The business began during the slowdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, when both brothers suddenly found themselves with extra time at the electronics manufacturing company where they worked together.

“I asked my brother if he could cut me out a pick from some scrap acrylic we had,” said Rick. “He fired up his laser and cut out a pick for me to work with. I proceeded to bevel it and make our first guitar pick. Things just progressed from there. We quickly became obsessed with the idea of making picks.”

Guitar picks are often treated as disposable accessories, the Calhouns created Honey Picks around the belief that even the smallest tool can shape a musician’s sound, feel, and connection to an instrument. Rick brought decades of experience as a guitarist, along with a background in e-commerce and electronics manufacturing. Andrew’s experience with machinery, mechanics, and fabrication helped turn the concept into a repeatable production process.

The brothers initially approached Honey Picks as a side project, but early online sales hinted at larger possibilities.

“We had created some social media pages and opened an Etsy store,” said Rick. “The Etsy store had started selling a few orders each week, and we could see that this might actually become something worthwhile.”

While Honey Picks sells to musicians around the world, the company remains deeply tied to its roots in Alexander County.

“Living in WNC is definitely home for us,” Rick said. “We’ve both lived in Alexander County our entire lives. We could probably do this in any location, but we are proud to live in WNC.”

That small-town identity also shapes the company’s philosophy.

“Taylorsville is a small town with big values,” Rick said. “Everyone knows everyone in our community. A large percentage of our community are farmers and blue collar workers. Honey Picks is a small company that is working hard to make the best picks in the industry. We’ve grown up seeing our parents and grandparents work hard. We’re taking that same work ethic and pouring it into our picks.”

Unlike mass-produced picks commonly sold in music stores, Honey Picks are individually crafted by hand. The process starts with raw materials sourced in sheets and blocks, which are resized and cut using CNC and laser equipment before being refined into the finished products.

“Ensuring these sheets are perfectly flat is critical before we proceed to cutting the pick shapes,” said Rick.

From there, each pick moves through sanding, beveling, polishing, washing, and inspection stages before shipment.

“Finally, every pick is washed and undergoes a thorough inspection to ensure it meets our quality standards,” Rick said.

The company’s emphasis on customization and material quality has become one of its defining traits. Honey Picks offers a wide range of shapes, thicknesses, grip patterns, bevel styles, and materials designed to fit individual playing styles.

“Each order feels like you are ordering a custom pick,” said Rick. “Most of the typical guitar picks that you buy at the local guitar store are mass produced using injection molding. This leaves a small plastic stub on the pick. The materials are cheap and wear out quickly. There are only a few main shapes, sizes, and thicknesses available.”

Because many musicians may not initially consider the impact a pick can have on tone and performance, customer education has become a significant part of the company’s marketing strategy.

“We have done our best to spread the word on the importance of the guitar pick,” Rick said. “We have been reaching customers outside of NC from the very beginning. The internet has made selling worldwide incredibly easy. In fact, most of our customers are outside of NC.”

Still, growth has been intentional. Honey Picks remains a two-person operation, and the brothers have prioritized steady development over rapid scaling.

“We have purposefully taken time to grow the business slowly,” said Rick. 

The business has also required the brothers to navigate material sourcing, e-commerce systems, taxes, and balancing production with family life and full-time jobs. As the company has matured, Honey Picks has focused more heavily on refining its existing designs than rapidly expanding its catalog.

“We are very proud of our grip options,” Rick said. “We offer a unique range of grips that sets us apart from other pick manufacturers.”

Looking ahead, the brothers envision Honey Picks becoming an internationally recognized name within the music industry.

“Ultimately, we want Honey Picks to be synonymous with exceptional customer care and integrity,” said Rick. “It has truly been a surprise to see just how many players have been willing to give our picks a chance. Most musicians are accustomed to spending between $0.25 and $1.00 for a standard pick, so the fact that they are willing to invest $35 in one of our handcrafted pieces is something we find incredibly humbling.”

For the Calhouns, the ultimate goal is simple: for players to feel the care behind every finished piece.

“Each of these picks is a labor of love for us,” Calhoun said. “My hope is that users can truly sense the meticulous attention to detail that we pour into every single piece we create.”

Learn more at HoneyPicks.com.