Guitar Picks - Different thicknesses for different string gauges

[Spook410]

I suspect there is some divergence in pick selection between those that play mostly electric versus those that play mostly acoustic.

[jazzimprov]

Ahhh Picks!

Can't go back to plastic or Acrylic picks or "other" after the Casein (John Pierce 4mm under $10.00) and Stone (StoneWorks picks 4mm 2 Agate pack for $20)

I was surprised that the Stone picks did not all sound harsh or make noises when I played. Actually soft sounding.....

Not unlike the Casein picks which I haven't seen any wear at all. Considering the amount of time I put in, I thought these would show wear. ----Nothing! (The Horn picks show wear faster than I had thought (In a couple of days) they looked scratched up and sounded that way ---a little....

You owe it to yourself to give these a try though--

http://stoneworkspicks.com/

They are pricey, no doubt, but unless you lose picks .......You will hear quite a difference in tone and with the heavier ones you will use a lighter tough and let the pick fall under it's own weight.... if you know what I mean.

[GNAPPI]

It looks like many of us go through pic picking :-) A couple of years ago when my style started to change, I went through "pick angst".

I had used Fender jazz type pics for ~30 years and they were too slippery and not quiet enough. I tried every material I could buy and wound up with Dunlop Jazz III Max grip 1.38mm picks in black or red. There wasn't a huge acclimation period with them and now they're all I play.

[Wes Fan]

StoneWorks picks 4mm 2 Agate pack for $20

StoneWorks Picks - Handcrafted Stone Guitar Picks by Mike Stone

I've searched the site, and haven't been able to find either a 4mm pick or a 2/$20 pack. Could you provide a link to that page? Thanks!

[uburoibob]

I've given up on trying to formula-ize anything that has to to with picks.

I have ONE Gravity pick in clear that they sent me for free that is the best pick I've ever owned. So much so, that a year later, I ordered a dozen. So, that's about $45. All of the new ones were different to the one I had. Slightly different point roundness. Slightly different bevel. Sound - completely different. I tried to shape them to be like the one I had, but to no avail. I wrote to Gravity and he basically said that there may have been slight differences, but that they were well within tolerance. But no offer to fix things. See photos below. The one that I've inked in purple is the original, the one on the left is the new one...

Anyway I have two pouches. One gets all the picks I like. As I play, the ones I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY like go into the other pouch, where I now have about a dozen picks of varying size and material.

Essentially, I don't like a 'ping' sound when the pick makes contact. If it pings, I pitch it. Then there's the attack. Too brash, I pitch it. Too mellow, I pitch it. Bad control, gone. You get the pickture...(couldn't resist).

I SOOOOO wish it could be formulaic, but in only the most general sense can it. So, I've managed - with a great deal of work - to make my $45 worth of Gravity picks passable, but they'll never be that first pick he sent, which I keep in a very special place.

Still, I keep looking. So far, that one Gravity pick, and an old Tortoise Shell pick that Ken Parker loans people to check out his archtops are the best two picks I've ever used.

But in general, I just take a handful of non-fussy pills and try to get past my pick issues, attempting to observe Frank Zappa's great advice - 'shut up and play your guitar.'

Bob

[jazzimprov]

The JP casein picks are very close to the Tortoise Shells. (I use the 4mm)

They feel and sound great (They do have a recess in them that took a little getting used to for me)

************************************************** ********************

StoneWorks Picks:
The StoneWorks picks are excellent! Not at all what I was expecting from the material.
Very comfortable to hold and pick and the sound is clear and (can be ) loud

Amazon.com: StoneWorks Guitar Pick - 2 Pack: Musical Instruments

$5.00 to ship from Amazon for "each" 2 pak (so be careful if you order more--if you order more it is better to email Mike and tell him and the shipping is $2.95 -the set shipping price-. (He creates an order for you at his site)

You can order the picks and then Email Mike and tell him what mm size you would like (or the reverse!)

(He also emailed me photos of the picks so I could choose which ones I wanted)

The 2 for $20.00 is for, I believe, the Agate picks, not the "very expensive" picks you may have seen at his site


I asked for 4 4mm non dimpled or non recessed picks. Just the Standard size.

also, There may be a slight variance. I received one that was slightly slimmer /smaller (slightly)
You can tell him you don't want a smaller size if that is your preference.

He ships out right away. I ordered 4 on Tues morning and received today (Thursday)

I find both of these picks to be very 'clean' sounding with no after sound or click or whatever you want to call it. Just the 'sound'.

[Gabe]

My friend gave me a Red Bear classic 2mm pick for my birthday with a right hand speed bevel. It took a little getting used to but I absolutely love it. It's definitely the nicest sounding pick I've tried so far.

It's coming up to christmas soon so I'll probably be hoping to get a couple more of these picks as they're really quite expensive!

[frabarmus]

Thin for Light strings (10 - 46)
Medium for Medium strings (11 - 48)
Heavy for Heavy strings (12 - 54)

[frabarmus]

P.S. I never bonded with thin picks, so, for me, it's heavy with heavy string gauges and medium with anything lighter than heavy gauges.

[Avery Roberts]

P.S. I never bonded with thin picks, so, for me, it's heavy with heavy string gauges and medium with anything lighter than heavy gauges.

However, I find that with the really light strings (08-38, 09-42, or even 10-46) a heavier pick tends to "plow" through the strings, whereas the thinner pick tends to "snap" them instead.

But I will never be playing those light strings anymore, so I'll never be using a thin pick.

Currently I am using a "progressive tension" medium set: 013p, 015p, 018p, 028w, 038w, 048w.

With that set, a Gibson Medium (346 shaped) black celluloid is "just right".

[nyc chaz]

I have to agree with George Benson,use a heavy pick with light strings,or a lighter pick with heavy strings.

[Cunamara]

1.5 mm or more no matter what the strings, although I seem to be migrating to a bad classical-ish fingerstyle technique and not using picks much at all. For the past few months my picks of choice have been casein- Pearce (1.5 and 2 mm), Hense (2 mm) and D'Addario (2 mm).

[krusty]

But I will never be playing those light strings anymore, so I'll never be using a thin pick.

Wait until age brings you a measure of osteoarthritis.