Guitar picks

[Steven Lafferty]

Just wondering what everyone prefers or uses the most when it comes to guitar picks. Personally myself, I switch between medium gauge flat picks and thumb picks. Depending on the song. But, I really like and feel comfortable with thumb picks the most. Again, depending on the song.

 

[danktat]

Just regular old Dunlop mediums in what "looks like" the old Fender celluloid pics but in colors other than brown. Currently mine are orange or purple with those flakes dispersed through them. Just what I got used to and so I use them. AND they are easy to find in just about any place that sells music stuff.

 

[Ryan Murphy]

I like the earnie ball 2.0mm prodigy as i prefer my pick not to move.

 

[danktat]

I stand corrected......I guess they ARE real celluloid.

 

[BMiller]

I've been playing with Dunlop Tortex .88mm (green pack) picks for over 20 years. I like the way that they feel, sound, wear, and mold with use. I'm open to other options....just never found something that fit as well.

 

[littlebadboy]

Dragonsheart picks. I couldn't use any other since I tried them. It has 3 sides for different uses

 

[WEDGE]

I used to use the Dunlop nylon standard 1.0 blacks, but now am digging the Dunlop Jazztone 208 which are thick and stiff with great grip and feel.

 

[Tone-y]

I used the purple Dunlop Delrin 2.0mm picks for years as my standard go to pick. I'd keep them until there was no point left. Then I tried some timber tone picks of various different wood types and really liked them too, but the same problem, the tip would wear down until it was completely rounded off.
I kind of got fed up with my pick continuously changing shape and wished to find something that was longer lasting. Then someone on this forum mentioned Blue chip picks as being indestructible so I thought I'd give them a go. They are a bit expensive - specially so once you've shipped them to the UK and paid import tax on top!! But so far no wear at all. They're also fairly non-slip and my picking accuracy has improved now that I have a consistent shape to work with.
I've also got a titanium pick that I like to use from Big-West creations. Sounds great and also doesn't wear, but I wish the pick was a fraction bigger - it sometimes feels a bit small in my fingers

 

[merciful-evans]

I have recently started to experiment (again) with using fingers for lead playing. I have also used my thumbpick when the thumb gets sore. I need a very clean tone for this to work.

Otherwise I use these 95% of the time. They are usually clear, but I cant find them when I drop them, so black is better.

This is one of the picks I made myself

 

[mark cassidy]

Don't use picks. I like to play chords over whatever head I'm working on and I feel most comfortable with my fingers.

 

[Acnestes]

I recently got a bunch of Snark picks of different thicknesses on a closeout in GC. They seem to be the same material as Tortex picks but with a non-slip coating on one side.
I do have a bunch of picks of different materials near at hand, though - various woods of different hardnesses (ebony, lignam vitae, purple heart, etc.) ivory, copper, different plastics. Quickest and cheapest way to experiment with tone there is!

 

[walrus]

I recently switched back to what I used as a much younger person, Ernie Ball medium celluloid. I tried a lot of picks in between and liked several, but I guess I'm trying to regain my youth....

 

[Micky!]

Mostly Jazz III: Nylon, Ultex or Stiffo.

But I also like the Gator .96 or celluloid M or XH

I even tried picks made of coins (very bright) or made of shell (very brittle). I like to experiment, but each I go back to Jazz III...

It depends of the guitar I play, the type of sound or my mood.

 

[László]

Blue Chip Jazz 35s and 40s for electric, Blue Chip TP and TD for acoustic. Worth every penny.

 

[bodia]

Blue Chip. Red Bear, Stone Age, Chicken Picks, and a few others. I'm a pick slut!

 

[Huggy Love]

Dragonsheart picks. I couldn't use any other since I tried them. It has 3 sides for different uses

I was all in on the DragonHearts for a while myself, their edge bevel design is outstanding and I really liked the tone of the "Original" material, but I just never got along with the overall shape.

 

[Huggy Love]

Here's the status of my pick box now, tried a ton of picks and in recent times ended up going back to my pre-70's real T-shell picks until the started getting worn out and small from repeated reshapings.

As you folks may remember I did a bit of testing and reviewing plectrums here, the V-pick acrylic stuff is fun, plays fast, though the tone lacks for me, same with the BlueChip, Dragon, and Chickenpicks, but tone wise the RedBear stuff is the only one that comes close to the real thing. Hate to admit they actually sound a little better, but then my T-shells have seen better days.

I was hesitant to spring the $$ for them, but glad I did.

 

[Antmax]

I got several assortment packs of dunlop picks. Their thick and thin variety pack, their Jazz III variety pack and the recent Flow Variety pack. I used Jazz III's for several years. The red one, green tortex, prime tone and yellow Ultex. Got the Petruci and Andy Flows but mostly use the orange Flow tortex. It seems to have the most definition, punch and clarity. Though I do still use a thicker pick occasionally for faster stuff since a nice bevel means they slip easier over the strings. But they generally sound more muffled in comparison.

 

[bodia]

Here's the status of my pick box now, tried a ton of picks and in recent times ended up going back to my pre-70's real T-shell picks until the started getting worn out and small from repeated reshapings.

As you folks may remember I did a bit of testing and reviewing plectrums here, the V-pick acrylic stuff is fun, plays fast, though the tone lacks for me, same with the BlueChip, Dragon, and Chickenpicks, but tone wise the RedBear stuff is the only one that comes close to the real thing. Hate to admit they actually sound a little better, but then my T-shells have seen better days.

I was hesitant to spring the $$ for them, but glad I did.

I really like the Red Bear, too. But, I find them to be a little "chirpy." Or, at least as a result of my technique, they're "chirpy."

 

[Huggy Love]

I really like the Red Bear, too. But, I find them to be a little "chirpy." Or, at least as a result of my technique, they're "chirpy."

I only get that from the acrylic stuff when the gain is up, my 'F' xh & gj are smooth as silk. Do yours have speed bevels? I go with std bevel and they don't click or chirp for me & my technique.

I also found over time that a looser grip on the pick effected my tone in a good way and gives me more pure tone and less clickityclack pick noise. Don't know the science behind that but I think my ears are perceiving it that way.