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In July 1928, a vaudeville guitar player named George D. Beauchamp (pronounced BEECH-UM) applied for a patent on a "pick for stringed musical instruments". This illustration from the actual patent shows a thumb pick (top) and finger pick (below). Simultaneously, Beauchamp was working with the Dopyera brothers, the eventual creators of the Dobro, building National resonator guitars. In 1928, John Dopyera left National, the company he founded, and quietly stated for the rest of his life that he was the actual inventor of this style of finger pick. Patent No. 1787136 was issued to George Beauchamp and National on December 30, 1930.

If you have information that may be helpful in developing this resource, or questions about old National finger picks, please email me .

The entry page to this web resource is www.deanhoffmeyer.com/nationalpicks/frameset.htm

Special thanks to all the veteran musicians, retailers, and manufacturers who have contributed information to this site. All National picks are shown in the order of their manufacture, from 1928 to present.

Information and photos on this web site are copyrighted, and may not be duplicated without permission of the owner.