What a difference a pick makes...

[mr. beaumont]

This might be an interesting conversation, I hope.

Been not liking my playing lately...digging in too hard, not sounding like "me." I listened back to some old recordings I did which I liked, and realized an important difference--the pick size I was using.

For years, I used small picks...jazzIII's, jazz tone 205's, even the tiny Fender jazz picks...then, some years ago, I got into gypsy jazz and started using larger picks...eventually using large teardrop shaped picks of 2mm or more.

Within the last year I went down in thickness and started using standard shaped D'Andrea Pro plecs...but about a week ago, I found a pro Plec in a tiny "home plate" shape and started using it. Wow. What a difference.

I'm playing lighter, more relaxed, more "me." I've come full circle on pick size, I guess.

Anyway...anybody else see a big difference in their playing with a similar change--in either direction?

[JSanta]

I had a very similar experience. I was attempting to learn Gypsy Jazz but still used thinner, smaller picks for everything else, and found that I was gripping too much and losing the nuance of dynamic. I've settled on the Dunlop 206 and it's the perfect in-between pick for me. That being said, Benedetto sent me a few of their plastic picks, same shape as the 206 but a bit thinner, and I am really digging it.

[destinytot]

Within the last year I went down in thickness and started using standard shaped D'Andrea Pro plecs...but about a week ago, I found a pro Plec in a tiny "home plate" shape and started using it. Wow. What a difference.

That's great! Is the new one a 330?

[mr. beaumont]

I assume. That's the right shape. It's quite small. Best thing was I found a dozen!

[vintagelove]

It's funny, people will spend $1k on some fancy new toy to "fatten" thier tone. A 25 cent pick can make just as big a difference.

i prefer the teardrop acetate 1.26mm Clayton pick. It sounds sooooo much better than a fender medium. That is if you like dark and fat sounds.

[NoReply]

I've been using large teardrop heavy's for decades, but have been switching to regular shape and size picks lately. Also using medium thickness both with my old teardrops and the regular shape picks. The medium picks add a snap to the note that I like. With the regular shape pick I do tend shoulder of the pick not the point.

[Lobomov]

Not a big difference, but definately a difference.

My base has always been the purple 2.0 mm dunlops. I still use these a lot. Big fat sound and it weights quite a bit, so it handles well.

Ive always alternated between the above and the jazz picks. I use the jazz II for jazz and jazz III for more commercial styles. I find there is a small but distinct difference.

Lately Ive been using the regular sized 2mm dunlop less in favor of thinner regular sized picks. I lose a bit of control/speed but they sound a bit brigther and more open with a more aggro attack.

There is a lot to explore with regards to picks

[Jabberwocky]

[Hep To The Jive]

For the past 8 years or so have been using exclusively Dunlop 2mm 'Gator' picks. Sometimes I'd try other ones, but always come back to this one. Funny, it was one of my students who introduced me to them, at the time I was using Fender medium, or something medium. No plans to change back.

[kris]

Attachment 30682
I like Dunlop 5mm small Primetone.

[Bosko]

I prefer the Cool brand, extra heavy with the anti slip texture on both sides. I like to change it up and try something new every now and then to keep it fresh but eventually I return to my favorite.

An interesting/amusing side note on Tuck Andress (a fantastic player) and his thoughts on the best pick to use:

"The best pick to use: During all the years I spent studying picking I tried many picks, finally settling on an extremely thick one which I had to cut down and reshape to a small teardrop. I felt that this brought me closest to the Benson sound. Each pick took several hours of work. Then one day I learned that George Benson used a Fender medium. At that point I quit worrying about what type of pick I used, although extremely sharp or dull ones don't work well."

[Debora Miano]

For the past 8 years i have been using Dunlop 2mm, super common and easy to find, cheap, and can get out pretty much any tone you are working on, knowing how to play over the changes.
i generally find beauty in randomness and there's beauty in picking a pick, getting used to it, play decently and don't mind about sounding like a badass
but i really like that pick

[blackcat]

This might be an interesting conversation, I hope.

Been not liking my playing lately...digging in too hard, not sounding like "me." I listened back to some old recordings I did which I liked, and realized an important difference--the pick size I was using.

For years, I used small picks...jazzIII's, jazz tone 205's, even the tiny Fender jazz picks...then, some years ago, I got into gypsy jazz and started using larger picks...eventually using large teardrop shaped picks of 2mm or more.

Within the last year I went down in thickness and started using standard shaped D'Andrea Pro plecs...but about a week ago, I found a pro Plec in a tiny "home plate" shape and started using it. Wow. What a difference.

I'm playing lighter, more relaxed, more "me." I've come full circle on pick size, I guess.

Anyway...anybody else see a big difference in their playing with a similar change--in either direction?

I have one of those and really like it except for the fact that I find it hard to 'palm it' and then retrieve it quickly in the way that I can with other curved side picks. Does that make sense?

[55bar]

From our lovely Jordan.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[goatrace]

I've used Fender 351 med tortoise for many years. (I think they came with my '68 Coronado II which I bought new for $175 includes case) But last year I conducted a study of 100 picks. Carefully comparing the tone and feel of each pick one to all the others and so on. I've no use for the pointy end of the pick since I play close and tight on the side. After all these comparisons, I switched to Dunlop XH celluloid and I found that the black ones gives me a better tone than the tortoise ones. But only when the white print wears off and there's kind of a greasy feel. I know I'm supposed to like Jazz I, II or III but they were knocked out of the competition in the first round. Plinky. Curiously, Dunlop Gator .96 came in second. Although this could be because I'm easily captivated by cute little cartoon characters. I also insure my cars with Green Lizard Insurance Co.

[RyanM]

I've been using the small Dunlop jazztone 205 picks for years. The small size and rigid material gives more control, and I like the sound of the material. Very little pick noise.

[christianm77]

Attachment 30682
I like Dunlop 5mm small Primetone.

I used this up to about a year ago. They're pretty cool for GJ stuff.

[jazzimprov]

Sticking with either Gravity or V-Picks for now--best grip and sound for me.
Dugain are excellent too but with slightly less grip but fantastic sound and endurance.


Gravity classic 4mm
V-pick Traditional/classic 4mm
Dugain (flat pick) 4mm

[Cunamara]

A few years ago I switched from the ProPlec 351 to the small teardrop (354? 358?) and felt immediately much more at home- and I'd been using the 351 shape for over 30 years!

I started alternating with the Jazz III Ultex (I don't like the red or black ones, too plinky as someone else said). A slightly brighter tone and was helpful in some situations.

A couple weeks ago I tried a "Dawg" mandolin pick which is large and very rounded. The large size feels really awkward but the sound is dark and warm and fat.

[Melodic Dreamer]

I've used the, John Pearse Django Buttons for a few years. I love how fast and small they are.
The big thing was I heard less pick noise which I really dig.

I just got some the, Strum N Comfort Picks... Gilad Hekselman Signature ones this week and have fell in-love with them. They were fairly cheap and thought why not.They feel and sound great.

[Pat Clare]

From our lovely Jordan.

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I use the Blue Chip Jazz 60. It's the best sounding and has the best feel while holding
of any pick I've ever used well worth the $35.00 when comparing to the amount of
money most guitar players spend on pedals.

[55bar]

I use the Blue Chip Jazz 60. It's the best sounding and has the best feel while holding
of any pick I've ever used well worth the $35.00 when comparing to the amount of
money most guitar players spend on pedals.

Yup I use jazz 50 and love it.


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[Sammo]

I started with anything goes/regular Fender and proceeded to Jazz III. Red ones, of course, thanks to Eric Johnson. After that I read that Robben Ford and Mike Landau used the butt end of the pick and started to use 351 shape, because I could use both ends of that pick (couldn't do that with Jazz III) and it was still similar size.

But then it was getting hard to find them in Finland and finally found Planet Waves Black Ice 1.10 mm. It gives me fat tone even with the pointy end and is really durable and you can get them in 10 bags. Works fine with solidbody, archtop or acoustic. Not the best solution for acoustic strumming, though.

Andy Wood said in No Guitar Is Safe -podcast that he uses boutique picks in studio but uses Black Ices on stage.

[Edvin]

I had been using the d'andrea pro plec for the last year up until about a month ago when I found this gem. It's a timbertones buffalo horn. The sound is ecen smoother than the pro plecs!


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[MaxTwang]

That's great! Is the new one a 330?

Watch out for D'Andrea's comparison pic, it's reliable for shape but the individual images are not to scale. The 351 in the bottom row is full size, the 330 is much smaller.