Picks - Pointy end or not?

[citizenk74]

Am I the only one here who has a pile of picks of various sizes and brands, none of which cost more than two dollars?

Nope. I have an Art Nouveau ceramic vase, about two inches high and four and a half inches in diameter, filled to the brim with cost-effective plectra from a number of manufacturers and not a few of my own creations. Many of the stock ones are fated to be altered in subtle and not so subtle ways. I am the Dr. Moreau of picks, and chez k. is the House of Pain.

[princeplanet]

OK, so from all you round enders, now I wanna talk about which way do you point the pointy end. As you know, it makes a huge difference. Out? In ? Or Up??

Of course, if your pick is rounded all 3 sides, you miss out on the (dis?)advantage of the extra "leverage" that the long end provides. Any thoughts?

[christianm77]

What I have learned from this experiment is that people who play with the round end prefer the sound of the round end and people who play with the pointy end prefer the sound of the pointy end.

[grahambop]

Reminds me of the Big-endians and the Little-endians in Gulliver’s Travels.

[princeplanet]

What I have learned from this experiment is that people who play with the round end prefer the sound of the round end and people who play with the pointy end prefer the sound of the pointy end.

Nah, some peeps have turned the corner, so to speak...

[christianm77]

I might adopt round end for gypsy playing. My plan is to get as authentic a gypsy sound as I can so I get away with playing contemporary jazz lines.

[dconeill]

Just curious how many of us turn our picks around to avoid the pointy end...

As it happens, I don't turn my pick around to avoid the pointy end. As best I can recall, Pat Metheny does, though. I use a different shape.

I don't use a 351-shaped pick (the usual shape). I use a 347-shape, though not Fender brand - I used to use Gibson GG50 heavy (long discontinued), but lately have used the celluloid Dunlop Teardrop heavy (485-03HV) (see page 2, the black ones), and also the same shape made of Tortex for different tones.

I sometimes use the Dunlop Jazztone Large Round Tip (477-207). It's a good bit thicker than the Teardrop, and has a darkish tone.

I think there's something about how the slightly rounded edges of these picks release the string that I find pleasing. I think, though I haven't measured it, that the sound is a little less trebly than the 351. Looks like turning a 351 around might have some of the same effect - I'll have to try that.

[Edited later: sorry, I didn't realize how old this thread was. Out of personal arrogance, however, I'll leave my post up instead of deleting it.]

[pcjazz]

Not.

[Litterick]

All ends are valid.

[grahambop]

The end justifies the means.

[AllanAllen]

I use a regular pick the regular way.

[bediles]

I wager that the players that use the round end play flatter on the string and the pointy end peeps play with more edge.

I feel there's a joke embedded here somewhere but I'm not quite sure what it is yet.

[starjasmine]

... the pointy end peeps play with more edge.

What Troy Grady calls "edge picking" is one of the things that helps to take the pointy end from being a hindrance to being something that actually HELPS you to pick more cleanly.

His "Masters in Mechanics" series talks about edge picking and a ton of other topics related to picking mechanics, complete with slow-speed, close-up video of many pro players.

It was the latest Martin Miller interview that got me to pop for a subscription to his site.

I unsubscribed after four months because I had reached the saturation point and wanted to spend some time practicing what I'd learned by working on the MIM content.

I have no affiliation with the site other than being a satisfied customer. He's done a great job of breaking down a variety of different successful picking techniques in a way that, dare I say, nobody has done before. Plectrum technique has gone from being a poorly explained "black art" to something that you can study, understand, and learn.

Just in case that wasn't clear: he shows MANY ways that different players achieve speed and fluency with differing approaches to picking. There is no "one right way." There are, in fact, many ways that work well for many players in a variety of styles.

The site does tend to fixate a bit on speed metal, but there are also things from guys like Joscho Stephan, and Martin Miller definitely has a jazz-influenced vocabulary.

[Greywolf]

I round of the tips of my Fender Mediums and scuff the back a bit for grip.
I find it makes faster playing smoother.

I do rotate to the round side on occasion as well , depends on the tune

[Spook410]

It's not 1960 any more.

Pick shapes include varying degrees of roundness and pointy. This combines with thickness. Combines with pick shape (e.g. triangle, standard, small, large, et al). Combines with material. Combines with bevel. Some metal players use very thick picks with a pronounced beveled point in slippery materials. Some bluegrass players used button shapes.

I tend not to use the same pick for acoustic archtop, electric archtop, rock/blues, and flat top.

If we're talking Gibson L5 with flats, I like a large moderately rounded 3mm kirinite triangle with a right hand bevel.

[pauln]

...with a right hand bevel.

Please describe or show what constitutes a right hand bevel, I don't know what that means.

I have six picks I use, all identical, all are standard shape, .82mm, rounded edges, not quite black, bought eight of them for $2 years ago and have lost two, so always on the lookout for more (the formulation of the specific material used is their best feature, wish I knew what it is).

[Sleeko]

Funny this came up as I am currently experimenting with this very thing.
My favorite pick I’ve been using lately is a sort of rounded triangle with center dip. Traditionally I’ve used a felt pick for a nice soft tone but it tends to grab the string so this rounded triangle bounces freely and nicely.
Lately I’ve been trying a small Carol Kaye pick that’s very pointy but I just can’t get used to it - keeps moving about unless I grip it hard. Tried the rounded end just for giggles but naw, didn’t like it at all.

[Spook410]

Bevel.

[Spook410]

Please describe or show what constitutes a right hand bevel, I don't know what that means.

I have six picks I use, all identical, all are standard shape, .82mm, rounded edges, not quite black, bought eight of them for $2 years ago and have lost two, so always on the lookout for more (the formulation of the specific material used is their best feature, wish I knew what it is).

I'm glad they work for you. But for me, skinny cheap picks sound thin and plinky. If I were in the 'wind your treble all the way back and run through a polytone' camp I might not notice it much. But I like to hear the guitar and have set up my gear around that premise. For me, the best is often a $90 Blue Chip pick (their thickest triangle). Not because they are expensive, but because they are probably the best overall picks made. You can feel it and hear it. I also like a lot of $20 picks in kirinite and casein. Honey Picks makes nice stuff. Acrylic can be too bright but for acoustic archtop Gravity Picks are good. For an inxpensive pick, the 3mm Jim Dunlop Americana large triangle is really good in feel and sound. And the Jim Dunlop is probably all I really need. But where's the fun in that?

[Spook410]

Funny this came up as I am currently experimenting with this very thing.
My favorite pick I’ve been using lately is a sort of rounded triangle with center dip. Traditionally I’ve used a felt pick

The softest tone guitar pick I've ever used is the Wegen GP250. They have very rounded bevel and seem to glide on the strings surface.

[pauln]

I'm glad they work for you. But for me, skinny cheap picks sound thin and plinky. If I were in the 'wind your treble all the way back and run through a polytone' camp I might not notice it much. But I like to hear the guitar and have set up my gear around that premise. For me, the best is often a $90 Blue Chip pick (their thickest triangle). Not because they are expensive, but because they are probably the best overall picks made. You can feel it and hear it. I also like a lot of $20 picks in kirinite and casein. Honey Picks makes nice stuff. Acrylic can be too bright but for acoustic archtop Gravity Picks are good. For an inxpensive pick, the 3mm Jim Dunlop Americana large triangle is really good in feel and sound. And the Jim Dunlop is probably all I really need. But where's the fun in that?

They work for me because I take a different approach; I play a Strat with the biggest strings that will fit through the enclosed roller nut (light), tones full up and the volume backed off a little, through Twin Reverbs (mostly) with the tones set flat (T1 M10 B1). I play lightly and never do rest strokes.

[pauln]

Bevel.

All my picks take on that same wear pattern... I remove it with Scotch-Brite pad every few months. May I should leave them alone.