Guitar Picks With a Dark Tone

[dvirulu]

Hi
Do you know any jazz picks that brings dark tone?
I am using jazz 3 red picks, but I wonder what do you suggest...
Thank You.

[SamBooka]

pro pleks although I dont know if they are available in the jazz III size.
Similar are Dunlop Americana's and Dunlop Primetone picks without grip .. (the ones with the grip maybe as well.. I dont remember)

[Llacrobat]

Dunlop JazzTone, especially those with the rounded tip. I have used them for years. Comes in two different sizes.
Also check out picks made out of horn or bone.

[mr. beaumont]

D'Andrea pro plecs. Even darker than jazztones.

Found the dulop americana very clicky. Waste of money.

[dvirulu]

Thank you all (:

[mangotango]

Golden Gate. Believe that they're mandolin picks. Very soft, non-bright sound. Shaped as per the rounded Americana.

Amazon.com: Golden Gate Deluxe Mandolin Pick - Tortoise-Style - Dozen: Musical Instruments

Edit: Just noticed these on Amazon.com

Amazon.com: Golden Gate Mock Turtle Flat Pick - Large Triangle - Dozen: Musical Instruments

[fonkyfingers]

Dunlop Delrin 500, 2.00mm

[rpguitar]

The material used to make Dunlop Tortex picks, in all gauges, is soft sounding compared to the many faux tortoise shell picks.

This means you can get a softer, darker tone from a thinner pick if you wish, using this line of products.

They come in many practical gauges from 0.50mm to 1.14mm. I use the 0.88, 0.73, and 0.60 most often. As a bonus, they are cheap and ubiquitous.

[jazzimprov]

a heavier pick will give you the dark tone

Gravity (STD) 4mm or --especially the Jpearse Fast Turtle 4mm will give you that tone.....

[rpguitar]

...which is true except when it isn't. The material is the biggest factor IMHO, not the thickness. Those plastic stubby picks are bright and clicky as heck, yet they're what - 3mm? So in reality, both thickness and material matter. Thickness has a big impact on feel, speed, and dynamics in addition to bright/dark tonal elements. So one must choice wisely for one's needs.

Heavy, but bright Stubbies:

[mr. beaumont]

Ah, the stubby. The worst pick ever created

[medblues]

D'Andrea Pro pleks (as mentioned) are the best bet.
Planet Waves Black Ice extra heavy
Wedgie Rubber gives a dark tone but is slow, so the flesh of your thumb may be better
Also try the black rounded corner of the Dava Delrin Jazz Grips

[balthazar]

Hi
Do you know any jazz picks that brings dark tone?
I am using jazz 3 red picks, but I wonder what do you suggest...
Thank You.

Hi dvirulu,

Here is my comparison: https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guita...tml#post507344

Not the same size as Jazz 3.
And if you search something darker than the Dugain Acetate or the d'Andrea Pro Plec, I'll suggest you, as mentioned by mangotango, the Golden Gate, the Nelson Cordeiro Rounded or the Dawg.

[eddy b.]

I've been using Cool Picks it has a sand paper grit for easy gripping the 1.5 is real mellow and dark... I could have my own store selling used picks I usually use 4 or 5 different types and thicknesses on gigs just to change up the timbre... Try the Cool Pick. It's nice and Dark

[spiral]

Dunlop Ultex Jazz III are pretty dark. They are smooth, not too hard, and have a really rounded tip (behave!) with uniform thickness that doesn't taper to a point, so you don't get much attack.

[r_cc_c]

I tested out wide range of easily accessible picks and selected Jim Dunlop 204 & 207 as my choice.
I like round tip as it has less of the clickey attack.

Dunlop Manufacturing :: Guitar Picks :: :: JD Jazztones?

the thickness also gives me a deeper tone.

[Greentone]

I agree with Roger--both material and thickness matter. IMO, (and in my experience), acetate makes the best material for a darker sound. Acrylic makes a brighter sound. Nylon and Delrin? To me, they are both on the brighter end of the spectrum. Tortex? Toward the darker side of things, but not as dark as old-fashioned acetate.

Combine acetate with thickness and you have DARK tone. I play with a 4mm acetate pick and get a dark tone that is the antithesis of "plinky."

For the last several years, the brand of acetate, thick pick that I have used is Dugain, made by Jean-Charles Dugain in Paris. They aren't as readily available as Dunlop, etc., but they last and they are great guitar picks.

[Eddie Lang]

Tortex, Delrin and Delrex are all acetal homopolymer. Different brand names, same material developped by DuPont.

Clayton's Acetal are a different type: acetal copolymer.

Ultem and Ultex are a totally different material: polyetherimide.

Ultem will be stiffer than acetal type, and also a little brighter, but still sound full. Acetal types will be darker, with acetal homopolymer sounding darker than acetal copolymer. Acetal picks will also be grippier, and very durable.

Red Bear are made from polymerized animal protein, which can make them brittle and sensitive to moisture.

I have no idea what Wegen and Blue Chip are made of. I know that they make sure that it stays a "secret".

[D.G.]

I have no idea what Wegen and Blue Chip are made of. I know that they make sure that it stays a "secret".

Far as I know, Wegen's are made of Delrin. Blue Chip, I don't know about.

My favorite "dark" pick is a Wegen Fatone 5mm. However, on the bridge pickup you can hear a lot of "click". I also have a Dugain 4mm acetate and it's probably the darkest pick I own. I don't like the shape as much as Wegen's though -- too pointy for my needs.

Actually, come to think of it, I had a thick (3 or 4 mm, can't remember) Red Bear that was almost unusably dark till I had the bevel re-sanded to match a Wegen...

[mr. beaumont]

Blue chips are made of unobtainium.

[Greentone]

I think Dugain acetate is old fashioned cellulose acetate...like Wayfarer sunglasses frames. Feeling is the same.

[mr. beaumont]

Dugain makes a great pick.

[Eddie Lang]

Material is undeniably important. Case in point, I have four older Pickboy (Jazz III shape) picks. It's the solid white ones. I really love them, so I decided to buy more, and found some on eBay. Well the material is not quite the same anymore (the new ones I got are pearloid instead of solid white). Same brand, same model, same shape, different material, and the effect of that alone is that they really don't feel the same! What's not helping is that where the edges of the older ones were smooth, the new ones are rough!

Not only they don't feel the same, I definitely hear a difference too (the new ones sound MUCH brighter).

[Spook410]

Painfully dull: D'Andrea Pro Plecs
Just dull: Planet Waves Black Ice
Dull but OK with lots of fundamental: V-Pick Pearly Gates, Clayton Acetal (1.9mm, polish the edges)
Dark but nice: Pearse Fast Turtle, Dunlop Jazz Tone, Blue Chip

[LyleGorch]

Gravity Gold Picks. Comes in 1.0, 1.5, 2.5 and 5.0.