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Mike Pinter is an old friend who's been in the guitar business for many years. He's a fine player and an equally fine designer and builder who is the brains and muscle behind Pinter Guitars. He's been involved in the industry in many roles, and has introduced me to some interesting things I never would have found on my own. Among other esoteric pursuits, he's a pick nut (and I mean that in a very good way). Here's one of his recent threads on picks from (of all places) TimeZone, which is a watch forum we've both been on for many years. There are probably only 5 or 6 active guitar people on the board, but we feed off each other and have managed to put up a decent thread at least once or twice a month for many years.
He's sent me some exotic ones to try over the years, the latest of which is a beautifully fashioned acrylic pick that he's having made up as merch for Pinter Guitars. The edge is precisely shaped, with an oblique bevel and a fairly sharp tip with a very short radius on the edge. While trying it, I decided to record a bit and see how it compares to some of my favorite picks. This video is the result. The guitar is my Eastman 810CE7 with TI JS113s plus a 75 thou 7th, and it's lightly amplified by my BAM200 through a Toob Metro BG+. The picks are identified on the screen during the video.
As always with comparisons, I tried to make each passage as close to the rest as I could. I think the differences in tone are clear enough for all to hear, and I'm still a JazzTone 204 guy after all is said and done. I also like the nylon Dunlop Stubby Jazz, especially for fusion and blues - it has a bit more pop to it but it's pretty smooth and mellow. The ProPlec sounds great too, but the warping is still a problem and I've now gone through at least half of the big bag I bought a few years ago. Mike's acrylic pick is nice, but it's a bit too bright for my taste.
I'm sorry about the background hum - the heater was on, and I didn't realize how much airflow it pushed around the mic. See what you think -
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11-04-2025 05:08 PM
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Mr Pinter posts in a thread on The Gear Page about guitar picks that last i looked is over 250 pages long.He got me to try a Honey Peek 3mm pick which he said he liked and didn't chirp.Unfortunately it chirped like a robin on a spring morning.
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BTW, I recorded this with my Zoom Q2n-4K video recorder. It has a pair of crossed cardioid mics set into its front, and it really captures great audio. It was facing me on a mic stand. The Toob was sitting a few feet away on that counter to the left as you look at the video. So most of the guitar sound is acoustic.
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He must (not) believe in spring?
Originally Posted by nyc chaz
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He’s just as busy as a spider spinning daydreams… Originally Posted by Mick-7
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Or perhaps a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square? Originally Posted by Mick-7
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Spring can really hang you up the most
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Chirp? I don't hear any chirp!
As for Julie, Nat, & Bill - I love 'em all. I just can't pick between them!
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Beautiful guitar and playing. Loved it.
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I agree with that completely! I loved ProPlecs for years and used nothing else until the warping problem began. The 204 is the closest I can come to that sound. What I find most interesting is that the thickness of the pick seems not to affect precision except for fine circular picking. The Jazz Stubby has the sharpest point and edge, and it's maybe a tiny bit cleaner for long fast circular picked lines. I'm no Pasquale Grasso, and the 204 can handle anything I can throw at it. Originally Posted by Blue J
I've been playing fingerstyle since I was a kid. I've always loved the ability to control whether the notes of a chord are struck simultaneously or slightly arpeggiated. I enjoy being able to control the volume of one string while playing multiple, and I feel like I'm in control of the tune I'm playing. I also like being able to play a head in the low register while chording above it. I often run a walking bass line and even snap or pop a few bass notes.
My regular trio gig is over this month - the place canceled their live music program. At my age, I really don't feel like hitting the pavement again in search of another venue or two. So most of my playing now (and probably forever more) is solo or backing a vocalist. I find myself playing sets and even whole gigs without taking a pick out of my pocket.
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Sad to hear about the cancellation of the gig - isn't that the one you've had for years? Loved hearing your clips from that lineup.
Dunlop Pro Plecs have been made out of a different material recently. There's no mention of the change on their site but I noticed they had a different finish and transparency. I don't have any of the old batch to make a tonal comparison but the newer ones don't seem to warp.
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D'andrea Pro plecs? Originally Posted by PMB
J. Kreisberg has been instrumental in having them bring back a limited production, based on the older "batch" i.e. pre bending era..
PSA - D'Andrea Pro Plec Old Formula Available for 351 shape
And I agree that no pick sounds best then proplec and dunlop .
Thx for the post.
S
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I was the house band leader at a local club for several years. Our blues band played Sundays and I did a Thursday night jazz show with bass and drums. But the band members weren't really interested in tightening up our playing - it was a loose atmosphere with little playing discipline. Worse, I had to run a jam after each show - and I just got tired of the whole scene. I realized for a long time that I was getting sloppier and sloppier out of boredom. We were playing the same stuff over and over, and no one wanted to rehearse or learn new stuff - espcially if it was charted. The owner payed very little, so I couldn't get really good players to join me. I finally quit about a year ago. Originally Posted by PMB
I'd been playing in the food court at our local Whole Foods since before Covid. I brought a trio or a quartet once or twice a month, and I played solo early on Sunday mornings. Covid shut that program down, but they reopened at another WF location maybe 3 years ago and I got back in rotation with the trio. They got a new manager last month, and he apparently figured out that live music wasn't bringing in any more revenue than they generated on nights without it. So it's over.
I still have a great regular gig at a country French restaurant. I was playing solo one or two weeknights a month plus selected Sunday brunches for about 2 years. But I convinced the owner to let me bring in a vocalist and it really took off. We do ticketed shows with prix fixe dinner, and we sold out the last 3. We were even asked to be part of the Montgomery County Jazz Festival this year, which was a wonderful honor for me and a fantastic event. The next one is later this month, andit looks like we'll be doing it monthly.
So I'm pretty well set for gigs, since I also get called for sideman work. I've been paying much more attention to my playing since I got back out on my own, and I'm much happier now. Thanks for your concern, but it's working out well. I loved the WF gig, but I'm just as happy doing solo and duo work. And I absoluely don't miss the club at all.
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