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I had a real problem finding a good pick a while back and what I did was basically buy every pick that was 1mm and up I could find at Guitar Center as well as a couple online, sticking to the main brands. The only "boutique" pick I ever bought was the D'Andrea Pro Plec in the Jazz III shape (I think it was the 354?).
I ended up with a standard Dunlop Tortex Jazz III 1.14mm (preference for the white ones as the lettering doesn't flake off like the black ones). I find that the pick thickness depends on the string gauge. I play Thomastik Swing 11's on my box and don't like my pick to be any heavier or lighter for this set. I do find that these picks sound a touch bright at first but after a couple days of playing the edges start to round out, making the pick a little warmer. I will say I do like the D'Andrea Pro Plecs for when I play a solid body with roundwound strings and want a fatter sound, but on an archtop with flats they are too tubby for me.
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03-24-2026 07:40 AM
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If you like the regular pick shape, the Fender Chugg is awesome. I'm still looking for the ideal smaller pick. Currently trying the Dunlop Jazztone 205 and the Benedetto.
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Traditional/Common pick size feel too big.
Any Tortex picks Ive tried just dont sound right. For me they seem to have a ghosting tone. No attack and the texture makes a rubbing sound that I find irritating. I like the Ultex ok. The standard ones have a matte finish that you can hear. Its almost like it adds gain to the sound. Its nice at first but it to be bothersome. I probably woldnt mind tortex on flats but I want to really hear the resonance of roundwounds. I dont want it lost in the mix.
So far the main contender is the John Petrucci Primetone. Its small, clean and articulate. Its a little warmer than a celluloid pick and it doesnt color the sound a ton. In chord melodies I get the clear articulation I like to hear. In a perfect world the tip would be just a hair less sharp ( I think ). Its probaby good for me to have a small and pointed pick. It helps me to remember not to dig too deep into the strings. Also the point makes it less forgiving with sloppy technique. I need to work on my right hand.
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Finding the right pick is a never-ending quest.
But after buying loads of picks of every kind of brands and sizes, I happily settled for this one made by a guy named Brock who is based in Hong Kong. It's called Exultem: Orpheus 1.5 mm. Very reasonably priced too.
I don't how this pick does its magic, compared to similar picks even by the same manufacturer.
Virtually no attack noise, very warm tone and pretty smooth for faster lines.
That's his website. The above pick is from a few years back, but he'll do it on custom request.
No affiliation.
Another pick that I like is this Gemstone / Ultra Plecs by D'Andrea..
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I always thought the perfect pick was the one you dropped and can't find.
"Sigh. That pick was perfect."
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Jazz III XLs are a little larger than I need but they don't slow me down. Several times I bought a bunch of other picks and went down the rabbit hole of trying to see if I could find something more comfortable or that sounded better, and I kept going back to them. The next best thing are the smaller Jazz IIIs (Eric Johnsons work ok for me). Plus they are red, so if I dropped one I could find it easily (although I don't recall that happening, which I attribute more to the "if you take an umbrella on a cloudy day you won't need it" principle than good technique).
That's what works for me. As is clear from the above, we're all different. There's only one way to figure it out, which is to go down that rabbit hole.
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Originally Posted by chris32895
Barry Greene turned me on to the D'Adrea Pro Plec 1.5mm, and it ended my search for a jazz pic...
Cheers,
Arnie..
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Thanks for this. I've put in an order with Brock for an HP#3.. Originally Posted by eblydian
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Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
I have that one and the Jazz III size from Hense. Great picks, no sign of warpage so far.
My thinner of my two John Pearse casein picks has a slight bit of cupping. Personally neither that or the cupping of a few of my ProPlecs bothers me in the slightest, in fact I kind of like it. I put the concave side against my thumb pad and play the guitar.
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651. The 354 and 358 are small teardrops. Originally Posted by chris32895
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One thing that I have discovered is I generally do not like picks with a sharp point.
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My search for the pick that suits me best ended here: Plick the Pick, Design and innovation at your fingertips. I’ve got a bunch of them but mostly use the Maverick 1.2 mm model.
https://plickthepick.it/cdn/shop/fil...g?v=1728305067
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When I use a pick, I usually reach for the single Red Bear I own. I have no idea where or when I got it, and for a long time I didn’t know it was a more expensive pick. But it feels and sounds distinctively right in every way.
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Casein picks main reason for warping is when they are subjected to moisture.If you are a person whose hand sweats a lot,casein might not be your best choice in a pick,especially thin ones. Originally Posted by Cunamara
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I've been using "Fender Premium celluloid" heavy. They are real celluloid, the dangerous kind. If you set a match to one it doesn't melt but rather bursts into a hot glowing burn. Most "celluloid" now is not the original recipe. They have a wonderful sweet tone, are not expensive.
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It's a combination of thickness, bevel, and material.
Acrylic and Ultem are quite bright.
Cheapo plastic picks are quite dull.
Lots of nuance in between those extremes.
Suggest trying a large, thick (2mm or thicker), well beveled pick from a boutique maker. They cost around $20. Maybe in a kirinite or casein. This sort of pick will lean into the acoustic side of the instrument without being too harsh. Here in the US Honey Picks is a good pick maker. Not sure what's available in Europe.
KIRINITE
– Honey Picks
As for Blue Chip picks.. worth every penny. It's a very expensive thermoplastic. Don't think you could buy the material and make them yourself for what they charge. Glides over strings. Does not show wear after years of use. The size I prefer is $90 though most models are cheaper. Zero regrets spending the money.
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1,000% Originally Posted by DawgBone
It's the connection to the Instrument and such a part of sound and feel. Same thing with strings
I'm a fisherman and I've seen guys with $500,000+ boats go offshore and go cheap on hooks......the very that is gonna either bring in dinner or leave you with a cooler full of ice.
I do believe Blue Chip let's you return the pick if you don't like it.
I do get the argument about more "expensive" picks if you are very prone to losing things.
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I grew up on the Atlantic and fished daily in good weather growing up. Better hooks definitely catch and land more fish - this is a fact proven by direct comparison of catch rates. But I don't think better hooks are analogous to "better picks". There's no objective measure of pick quality, and price does not correlate with preference. Originally Posted by DMgolf66
Until the warping problem started, ProPlecs were the preferred pick of many of us for sound, feel, and precision playing. and they're inexpensive. I've tried several pricey picks over the years and never found one that I liked more than PPs or Dunlop 204s. I'll treat myself to a Blue Chip one of these days for the experience. If I love it, I'll use it, but it'll have to sound and feel better than my 204s. Of course, sounding better to me is purely subjective.
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They are over 50 bucks in the EU and you cant return them.
Ive been in the music supply business for over two decades. I dont argue that these my have a benefit for some. But for someone learning and trying to be a decent player I think its just a silly price filled with mistique. An uber precision pick is not going to make me a better player any more than a 20k guitar. There are a lot of folks who feel the need to drop loads of cash.
I dont lose thigs a lot but I do misplace things. Not being returnable and being, what is fair to call, very expensive for a pick is just something I find unresonable. If you are good enough for it to make a difference then thats cool.
I dont think the using crap fish hooks analogy makes much sense either. I also dont think you will catch any more fish with a boat that costs 50k or 500k. Im not advocating for people cut up milk cartons or old credit cards rather than buying a good pick. That said, the right player with one of those could probably sound amazing.
The desire to believe fetches a premium in the music business. As in all things, there is a point of diminishing returns. Part of the price of premium items is for the item itself. Part of it is becuase those who make/sell them need to eat. A third portion of the price is purchasing an idea. Im pretty sure an idea will not pluck a string.
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My point is that some people will "cheap out" over something that could be quite beneficial to them when they have already spent a ton on other big ticket items and do it over principal. Maybe not the best analogy, but there is some overlap. With regards to a $50k boat compared to a $500k boat? I can tell you I am not going out to the Canyons 90 miles out for Tuna in a $50k boat, but I will/would in a $500k boat. Many of times i've come back with nothing but ice because my range was 20-30 miles short of where the fish were. Other reasons too, but nobody here gives a hoot about fishing and boats. Originally Posted by Sigmund451
Anyway, good luck with the search......I gotta go re-spool some reels!
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At a session last night, I started freaking out when my Pickboy fell into my gig bag when I was looking for something in its storage space. I took everything out of the gig bag and found stuff like peanuts(don't ask) and other oddities, but no pick. I was positive I had two spare PBs in my jeans pockets, but they disappeared.
The other two guys were trying to work out a new chart we were going to sight read, so they didn't notice my desperate search for my PB.
I gave up and asked the bass player/guitarist if he had a pick I could borrow. He gave me a Clayton which I used to use, but after a few tunes, the lack of attack turned me off. I found another pick, but that only lasted a tune or two.
Finally I just broke down and asked him if he had a flashlight. He gave me his cell phone light, and I searched my gig bag again, and there it was!
This is one of the drawbacks of a PB. They're stained with that brown and dark yellow color that makes them very hard to find if you drop them on anything but a white floor. They also lose their point after a while because they're made of celluloid. 'Rufus', the AI for Amazon, tells me that celluloid can be filed down with sandpaper(of course only available at Amazon lol
to restore the picks point. Is Rufus right?
They go for $21.99 for a pack of ten.Last edited by sgcim; 04-02-2026 at 05:59 PM.
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Umm.. no. Originally Posted by Sigmund451
It's not like marketing is not a thing for music gear. Vintage capacitors for your guitar tone control come to mind. Perception as opposed to function. However, when it comes to picks I don't see this as a prestige item in guitar playing. Most around this site have been playing for decades and we use our ears to choose picks. And I don't believe any boutique pick maker is making excessive profits given how little they charge for premium materials and hand crafting. And I believe material and construction make very big difference in tone. It's not an area to cheap out on and $20 to $30 is not too much to spend on a hand crafted item. And no.. you should not be able to return it. It's a risk you take.
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