Boutique Picks: Red Bears vs. V Picks vs. Blue Chips etc.

[GreyJazz90]

My brother got me a BlueChip TD-60 as a gift for Christmas. I love it, the bevel gives it such a nice rounded tone but clear attack. So far no wear at all too. I also like D'andrea Pro Plec's a lot, I use them often when I am playing my telecaster. Once you wear them down a little they really make the guitar sing.

[Philco]

Semi-hollow and Tele: Dunlop Ultex Jazz III's - the amber ones - exclusively. This is actually the one pick I'd use for everything if I could only use one, so every guitar case has at least a few of these. And I keep one in my pocket at all times.

My opinion means little when you become aware of my sluttish and fickle behaviour around plectrums.
That being a given I will also add my praise regarding the Dunlop Ultex Jazz111.

I keep coming back to these. My obscene and wasteful collection of Bluechip plectrums is gathering dust because this Dunlop has the best tip I've played so far. I get the best tone out of these and most solid attack.

I've been using them for a whole month now!!!!

If only they were bigger so I had a little more to hang on to. Although that would no doubt change the angle of the sides which is quite perfect now.
I even tried the Dunlop 3 in that red nylon because they are the same shape but bigger but they were completely different in feel and tone. They hit the bin very quickly.

I reserve the right to change my mind in 5 minutes time.

[FrankyNoTone]

...If only they were bigger so I had a little more to hang on to. Although that would no doubt change the angle of the sides which is quite perfect now...

Then you need the John Petrucci Jazz III pick: Dunlop Manufacturing :: Guitar Picks :: :: John Petrucci Jazz III

Bigger, thicker, blacker, but not as big as the nylon Stiffo Jazz III XL to the right. Its a great pick, perhaps the best one made from Ultem/PEI.

[Philco]

Then you need the John Petrucci Jazz III pick: Dunlop Manufacturing :: Guitar Picks :: :: John Petrucci Jazz III

Bigger, thicker, blacker, but not as big as the nylon Stiffo Jazz III XL to the right. Its a great pick, perhaps the best one made from Ultem/PEI.

Thanks for the "tip". It's a shame the JP is thicker. That will not work for me.....because I'm striking the string on an acute angle. The Ultex 3 is as thick as I can go. I have EVERY other Ultex JD in lighter grades but I like the tip of the Ultex Jazz111. They nailed it with that shape.
Perhaps one day they will decide to make an XL version in Ultex.

[Munk]

I’m beginning to think Blue chip is a little too expensive, and I haven’t even tried it. But two weeks ago I ordered one on the internet. Price incl. freight for a letter was 57 USD, so I believed I had then paid the price. But today I got a message from the post office saying, that I can come and pick up the letter on monday, if I first pay some taxes, which is another 44 USD. All together 101 USD for a blue chip pick, so maybe I should just let the pick stay at the post office and 'only' 57 USD wasted for nothing.

[oldane]

I’m beginning to think Blue chip is a little too expensive, ........

Can't argue against that. FWIW, the good old Pro Plecs are cheap, last a very long time and they work well for me.

[Munk]

I just realized, the post company is keeping the costly letter at an office one hour from where I live, and that they will charge me another 10 USD before I can pick it up at the local office. I'm getting the feeling this is some kind of Blue Chip conspiracy, so I will let it pass to the incinerator house.

Pro Plecs are also nice, but rare to find here so I think I will buy 36 pieces of Dunlop jazz tone. They are also working quite well and by comparisson to Blue Chip almost for free.

[oldane]

[FONT=arial]I just realized, the post company is keeping the costly letter at an office one hour from where I live, and that they will charge me another 10 USD before I can pick it up at the local office.

Let me guess: Danish customs, Danish VAT - and Post Danmark added to that?

[Munk]

Let me guess: Danish customs, Danish VAT - and Post Danmark added to that?

Oh yeah. How could you know? Post Danmark is a state-owned company, and 24/7 the politicians say that the citiziens must become more efficient and competitive.

[oldane]

Oh yeah. How could you know?

Oh, we Danes recognize it when we see it (and of course, your user name gives a hint).

BTW, the tariffs of Post Danmark is in no way competetive. A nephew of mine is trading vintage hi-fi gear part time. He is situated in Silkeborg, and yet he drives to Flensburg in Germany to ship his goods.

The couple of times I have had guitars sent from US, I have had the seller pay the shipping costs and add it to the price of the guitar. Paying the courier in Denmark upon arrival would cost the double.

[FrankyNoTone]

^ Perhaps a boutique pick closer to home may be worthwhile to check out like these from the Netherlands: http://www.chickenpicks.com/

I bought the light (2.2mm) one in the US for $11 and like the Blue Chip's polyimide plastic, it is a thermoset (i.e. does not melt) plastic and quite durable. I haven't been able to find out exactly what plastic it is but it almost feels like ceramic and has quite a nice unique, bright, yet full tone.

The only downside to it was that it was handmade and the bevel and point wasn't consistent amongst the packs that I perused through. In any event, I sanded my own point/bevel and it was quite nice. But now it seems the ones on the web site are molded so they should be more uniform.