Choosing a new pick

**Innerurge1** · 12-29-2009, 04:53 PM

Hey everyone... I current use dunlop jazz IIIs but find that i am having trouble sounding legato and i think it is too "attacky sounding". When i used a D'andrea Pro Plec Rounded Triangle pick, my tone sounded much better; however there was a very annoying clicking sound... i like a heavy pick and want to see if there are any options that wont click, but also have the rounded edge like the d'andrea. Also, if possible i would prefer to not spend $20 on a pick like some that i have seen... Thanks

**Big Ron** · 12-29-2009, 05:17 PM

I have no idea if this would work for anyone but me; heck, I'm not even sure it is working for me, but I think it is. I have played for more years that I want to admit with a flat pick. Over time I have gravitated here and there for the "favorite pick of the week". Most of the picks I like are heavy and thick, and medium size. I don't like the pick to "flap" like thin and or big picks do. And with all respects to Danny Gatton, I never was cordinated enough to use the tiny "jazz" picks.

All this time I also wanted to hybrid thumb pick and finger "pluck" on some things I play. Went nuts with the "hide the pick in your finger" thing. Put it in your mouth, drop it on the floor keep extra ones stuck here and there etc.

About a year ago I was in a guitar store and saw some Herco Flat Thumbpicks. Here was a hybrid version of both of the picks I have been trying to use. I made a dedicated effort to switch to these picks only and bought a small handful of the HEAVY ones. So far it has solved my issues with to pick or pluck, to plectrum or not. In short it has worked for me. I doubt that it would be the best pick for any one thing - probably not the very best flat pick, nor the very best thumb pick, but it does an admirable job of being on your thumb, and feeling like a flat pick at the same time.

Jim Dunlop Herco Flat Thumbpick Guitar Picks 4 for $4.95

NOTE: With this insider information and about $2.50 cash you can get a cup of coffee at the local airport. [valuable stuff this information - remind me to tell you about the $137 onion some time]

Ron

**keith** · 12-29-2009, 05:34 PM

There was an earlier thread on picks and one thing is clear that everyone has their favorites and usually they're all different. I recently tried some of the John Pearse picks from Djangobooks which are indented and grooved to avoid movement and stiff akin to the Wegen picks which apparently they are a copy of but overall much cheaper ( not cheap, just cheaper! ). Below is the link.

https://shoppingcart.djangobooks.com...arod_pick.html

**Tom Karol** · 12-29-2009, 05:47 PM

If you like the Jazz III's but want a more rounded tip, the Jazz II's are more rounded than the Jazz III's and the Jazz I's are even more rounded than the Jazz II's.
(http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?p...products/picks)

**SamBooka** · 12-29-2009, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by Ron Vermillion

I
About a year ago I was in a guitar store and saw some Herco Flat Thumbpicks. Here was a hybrid version of both of the picks I have been trying to use. I made a dedicated effort to switch to these picks only and bought a small handful of the HEAVY ones.

Jim Dunlop Herco Flat Thumbpick Guitar Picks 4 for $4.95

Ron

I tried them for a while since I do a little rockabilly playing as well.
They arent bad but I had a problem with the tonal balance between the pick and my fingers. One other thing was the tip of the pick sits so far away from my thumb.I took a pair a toenail clippers and trimmed the pick down and used the toenail file to smooth the edges. Much better (until I stepped on it and crushed it)

**JimBobWay** · 12-30-2009, 01:15 AM

I clearly went into the wrong business in my non-guitar career!

Innerurge, based on your post, (I *like* the big Dunlops, but understand your point) I recommend looking into your local pawn shops & similar for older picks like the Fender/Gibson/Odessa's - the heavier the better (for me, anyway). I bought a case of Odessa H and one of Fender XH fake tortoise 2 decades ago, and use both daily. They don't even make plastic like they used to!

I also have many felt picks, which can be very useful, but probably require a separate thread to explore in depth. I suggest you skip stone, wood & metal unless you're willing to deal with the aural consequences (or can get an endorsement!). The only other I can recommend is the Saga Golden Gate pick. Very nice cross between the Dunlop, felt, and big-honkin' Fender. I hope this helps!

**bkdavidson** · 12-30-2009, 01:21 AM

Try the Dunlop Jazztone 204. They're really small like the Jazz III's, have a rounded tip, and are pretty thick.

**Doctor Jeff** · 12-30-2009, 12:42 PM

I have been trying the Jazztone 206, 207 and 208's but can't quite come to love them. Surprisingly there's a lot of click with these picks the way I play, and they're just not versatile for both picking and strumming IMO.

I have been using the Tortex standard .88mm (greenies) and really like the tone, the feel on the string and the versatility--the variety of sounds you can get by changing the angle, varying the attack, etc. The price is right too!

jeffstocksmusic · 12-30-2009, 12:54 PM

I had the same issue w/ Jazz III...too much 'attack' so I went on a search. I went through a huge range---from small and thin to heavy and thick..all types of tips...even some of those $5 picks like V-picks. I finally stumbled on these guys:

COOL PICKS "JURATEX" JAZZ PICK - Elderly Instruments

I have no idea the backstory of them, but I do know that they absolutely remove all of the attack of the pick so you just hear the bloom of the note. Believe me, I was shocked at the difference.

They are somewhat larger than a Jazz III but I had no trouble getting used to them. Less than a buck, which is nice. If you can't find one, pm me, I'll mail you one to try (if you are in the US....).

**P.J.** · 01-02-2010, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by bkdavidson

Try the Dunlop Jazztone 204. They're really small like the Jazz III's, have a rounded tip, and are pretty thick.

I like these sometimes for single lines but have a hard time strumming w/ a rounded tip if the pick is this fat.

=-) PJ

**revmcintyre** · 01-02-2010, 11:50 AM

Give the Dunlop Big Stubby 2.0mm or the 2.0mm Dunlop Gator a try.

**bluemood** · 01-02-2010, 12:13 PM

I have both the D'Andrea triangle and the rounded tip teardrop I find that the teardop has much less click than the triangle both have the best round warm jazz tone that I have found.The D'Andrea teardrop is more like the size of Fender large teardrop 354 which is my main pick at the moment... I use a medium 0.60 due to playing a lot of rhythm and not wanting any click or sting crash.

**Bill C** · 01-02-2010, 01:11 PM

I like the Fender or Gibson 358 style "heavy" picks - I think D'Andrea do a similar pick

**zonedout245** · 01-05-2010, 12:25 AM

I can't really say what kind would be best for you. Right now I just started using Dunlop Tortex 1mm. They're fine; thicker than I used before but I've gotten used to them. You said you wanted a more legato sound. This won't cost much to try, but if you happen to have any thin picks around, .60 or so, bend it upwards like you would fold a paper plane. Don't bend it too much, just enough for the inside curve to be about as round as your thumb. I do this on my picks and it gives me a warmer sound, and it slides around a lot easier.

**rio** · 01-08-2010, 02:10 AM

I've found that it depends largely on the guitar, but the couple that I've found are the best on the most guitars are the D'Andrea Pro-plek, standard size, and the v-pick small pointed lite (1.5mm) pick. Very similar dimension wise to a Jazz II pick but better tone (imo) because of a slightly different bevel on the tip than the Jazz III's, and the material they use make it very easy to get a good grip on the pick. I've started using the latter on all my guitars, I really like them.

**bird.land** · 01-08-2010, 12:29 PM

I always liked these but can't find them anymore.

Clayton do 1.20 mm picks which are close. I'm using them and a Jim Dunlop 3 stubby at the moment.

From habit perhaps, I miss those Gibson picks. The stubby is ok for some things but for me, a little too thick.

**woyvel** · 01-08-2010, 03:45 PM

I'd say to try a 3.0mm Dunlop Big Stubby or try a felt pick. Felts will wear out on the tip, making them unreliable for faster playing. At least that was the case when I used them a hundred years ago. I've been waiting for a felt-covered nylon heavy pick. Anyone know if there is such a thing?

**jbrowncamera** · 01-10-2010, 10:55 AM

I really recommend trying 'Lil Jazzer picks made by Red Bear Trading -http://www.redbeartrading.com/ ; like Dunlop Jazz III's but made from a similar substance to tortoise shell (but involving no tortoises in the process!).

They are expensive, need to be custom ordered, but have made a huge positive difference to my tone and articulation. I recommend the beveled edge and the 'grip holes'.

**skei** · 01-10-2010, 12:11 PM

Yeah, birdland, I have one of those too, and have also not found them around anymore. But I have one, and it will never be more than 5 inches from my person...
Peace
Skei (the elderly gibson picks one)

Originally Posted by bird.land

I always liked these but can't find them anymore.

Clayton do 1.20 mm picks which are close. I'm using them and a Jim Dunlop 3 stubby at the moment.

From habit perhaps, I miss those Gibson picks. The stubby is ok for some things but for me, a little too thick.

**jackeroo** · 01-16-2010, 04:54 AM

Picks are as varied as players and their style.

Seems like most players use thicker picks. Albeit Metheny uses the large Fender thins on the fat end, and gets that nice thump on the notes which is just superb. I cannot get anywhere near that sound with a thin pick.
So, I try to use a thick pick to get a thin sound, which is something I will work on forever

Ray C. · 01-16-2010, 09:07 AM

Funny, the pick thing has never really been an issue in all the years I've been playing. When I first started playing at around 16 in the mid-70's, I used at std. tri-shaped flat pick. But the jazz bug hit me pretty fast and I started reading about what other players (I tried the Metheny method-didn't work.)

There was something intuitive about it I guess, but I felt I needed something small with a lot of attack-blues players and Mahavishnu were big influences. The first pick that worked was the teardrop, Fender pick. Then in the 80's my brother started using the red Dunlop Jazz III. I tried one and have never looked back. For me they are the perfect pick. I've never felt the need/urge to try a different flat pick on the electric (acoustic, is a bit different; I mix them up a bit depending on the style I'm playing).

My New Years resolution last year was to really develop my finger picking, and I've settled into using a National thumb pick. I tried the Herco-didn't like 'em.

**Tom Karol** · 01-16-2010, 10:29 AM

Certainly, pick choice is a very individual thing. I really like the Dunlop 'Jazz' shape. I went from clear 'Stubbys' (drop it and you've lost it, and they wear down too fast) to Jazz 205's (too thick) to green Tortex M3's (better on acoustic) to red Jazz III's on all my guitars for the past - I don't know - 8 years I guess. I love the sound and feel and they last forever. I feel completely comfortable with them, and I have absolutely no desire to change. But, Dunlop recently came out with a highly textured version (grippier) of the Jazz III; I'll try them the next time I order picks.

**woyvel** · 01-17-2010, 11:12 AM

I'd been using 1.14mm Tortex's, switched to 3mm big stubbies about a year ago and loved them. After reading this thread I tried some Jazz III's and now I might be hooked. The smaller pick puts me closer to the string, giving more precise control and clarity in both single lines and chords. For rock I'll go back to the traditional size pic where I feel I can dig in a little more.

**Tom Karol** · 01-22-2010, 01:41 PM

I just ordered a few of the new "Max Grip" Jazz III's. I'll let you all know what they're like when I get to try them.

**Tom Karol** · 01-23-2010, 02:29 PM

Just got them - I think I like them. The original Jazz III has a certain amount of gripping texture due to the raised lettering, but these feel like fine sandpaper - a little disconcerting at first but should be easy to get used to. The big benefit, I think, it that it requires very little finger pressure to hold the pick securely. The downside is that you can't readjust the pick position between your thumb and index finder easily while playing. (I was surprised to find out that I do this frequently.) I have a pretty sizeable stash of original Jazz III's, and they don't wear down very fast. I won't be replacing those with these. But when/if I do need more, I'll possibly opt for the new "Max Grip" version (same price). Right now, it's still too soon to tell.