Why do jazz guitarists use small picks?

[GreyJazz90]

If you guys like the feel of JazzIII's but don't like the thinness I highly recommend Pickboy Jazz picks. They feel really great.




I personally switch between a Pickboy Jazz, Pickboy Classic 1.20mm and a BlueChip

[Pickardy Third]

I used to use Jazz III's for a while, maybe 8 years ago or so...I had reds and blacks, didn't notice much difference in tone, did think the black ones were a little easier to hold on to...

I'm spoiled by a bigger pick now, I don't think I could hang on to them at all...to think at one time I used the little Fender jazz heavy teardrops...those things are TINY!

I use the Jazz III's and don't have any problem holding them because I choke way up to where only the tip is exposed. The drawback is that when I have to strum it's hard to avoid scraping my knuckle against the strings. I don't strum much so I deal with it.

[wintermoon]

I must be a dinosaur, I'm still using the purple 2MM Dunlops after all these years...

[ESCC]

Jazz IIIs XL, primarily red, black when hybrid picking, they are closer to the tone & volume of my fingers.
Every time I try something different it lasts a week or two then I'm back to the Jazz IIIs

[AndyV]

I used Jazz III's for years but lately, I increasingly go to the very thick Wegan for comfort and soft rounded tone. When I play fiddle tunes or country it sounds wrong but it helps mitigate the twang a bit for jazz on a Telecaster.

http://www.wegenpicks.com

A few years ago I handed my Wegan pick to Red Volkaert who looked at me as if I was insane and handed it right back to me in about 10 seconds.

[wizard3739]

I also use the Pickboy jazz pick with the holes in it. To get the tone I like best I use a 1.2 or a 1.5 mm size. I have a relaxed picking style so the holes allow me a good firm grip on the pick and I don't lose them now. I have been using them for about 3 years. I went through a lengthy (4-5 months) study and tried out most of the picks mentioned above as well as many not mentioned. I bought about 3 dozen of them from Pickboy and don't anticipate ever changing to any other pick.

[yebdox]

For Kreisberg and Bernstein tones (and Wes tones without the thumb) I like the ProPlecs (1.5) which I believe both of those boys use. String gauge 12/13 to 52/56. (I like flats better, even though those crazy guys play rounds.)

Same string gauge for Benson tones, but something similar to a Fender medium or .73 Dunlop. More precision and snap. I like the Ultex the best.

Same for the jazz IIIs.... Ultex over the red or black.... Better grip. Good for Eric Johnson or Bonamassa/ Gary Moore styles, precise, fast, even tone, grabs more harmonics if you need it.

Robben Ford and Mike Landau both use around a .73 I believe, Dunlop or Fender style, with the fat end down. Allen Hinds uses something similar I think, with standard orientation. (Don't quote me). And Scott Henderson.... No idea.

For fast acoustic strumming (ala Metheny's New Chatauqua)...something like a .6 or less.

Finally, my favorite all around pick for all styles for several years was a medium tear drop d'Andrea that Adam Rafferty turned me onto years ago, that he had customized with his name, but I think they were otherwise stock 1.5 ml pro plec material. Not too small, not too big, not too stiff, not too sloppy. If I could only use one pick, it would be that or a 1.0 Dunlop standard ultex.

And that is all I know about my favorite players. I was pretty ignorant for several years about the tonal variation that a pick can offer.

[David B]

David, did you notice how exactly he trims them? I'm interested because JK has one of the best right hand techniques going.

He would snip off perhaps the top 25% of the pick and round it off. Gilad Hekselman does something very similar. See photo below from a blog post I found about GH.

[Moonray]

Hey David......that'd be the "Joe Pass mod"

ha ha

[IbanezAS100]

Apparently Gilad has switched to Sharktooth picks.




I also remember reading somewhere from someone who had a lesson with Lage Lund, that Lage was using a Cool Picks Juratex Jazz. These are my personal faves too along with the Pickboy Jazz mentioned above.

[MackBolan]

Bireli Lagrene uses Jim Dunlop Delrin 500 1.14 picks.

[3625]

-Bireli Lagrene Jim Dunlop Delrin 500 1.14

I've mostly read that Bireli uses the 1.5mm Dunlop Delrin - the round edge not the tip. Maybe someone else could confirm to double check

[nado64]

IIRC, Bobby Broom uses the big triangle D'andrea Pro Plec.

[Robertkoa]

I love some of the Modern Materials like Tortex and similar for low pick noise and " articulation with glide".

Many of us could benefit from a larger thumb grip and choice of shape near the strings .

Just for more grip at thumb and more distance if desired from thumb to strings.

But just as a few Guys on here say- SOME have more precision with smaller picks- can't argue with that not sure why ...

Picks for many people are too short and small at the THUMB side- people have trouble gripping them etc.

You can always move your grip closer toward the tip but you can NOT move it back if there is nothing there to grip.

So - MANY people look like Baseball Players trying to use a very very short Bat and having trouble holding on to it .

You can move up your grip on a Bat that is too long but too short and there us nowhere to go.

The music itself forces you to be more precise.

I want my finger and thumb AWAY from the strings and I want a good grip on the Pick.

Larger at the Thumb part ...the tip pointy , teardrop , prehistoric Eagle Toe ....whatever - the tip may enable more precision but a larger grip might make it easier.

The people who designed those ' Standard' Size Picks in the 50's were not expected to do all the stuff we are expected to be able to do now- so I personally would like to see about 3/8" to 1/2 " extra at the Thumb end possibly even in three steps of large larger , jumbo .

I like the new compositions of Picks where you can get articulation low noise and glide.

[jazz.fred]

I play "PIMA" with thumb and three fingers also. I prefer playing "fingerstyle" rather than using a pick. More tonal nuances and ability to select notes out of the chord.

[jazz.fred]

I love using a thumbpick, but cannot seem to find one that works for me (most of them I feel stick out too far from the thumb, but I probably just suck), nor can I find any that are very thick. Any suggestions on where I can find some good ones/what brands?

I agree. Although don't use a thumb pick to play jazz. I use them to play "Travis" style (alternating bass line with the index and middle finger playing melodic lines over the alternating bass) on an acoustic flat top.

I can't find a thumb pick I like either.

[Frethack]

I really became used to small jazz picks and prefer them now. I used thin standard sized picks when I first picked up guitar and I kept dropping them. I tried bass picks think it would help and quickly lost interest. My speed metal cousins used these tiny little tear drops. I was amazed how fast they could play. I couldnt do it.

As my picking technique improved i went with thicker nylon picks and then to small Dunlop jazz picks. I am now working my way to thicker picks and am at 2mm and feel quite comfortable. Try it you might like it.

[jzucker]

I know it sounds like a setup for a bad joke, but...
Why do jazz guitarists use small picks?

they don't. Metheny uses a large triangular pick. I use the 346 rounded triangle pick. I love the bigger picks because they have more surface area to grip so you have more control and additionally, you get 3 picks for the price of one.

Additionally, trying to play funk rhythm on those 3mm teeny jazz picks is a lesson in futility.

[sbeishline]

Disclaimer - I am NO professional. However, I disagree with "they don't" as an absolute. I think players have reasons for using whatever pick they use, such as someone using a thicker pick for speed and accuracy. That is my preference.. my feels is that a flexible pick can lag behind. Benson uses those generic-type flexible Fender pics, and we all know how he plays. I think one would use the pick that allows them to play to one's maximal ability. To each his or her own...

[GNAPPI]

I think rockers use the small "jazz" and teardrops styles too. Just about everyone I knew as a kid used the Fender 358's which I used till a few years ago when I switched to the Dunlop J-III max grip.

[Archie]

they don't. Metheny uses a large triangular pick. I use the 346 rounded triangle pick. I love the bigger picks because they have more surface area to grip so you have more control and additionally, you get 3 picks for the price of one.Additionally, trying to play funk rhythm on those 3mm teeny jazz picks is a lesson in futility.

It also depends on the guitar. Those red JD II's often make your sound thin and attack too quick.

My personal fav is the standard sized Dunlop 3mm, the dark purple one? Nice thick sound, good enough attack and has a bit of weight to really push some picking dynamics.

[jzucker]

benson once said to use thin picks with heavy strings and heavy picks with light strings for the best tone. of course, you have to pick very lightly with thin picks but I find his advice to be true.

Big picks are where it's at!

[MarkRhodes]

When this thread started, I used small picks (Jazz IIIs) but now I use a D'Andrea medium (like a Fender Medium but less slick). Most Benson pickers use regular sized picks, medium or above. What I'm doing now is not actually Benson picking but I now am used to full-sized picks and prefer them. (Little picks tend to "turn around" in my hand.)

[vinlander]

Was also playing Jazz III for a long time since the mid 90s when I switched to a full size Dunlop nylon .73mm.
It was a direct result from the thread on the thunk by Mr. B.
I have somehow a light touch and pick directly over the small space between the neck pickup and the neck tail so not much pick is protruding out of my grip.

[Groyniad]

i'm with mark

always used to use jazz 111s now i use fender mediums

after a remark by philco on The Great Picking Thread - when you tilt this thing in the right way it makes the thickest pick in the world...

gorgeous picks

hey anyone know what the gibson equivalent are like (they're black) - any good?