"Blue Chip" picks for electric guitars...??

[Boz]

I'm not very good at descriptors, or the specifics of exactly how much difference a pick makes. I just know that I like them. They're comfortable to hold, and I don't drop them. They sound good, and seem to make playing easier. Here are three threads from several years ago that you may find helpful.

The Boutique Pick Roundup

THE BOUTIQUE PICK ROUNDUP After much research (ahh..just surfing the web:cool:) and diligent hours (only when I didn't have something better to do:rolleyes:) of painstaking scrutiny (checking em out for the heck of ito_O) using the most advance technology (uh..my fingers & ears:p) I have come...

forums.prsguitars.com

Boutique pick Roundup II-confessions of a pick nerd.

Well………. I think I might be coming close to hitting a wall on this boutique pick thing. It has been fun, enlightening, and not overly expensive, but with as many disappointments as there have been revelations. (Biggest revelation: acrylic picks, although not the best tone material, it is by far...

forums.prsguitars.com

THE BOUTIQUE PICK ROUNDUP PART III: the FINAL Chapter (?)

Yes my friends it's another installment of one man's adventures through the world of overpriced plectrums. For this chapter of the trilogy I'm going to review a couple picks, show you a couple of my homemade adventures and misadventures, plus I will finish up with my choices of some of the best...

forums.prsguitars.com

Appreciate the research bodia, that was very helpful

 

[Boz]

I use several shapes, depending on what I'm doing and how my hands are feeling on the day of a session.

For most things electric, I use the Jazz 35 or Jazz 40. The more pointed tip helps with picking accuracy (and has the side benefit of being short enough that I don't hit the middle pickup on a 3 pickup guitar like the Special).

I also use Jazz 40 and 35 LGs for acoustic solos, where the string spacing is wider and that little bit of extra pick length seems to help.

For strumming I use the traditional teardrop shape TD 35. If my hands are feeling a bit off, I sometimes use a TAD 40 that's shaped like an overweight TD - bigger, somewhat more triangular, and easier to grip because of the added size.

I haven't tried the Primetone - the last Blue Chip I bought was 3 years ago - the things just don't wear out and I have 3-4 for each guitar at this point. So I haven't needed to buy any picks. It ain't broke, I'm not fixin' it!

Exactly the type of stuff I wanted to know, especially since I'm wanting to purchase one for acoustic and one for electric

 

[Jay7347]

I've been using "vespel" picks, currently made by both Charmed Life and Blue Chip for about the last twelve years. Vespel is a Dupont composite that has been used by NASA. Its sound qualities are similar to tortoise shell, without the ethical implications of killing turtles. I like them for their tone, grip and because they don't wear out. Yep, one of my picks is twelve years old. You know, we spend tons of money on the tone chain, from strings to pickups to the latest pedal that promises to make it all sound like our favorite guitar player. So much of it is in the fingers, but that's another discussion thread. All I know is I really like the tone and that is one less thing I have to worry about.

 

[DarkskyZ]

I am just a hobbyist bedroom player but I keep getting back to my BlueChip BC Jazz 50. I have several BlueChip picks, in different sizes, shapes and thicknesses but BC Jazz 50 is the one.
I ventured into Hufschmid plectrum.ch Torlon too. It sounds good too and feels great but can be too bright/chirpy with some guitar/amp combination (I don't really understand why though that is). Interesting to try and to have at hand though.

 

[RedGuitars]

$35 each?!

 

[DarkskyZ]

$35 each?!

Yep and worth every penny

 

[bodia]

Yep and worth every penny

Agreed

 

[László]

$35 each?!

A bargain at that price, I think! I have 3 or 4 in every guitar case in slightly different thicknesses and shapes for what I want to do.

Sounds like real tortoise - seriously. That's why the Blue Chip picks are so popular with bluegrass players who do contests, etc.

Glides through the strings without friction because it's a material used in very high tech aircraft that never needs lubrication, is incredibly strong, lasts forever; yet isn't slippery in the hand. It has a melting point higher than many metals.

The material itself costs over $1000 for a single, small sheet. Can't be molded, has to be individually machined, and it's labor-intensive to cut and bevel them.

My ten year old Blue Chip picks are like new. I mean literally, 'day I got them' new. You can get through a long session on one pick; it never exhibits any sign of wear, raspy tone, or slowing up as it goes through the strings.

None of the other tortoise soundalikes like casein, or other bioplastics last like these. Several of the picks have been here longer than all but one my guitars, which is WEIRD but TRUE!

Most people buy new picks for their guitars -- I buy new guitars for my picks!