I spend about $20/year on strings. TI Swing flatwounds last forever!Quote:
Originally Posted by D.G.
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I spend about $20/year on strings. TI Swing flatwounds last forever!Quote:
Originally Posted by D.G.
I'm finding I like different picks, depending on guitar or tone i'm after. Mostly on electrics; on my acoustics I pretty much stick with a Red Bear.
On my electrics, I have Dunlop Ultex heavy, Dunlop XL JAzz III red, and today I just got some white 1.5mm Dunlop Jazz III tortex which are very nice.
In the end, almost any pick will do, and I certainly woudn't have several different picks for different songs at a gig, but at home, it's enjoyable to experiment and experience the different feels and textures different picks provide.
The only pick I really didn't get on with, right out of the gate, were Wegens and V-picks.
"Django Button (8/10) - Super fast and warm, round tone. The round shape glides over strings but can darken your tone a little too much. I never thought I'd like using a button shaped pick but I ended up liking it a lot. Try it...you might be surprised."
These are all I use anymore. The first time I picked one up, I couldn't imagine a person using a pick completely rounded like a button, but I'm addicted to them. I wouldn't mind to find a pick like this but a little bit thicker.
Any ideas?
V-picks offers a button pick, the "Gypsy". It is 1" in diameter and 1.5mm thick.
Chuck
Michael asked Wegen Picks to make a "button" pick that is modeled after one Django had used. Not perfectly circular, but darn close: Wegen Button Pick - DjangoBooks.com
Picks do make a difference. I was interested in getting a woody sound from my archtop. Synthetics were not able to do there trick. It was not till I started using a maple pick that the discovery was revealed. If you would like one I can get it to you.
Attachment 12625
I have a handful of V-picks, not the Gypsy of course, but of the ones I own they all have a chirp to them. When picking the string one can hear a chirp like sound that after a period of time starts to degrade on ones nerves.Quote:
Originally Posted by es34569
Have you had any experience with this version of the V-Pick line?
Looks interesting, but from the image it looks a little bigger.
How do they handle a lot of play? Do they the wear down easy?
MD,
I have several versions of the v-pick, but I've never tried any of the button-shaped picks. Also, I have noticed the chirp sound to which you refer. I've tried different picks angles, but it still remains to some degree. However, I only notice the chirp unamplified. I really like the speed the v-pick material offers, and the way it sticks to your fingers. My go to pick has been the Pro Plec. I may cut a button from one of my Pro Plec's triangle shaped picks and polish the edges.
Chuck
Not experience with the v- pick as described. There is s jazz pick made of hard plastic that is 3.0 mm which reminds me of what you describe. It is manufactured by Jim Dunlap. It is easy to grip and has a click sound when strumming and nice for melodic single note work.
Another pick I like is Herco Flex 75. It's made of nylon. nice strum quality and single note.
The cello wood pick is my new favorite.
They last a long time. After several years of constant playing, the corners get rounded a bit which makes the tone a bit mellower. This is for the Classic original. I have now switched to using a Papa's faux turtle for jazz/instrumental because I find the tone a bit smoother. But the V pick is may choice for rock.Quote:
Originally Posted by Melodic Dreamer
I have a Bluechip Jazz60 and its a little smaller than I hoped for. I have always used Dunlop Jazz iii's. Is the LG jazz60 closer to the jazz iii size, or a little bigger? I want to make sure that if I'm using my non-bluechip picks, I don't have to adjust for the size. The smaller pick definitely has taken some adjustment. I'll send it back in for replacement if anyone can tell me that LG version is closer.
Thanks
Dan
I don't have a whole lot of experience with boutique picks outside of Wegen, but I wanted to test the waters and placed an order with V Picks.
Here are some comments on the models I received:
V Picks
(V-Picks Guitar Picks : Guitar & Mandolin Picks Handmade in Nashville USA | Some have called them the best guitar pick made today)
Medium Round Pearly Gates 2.75mm: Good sound and comfortable feel, although not a significant enough improvement over my standard Jim Dunlop Jazztone 207 to warrant a switch. The tip was a bit more rounded than that of the 207.
Bb 4.10mm: This was my favorite of the bunch. It's essentially a Medium Round pick with a far thicker profile. Although it's than I'm accustomed to, it took no time at all to get comfortable with it. The combination of heavily rounded corners with thick beveled edges produced a sound reminiscent of a thumb. This might just be the pick that I use with my acoustic archtops going forward.
Dimension Ghost Rim 4.10mm: A bit bigger than the Medium Round, it has three usable beveled sides. The two rounded sides are slightly less rounded than that of the Medium Round, while the sharp edge is sharper than any pick I've played. I liked the rounded tips the best, but I think I might eventually find a use for the pointed end. The Ghost Rim designation is reserved for picks featuring unpolished edges. It was the Ghost Rim edges that I didn't care for. I felt that they produced a raspy sound that felt like an unpleasant aftertaste. I may order another one with the normal polished edges since everything else about the pick is spot on.
edit: Like a good stinky cheese, I've grown fond of its strong and somewhat bitter character. I'm going to continue using the pick and get a normal polished one for comparison. At the end of the day, I think I'll be using both in order to exploit their respective strengths.
Dragon's Heart Guitar Picks
Dragon's Heart Guitar Picks - The Best Guitar Picks Available
I wanted to add these picks to the list because they've become my picks of choice for all applications. First off, their shape is unique. The heart shaped design allows for three unique picking surfaces that work well in different applications. The main point at the bottom of the heart is the perfect alternative to my preferred pick shape, the Dunlop Jazztone 207. Its wide shoulders and slightly rounded point allow for the thickest tones I've been able to produce using a pick. Next up is the pointy tip: it's meant to approximate the function of a Dunlop Jazz III style pick. I find that while it doesn't necessarily increase my picking speed, it does tend to increase volume, so I end up using it on acoustic passages when I need that extra bit of cutting power. Finally there's the rounded edge which works best for strumming. Being that I don't strum very often, this surface doesn't get much use.
Beyond the unique shape, the other selling point is the material from which it's crafted. It's a relatively new thermo-plastic used in high heat and long wearing engineering applications. It feels different than other plastics I've come across in that the tone it produces is slightly more "dry" (I understand that describing tone is a difficult task). Since the plastic is meant to be used in demanding applications, it resists wear to a far greater degree than any other material I've used.
A testament to the longevity of these picks that I've been using the same pick for three months for every application including electric, acoustic, and gypsy jazz, and the pick shows no wear. I dig in on occasion when playing acoustic, so the fact that there is no evidence of wear after such use is impressive.
http://static1.squarespace.com/stati...PG?format=300w
I tried a dragon heart pick and while it sounds fine, I simply can't hold anything but a small 358 size teardrop. If anyone in the U.S. wants to try a dragon heart shoot me a PM. I am currently away from home, my dad is very sick so I may not be home for another week or two so if you want it immediately don't bother.
Hi all!
First post.
Sorry for necrobumping an old thread, but I was searching for all these boutique picks, as well as picking technique. I found very good information in this thread, one of the best.
However, I think you miss out on brazilian agate stone picks, just because they aren't a brand, and anyone can make them without proprietary design patterns, and especially no engraved brand on the picks. I do think - as they do not com that cheap either - they still have a place in here, although they're hard to nail down as a special maker, brand, or even hand made.
My experience with some of the brazilian agate stone picks, is that they're the best for archtops, hollow bodies, with the neck pickup on, because there you get rid of their chirpy pick attack which is noise. Due or thanks to their polishing, they produce an attack that has a high pitched tone to it. You can almost use the as slide to produce a note. Now, this is the high polished ones only. The "natural" and grainy stone picks doesn't have this, and the grip is better, way better. It does give you a sort of "cchd" pick attack to that is reminiscent of a violin bow arcing. Which may or may not be to your liking. I swear by these, but as they're unique and individual it is virtually impossible to find another one, that is exactly like the one you've lost, mislaid, or got broken. The thinner ones are brittle and can crack if dropped on any hard floor.
But by and large I think you could/should choose (any) stone picks in here too, at least any brazilian agate stone pick. Pick your choice of vendor, or manufacturer. They are as boutique as they come. And the DO performs best in a jazz setting with the neck pickup only. Maybe some subgenre heavy metal genres might do, but I haven't even gone there at all.
https://vimeo.com/386940049
just got a couple of chickenpicks, recommended by a friend. compared to my BC Jazz 60 LG, i thought my previous go-to red jazz iii was scratchy, but blimey these chickenpicks take the biscuit. so far, having been sold on the lack of drag over the strings, I'm not that impressed, although i do quite like the sharp bevel. will see if they wear in a bit.