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It was a bit annoying, but I checked them both under magnification. One was ever so slightly sharper than the other. I touched them both with some 2000 grit paper I had lying around and I’m happy with the tone of both now.
Originally Posted by Greentone
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05-08-2019 05:21 PM
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At that price point, I would have to say that the variation is slipshod. Yikes.
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It probably would have been unnoticeable tonally with a thicker one, but I’m using the Jazz 40, which retain and emphasize far more of the treble. I like the note separation, the fact that they grip well and give me the right sound for the attack and release. I might buy a couple more.
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I've never noticed any variation in Blue Chip's 60 thickness picks in terms of the pick edges or in any other way, but I also get mine unbevelled. The brand new ones need a few hours of break-in - sort of like new strings - but after that, between 5 hours and 500 hours I cannot notice any difference!
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I have 4 Blue Chip picks, of various thicknesses and shapes, acquired over time, and they do sound slightly different, but that's no surprise considering none are identical. They all sound about as expected to me. Blue Chip sells picks as right or left hand speed bevel or round bevel. I prefer the round bevel, because I don't want to have to pay attention to which side I have up, and I assume that matters with a different bevel. All of mine seem to have a perfectly consistent bevel, as far as I can tell without a microscope. But minor deviations can slip through any quality control system. Gibson is a good example. For what they charge, every guitar should be perfect, but not every example is.
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I also play my Benedetto amp with the tweeter engaged. Combined with the relatively thin picks, the very slight tonal difference was noticeable.
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Ive got the 2.0 standards. Originally Posted by krusty
They’re a nice design. If you like the articulation of pointy picks like the jazz III, but find the tip to get caught up on you - the Flows still give that articulation with way better string to string glide.
They’re an Ultex pick, so they are very hard, and will chirp depending on your technique. The design on the faces of the pick are raised as well which gives some grip.
For me, the most difficult pick to chirp is the ProPlek. The easiest picks to chirp are the polycarbonates like Big Stubby’s, Fred Kelly Flat Poly, or the acrylic V-Picks. You can learn to chirp less, but it’ll take focus and altering your technique. I played the little stubby 3.0 for years, and didn’t chirp them. I switched picks and technique years since, and if I go back to the stubbys, it’s chirp city unless I focus on it.
I should make a list of all the picks I’ve got over here so we know what I’m comparing on the ICS scale mentioned earlier.
Clayton:
All models
Dava:
All models
D’Addario:
- Classic celluloid
- Cortex
- Duralin
D’Andrea:
- Pro-Plec
- Snarling Dogs
Dunlop:
Not all of them, but almost. The thing that would make this list take too long is all the different materials they offer for the same models...but I’ve got just about all of them with different thicknesses and materials.
Ernie Ball:
- 351 shape Heavy
Fender:
- 351 Celluloid
Extra Heavy
Heavy
Medium
Light
- 551 Tru Shell
Extra Heavy
Fred Kelly:
All models
Graph Tech:
- ST 1.0
Gravity:
All models in 3.0 thickness with multi-hole grip.
Ibanez:
- Steve Vai sig.
Martin:
- 351 shape Extra Heavy
Pick Boy:
All models
Swiss-Picks:
All models in 2.0 thickness.
Taiya River Arts
- Mammoth Ivory
Uncommon Goods
- Jazz III size made of an US nickel
V-Picks:
All models
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I’m testing out different picks, mainly focusing on tone in my set up and of course chirping. Love the Dragon heart, which sounds great and that chirp very little for me, but I’m having a hard time getting used to the shape. The Chicken picks are great, the badazz model is really fast, but they chirp some (in my hands) for a while when new. Got two Dugain picks the other day, they have an amazing, warm and quiet tone. The Tortex Flex was interesting in terms of sound, they made a very soft tone in my hands, but felt like butter.
The Timber Tone Fusion, made of aluminium, worked surprisingly well after a few weeks of playing. So I guess, besides my long rambling, my only contribution to this discussion is that a lot of picks can sound awful brand new but really good after some wear and tear.
I guess it’s a difficult question as individual differences in playing at micro levels make huge differences in sound, and what makes the best sound might not always be what feels most comfortable to each individual, but I sure do enjoy this tread.
Just for fun, here’s my list of picks I’ve been testing for the last couple of months.
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Not that it matters, and as stated everyone's different, but after a few years of having to make my own picks from 5mm horn sheet, to get anything I could use - most time consuming - I've recently found I like and can use a couple of Dunlop ones - the Flow Jumbo 3.0 and the 207 - I believe this is partly down to my own pick technique evolving and improving (for years I played only without a pick, then adopted them maybe 7 years ago). I don't find either of the Dunlops at all clicky. The Flow has a very nice, clean, precise feel to use, but for jazz there's something about the 207 - held at a bit of an angle, with the rounded tip, it gives a lovely control and slightly softer attack for chord work, and yet can also be precise used for single note runs. I think it was this forum that first put me on to these picks, so thank you!
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Since three weeks I am playing plecs made by Fender. On ebay you will find them searching for "Fender Moto Picks Heavy". They are available in different colours. I got the green and white ones in heavy, mediums are too soft for 13 Jazz Swing Thomastik`s. They got a pleasant size, making a nice warm sound and I cannot here any disturbing clicks. They are made of celluloid. I like them more than the Dunlop Jazz 3. They are pretty cheap, too.
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Dunlop teckpick brass.
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Here's a Troy Grady video about pick chirp.
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As mentioned in posts 30 and 43, I have a few of each of these (The one on the right is for my flat-top bronze-string acoustics).
All have the round bevel, and the bevels are consistently as perfectly executed as I've ever encountered.
All except the 1st one of each type were requested holiday gifts.
I believe I have a lifetime supply.
This is just my preference (for now
).
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I didn’t see any mention of Red Bear picks (apologies if I missed it). I have several, and just picked up a used Red Bear E-GJ (large triangle shape / gypsy jazz thickness) which is hands-down the thickest pick I have ever played. Gotta be at least 3mm. No chirp or click whatsoever. Red Bears, like Fender Tru Shells, are made from casein, a milk protein. I came down with severe PAS when I took up mandolin some years ago after playing guitar for decades with Fender 351 heavies as my one and only pick of choice. Now I own dozens of different picks of various materials and thickness, many with heavily modified points and bevels. I’m a pick-a-holic. My current favorite is the D’Andrea Radex. They only go up to 1.25mm thickness. I’m hoping they’ll come out with a 1.5mm version which would be great for mandolin.
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Djangoguitars makes a 3mm pick I’ve grown to love named Bebop. The bevels are very nice and the chirping is hardly there.
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Do they wear fast? I really like Dugain's picks in general. Originally Posted by Greentone
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I have used Dugain picks for years and they do not wear out. I use the 3mm acetate pick and the examples I have still look as though the beveled edges are essentially new. Great picks.
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OK - but what about thumb picks...
They seem to be very limited compared to the choices we have for flat picks ?
Or should this be a separate thread ?
Not for Travis Picking variations in my case ...I gave that up long ago as a rhythmic dead end - like a Piano Player that only plays stride and' Ragtime' ...Last edited by Robertkoa; 08-23-2019 at 07:29 AM.
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When I first started playing fingerstyle (40 years ago... crap I am getting old!) I was a diehard fingerpick wearer. I used Dunlop banjo-style picks on my fingers and a Fender plastic thumbpick, heavy or extra heavy (I don’t recall). What I do recall is getting a second thumbpick at some point because I realized that I had worn down the tip of my first thumbpick so far it was nearly gone. I still have both of those picks in a box. Somewhere. Originally Posted by Robertkoa
At some point I got tired of the time it took to switch between flatpick and fingerpicks - especially when performing - and I transitioned to my natural nails for fingerstyle. And I like that direct connection to the strings. There sure are some incredible guitarists who use a thumbpick (Tommy Emmanuel is certainly near or at the top of any such list). I’ve thought about getting one of these:
Thumb Picks - BlueChip Picks
Or these: Red Bear Trading Co. The Best Guitar Picks Made - Your Tone Starts Right Here
There are also these. And others I’m sure.
More options certainly than when I was a fingerpick aficionado, but as you said certainly not the same wide range as standard flatpicks.
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(I've recently did a demo using my favourite thick pick, If you would like to hear a sound sample both acoustic and amped sound of this pick on different guitars, see the links at the end of this post) Originally Posted by znerken
I am not sure you are meant two different things on a) chirp b) click, but I also aware (maybe to much?) about pick sound. I try to share my observations so far:
- Regarding chirp I think it is solely the surface, which is correlated with the material and the manufacturing. So even chubby picks can be extremely chirpy.
- Regarding the click, I think it is from the form, and the thinness. More rounded less clicking. However thinner picks are clicking more.
All those differences are significant acoustically, but maybe subtle with amp (but we always hear the acoustics also, even playing on amp)
My two "picks of picks":
ULTEX® JAZZ III XL GUITAR PICK 427RXL
(not chirpy at all, dark sound with minimal clicks as it is a bit heavy, and good to hold thanks to the grip of the text)
JOHN PETRUCCI SIGNATURE JAZZ III GUITAR PICK 427PJP
(a bit more chirpy, but way more mojo in sound with minimal clicks as it is a bit heavy, and good to hold thanks to the grip of the logo)
Acoustic demo using JOHN PETRUCCI SIGNATURE JAZZ III GUITAR PICK 427PJP :
Eastman 371 vs 810 vs Epiphone Joe Pass compared acoustically
Amped demo using JOHN PETRUCCI SIGNATURE JAZZ III GUITAR PICK 427PJP:
Eastman Recommendation
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The Petrucci picks are good. Not quite as good as a Blue Chip, but a lot less expensive, while being pretty close in tone.
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Yeah..to me quiet picks means no scraping sounds , and ability to 'feather pick' where pick depth to the string is very shallow so it sounds like the legato players or Alto Sax ...almost zero attack.
I don't care or want to know what 'chirp' is .But I often don't want a click or percussive attack at beginning of notes.
Some picks have more glide and roll off the strings , shape ,bevel , technique aside ..
Some of the modern materials feel more like teflon when you pick really softly , and don't scrape at angles etc.
'You mean you want the pick to make you sound better than you really are , more polished ?'
Exactly. And they do.
Remember Fender Heavies with the grooves and rough spots I used to sand those with 400 paper ..lol.
Ideally the pick grips the thumb grip very well ( texture, holes etc).
BUT - glides effortlessly over the strings for legato ....
And for Articulate stuff ...articulation with glide - we still need a smooth release.
Callouses release nicely also - once they build up ...( ouch ).
I think it's really cool that there are so many different materials for picks these days ( surprising that they care ).
Carbon Fiber with teflon might be really cool also....
Luckily I don't need any exotic picks to pick...
As many of you know sometimes guitar picks get lost and you find them again...
But every once in a while while we are not looking - they completely wink out of existence- so I am better off not using expensive exotic picks ..
I believe some are better though ...Last edited by Robertkoa; 08-25-2019 at 10:15 AM.
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I've been using the RB (round bevel) KS60 picks from Blue Chip for years; I order them with minimal text i.e. only the "60" indication to keep them separate from the few "50's" that I have. I find too much text can lead to make it slippery to hold especially on a small pick like the KS. The 50's are nice too but I still think the 60 gives me fatter treble sounds, and more acoustic volume for unplugged playing. I've never lost one (but have had a few close calls). I recently tried the Jazz 60 but I did not like the pointy tip...other than that I thought it was great. Nice size and feel, and not "chirpy/clicky". Originally Posted by Tom Karol
As mentioned in posts 30 and 43, I have a few of each of these (The one on the right is for my flat-top bronze-string acoustics).
All have the round bevel, and the bevels are consistently as perfectly executed as I've ever encountered.
All except the 1st one of each type were requested holiday gifts.
I believe I have a lifetime supply.
This is just my preference (for now).
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Just an update on my BC Jazz 40 picks. I used one of the pair exclusively, and after only a couple of weeks of steady playing, the tip is quite noticeably worn. The difference between it and it’s unused mate is considerable, as is the sound. I’ve gone back to my 1.14mm Jazz III Tortex Pitch Black. I can’t seem to wear them out, and the tone is exactly what I like. And they’re ubiquitous and cheap.
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You're the first person I've ever heard say that they had worn down a Blue Chip pick. I have no reason to doubt you, but that's the first time I've ever heard that. Mine have some micro scratches on the surface, but the bevels are like they came, after years of use.
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Action height for acoustic fingerstyle archtop?
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