’s sides, and try not to get the sticky stuff everywhere.
- With practice, you might be able to skip the adhesive altogether, and use the stick to keep the pick anchored to the base of the guitar, against the inside label, as you flip the instrument over and let gravity do the rest. ^{[2]
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Community Q&A

Question

How else can I get out the pick without shaking it?

Community Answer

Unless your hands are small enough to fit in there, you'll have to use the shake method.
Question

I can't really see through the sound hole. What can I do?

Community Answer

Try removing the strings and using a flashlight.

Warnings

Make sure not to shake too vigorously. Shaking your guitar hard isn’t very consistent or accurate, and you could damage the neck, fretboard, or another fragile part of the instrument.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 18 Not Helpful 2
Be careful with your guitar.

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Helpful 27 Not Helpful 7
If you've made an adhesive tool using a chopstick and poster putty or glue, don't use the chopstick for eating in the future.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 18 Not Helpful 6
It could also fly out at an unpredictable angle, so make sure you’re far away from floor vents or grates, or other spots in which the pick might easily get lost.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 12 Not Helpful 5
You should be able to easily spot your pick once it falls out of the sound hole, so shaking it out over a colorful rug might not be the best idea, depending on what color your pick is.

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Helpful 10 Not Helpful 5