Guitar Picks

So I just spent some time (taking a break from working at home) playing a whole whack of picks, on both acoustic and electric guitar, and then on mandolin. Selections were:

  • Three types and sizes of V-picks (but all quite thick)
  • Dunlop Tortex - red, yellow, green, blue, purple, all "normal" issue (not sharp)
  • The Thin white custom-initialed picks my wife got me (they are thicker than tortex reds, thinner than yellow, so I assume about orange, and I think they are acrylic plastic like many picks - not the same stuff as tortex) (I need to find out more)
  • Other random picks that I have collected over the years

I have concluded that the Green Tortex are what I like for acoustic and electric guitar, and those white personalized ones for mandolin.

Which surprised me, I have been using the Yellow Tortex for years on electric, and had started to use the Purple Tortex on acoustic because I thought they would be louder/clearer (which I need for unplugged gigs). But the green were the ones that I could get the clearest and most distinct sound from, on both types of guitar. Not the super stiff purple, not the ultra-stiff V-picks. I found the V-picks made me feel like I was playing with a plank of wood in my hands - just too thick.

The mando sounded best with those white picks, but I had mostly come to that conclusion previously - they aren't as loud, but I can articulate better with them, and the mando sounds better. It is a relatively loud instrument, so I wasn't worried about overall volume for unplugged gigs.

I have just one green tortex pick that I can find, so I ordered more.

Thanks to the OP for spurring on this experiment!
 
I've used the yellow Tortex for ages, more specifically the TIII for the last few years. I definitely notice that I pick more cleanly with the sharper pointed tip and it gets noticeably sloppier when the tips wear down.

I'm not a fan of the feel or attack of thick picks.

You guys are making me think I may need to take the plunge and try a Blue Chip Jazz35 LG. Seems like it would be about like the green TIII, but with a tip that won't wear down.

On acoustic, I find I prefer the good ol' Fender medium.
 
Shizzrock said:
Something I feel is underrepresented when it comes to tone is guitar pick choice. Just throwing this out there to get a feel for peeps preferred plectrums because we will swap a magnet out of a pickup, but changing a pick will drastically alter the sound. I've been using gator grip, recently downsized from 1.5 to like a .96 I think.
Click to expand...

JSanta585 said:
Not sure if these threads can be merged, but I started a similar one a few weeks back :)

https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/picks-plectrums-discussion.26080/
Click to expand...

You'll find so good reading, and funny stuff, here:

http://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/the-boutique-pick-roundup.21396/
http://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/boutique-pick-roundup-ii-confessions-of-a-pick-nerd.21841/
http://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/pick-question-poll.22092/
http://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/the-boutique-pick-roundup-part-iii-the-final-chapter.22221/
 
Many many many kinds. I love a few. Various picks have something their better at but my overall go-to favorite is a Dunlop Torex greenie, jazz sized, pointed tip. I think the greens are .88
 
23498088033.MAIN.jpg


Your friend ^
 
I'm a fan of the Dava pick for general tone and control. I like Fender Medium tortoise shell on my tele and 2 mm gator grips when I want to try some Jammy stuff
 
shinksma said:
But now Les has my interest piqued in the Blue Chip picks...

EDIT: Hmm, now I remember why I didn't investigate Blue Chip picks further: $35 and up, each. Yikes!
Click to expand...

Yeah, they're pricey.

I've been buying them at a slow rate over the past few years, and have accumulated three or four for each guitar case.

I hoard them like gold. Gold, I tell you! Bwahahaha!
 
I love the Dunlop Big Stubby and Triangle picks at 2.0 mm. I am addicted to them. I think I am the only one...
 
I started out on Archtops with Dunlop speed picks, .91 gauge. They get better bark out of a good Archtop. Never changed. About 40 years now.
 
LSchefman said:
I've had some for 4 years and they're like new, no wear -- I literally can't tell between the ones I got a couple of months ago and what I got 4 years ago -- but that's not the main reason why I like them!

The main reason is that they glide through the strings very fast, with less friction. So the pick is less likely to get hung up while picking. I can pick a little faster. It's noticeable when I use one of my tortex jazz IIIs; it feels slower.

They also sound like real tortoise shell, or at least what I remember tortoise sounding like. I really like the tone I get with them.

Some folks say the grip is naturally tacky, and less likely to slip; that may be true, they don't seem to rotate while I play like other picks, yet they aren't sticky feeling.

They also don't turn into potato chips like the artificial tortoise made from natural material if you forget and leave one in your jeans and they get washed.
Click to expand...

Dude. I just got mine and was kind of skeptical going in, but this pick is the business. I probably picked up 10BPM on my speed and it sounds great. And it doesn't move. Awesome.
 
I've been loving the following 4 picks
  • Dunlop regular Tortex 1.0 (Blue)
  • Dunlop regular Tortex 1.14 (Purple)
  • Dunlop Gator Grip 1.14 (blue)
  • Ibanez Steve Vai 1.0 picks
In my hands they all feel great and I still need/want to try out a bunch of other picks. I'm actually waiting on a few Dunlop Primetone picks to show up.
 
Tortex .88 for any tuning above D-Standard
Tortex 1.14 for any tuning below D-Standard

Basically the bigger the strings, the thicker the pick for me.
 
InTune Jumbo Jazz 1.50mm 98%of the time the other 2% what ever else i grab, but i always go back the the 1.50mm
 
Shizzrock said:
Dude. I just got mine and was kind of skeptical going in, but this pick is the business. I probably picked up 10BPM on my speed and it sounds great. And it doesn't move. Awesome.
Click to expand...

Right? I'm spoiled for anything else now. I do keep a few celluloid and Ultex picks in the cases in case I want something different, but I can't remember the last time I used 'em.
 
See what you guys made me do now?

MjGowTb.jpg



I took the plunge on the above Blue Chip pick, the Jazz35 LG. It felt immediately comfortable, no adjustment period needed. It has a nice flexibility to it like a Fender Medium, but it clings to my finger more like the Tortex. The tip of the Tortex is slightly more rounded and the other end has a bit more of a butt, for lack of a better term. The Blue Chip feels more deft in my hand.

Tone-wise, I was thinking to myself my 594 sounds darn good, but doesn't it always? So I did some back and forth with the two picks to make sure I wasn't imagining things. Sure enough, there is a difference. The best descriptions I can think of are the Blue Chip gives more crisp, clear notes, and in comparison the Tortex sounds a bit sloppy and plinky.

The jury is still out on the "worth it?" question. I may have to put a couple more on my Christmas list so long as I can manage to not lose it and assuming it lives up to its legendary durability.
 
I've been using a Red Bear for the last couple of weeks. Noticeable difference. Won't be going back to the .73 Tortex.
 
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