The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
Reply to Thread Bookmark Thread
Posts 1 to 25 of 25
  1. #1
    After seeing this kid play I just may give up on the pick altogether. Or maybe just take up the kazoo. It may be time for me to give up my search for the perfect pick.



    Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

    User Info Menu

    Don't let it get you down! At least you don't have to tie a scrunchy around the neck. It's a lame look.

  4. #3

    User Info Menu

    Come on, everyone knows what the perfect pick is, it’s just that most people use wrong corner.

    It may be time for me to give up my search for the perfect pick.-8bc98289-ea2a-44fc-a9bf-76d28be9462e-jpeg

  5. #4

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by BickertRules
    Come on, everyone knows what the perfect pick is, it’s just that most people use wrong corner.

    It may be time for me to give up my search for the perfect pick.-8bc98289-ea2a-44fc-a9bf-76d28be9462e-jpeg
    That’s my favorite pick too, although hard to find extra heavy anymore. I also use the rounded end(s).

  6. #5

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by smallie_stalker
    After seeing this kid play I just may give up on the pick altogether. Or maybe just take up the kazoo. It may be time for me to give up my search for the perfect pick.



    Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk
    Although impressive, I have to say not my cup of tea. To me it’s too much like rock shredding. Not much melody.

  7. #6

    User Info Menu

    I buy these from Strings by Mail, nice tone and smooth edge all around.

    Pyramid Standard Celluloid Flat Pick | Extra Heavy 1.20

    It may be time for me to give up my search for the perfect pick.-308abbfe-5041-4339-8e75-fb2da213be5f-jpeg

    Quote Originally Posted by fasteddie
    That’s my favorite pick too, although hard to find extra heavy anymore. I also use the rounded end(s).

  8. #7

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by BickertRules
    I buy these from Strings by Mail, nice tone and smooth edge all around.

    Pyramid Standard Celluloid Flat Pick | Extra Heavy 1.20

    It may be time for me to give up my search for the perfect pick.-308abbfe-5041-4339-8e75-fb2da213be5f-jpeg
    Thanks for the tip. I’ll have to check these out.

  9. #8

    User Info Menu

    todays perfection is tomorrows obsolescence....

    always keep digging


    cheers

  10. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by ccroft
    Don't let it get you down! At least you don't have to tie a scrunchy around the neck. It's a lame look.
    It may be time for me to give up my search for the perfect pick.It may be time for me to give up my search for the perfect pick.It may be time for me to give up my search for the perfect pick. Agreed!

    Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk

  11. #10

    User Info Menu

    Man,a pick is a pick. Just turn off YouTube and play your guitar.

  12. #11

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by AllanAllen
    Man,a pick is a pick. Just turn off YouTube and play your guitar.
    hah i get it!...but that's really not true...as picks (of all designs) have been around far longer than the internet...they do matter, and they all contribute to final tone...a 2mm bone pick sounds completely different from a .44 nylon...changes the whole attack...

    so much comes down to picks and speakers...the alpha and omega of guitar tone..but so many players pay little attention

    and fingers can be just as tricky..fingertips vs fingernails...and length of nails etc etc...no easy way out


    cheers

  13. #12

    User Info Menu

    I don't agree, and here's my philosophy.

    At any given gig you're lucky if 1 person has the ears to tell good tone from great tone. That person, probably a musician themselves, wants to preserve their hearing and has earplugs in. So they can't even tell.

    Nobody is going to notice the picks tone if I can't get through a song. There are priorities and pick tone is extremely low.

  14. #13

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by neatomic
    hah i get it!...but that's really not true...as picks (of all designs) have been around far longer than the internet...they do matter, and they all contribute to final tone...a 2mm bone pick sounds completely different from a .44 nylon...changes the whole attack...

    so much comes down to picks and speakers...the alpha and omega of guitar tone..but so many players pay little attention

    and fingers can be just as tricky..fingertips vs fingernails...and length of nails etc etc...no easy way out


    cheers
    When you say "but so many players pay little attention", are you talking about just the guitarist you play with?

    I ask, because I can't believe a pro would "pay little attention", and all the non-pros I play with (my friends), all cared. Now we haven't "cared" about it for decades; I.e. we found a pick (or picks) that worked well with a specific guitar and amp, and we stuck with that pick. When a fav pick is no longer available, then we have discussions about compatible picks.

    But otherwise unless we get a new guitar or amp, we don't think about picks.

  15. #14

    User Info Menu

    Tal played with plain old Fender Heavys, held in in the “normal” position, pointy end down.
    Now, about that Montgomery fella......

  16. #15

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by AllanAllen
    I don't agree, and here's my philosophy.

    At any given gig you're lucky if 1 person has the ears to tell good tone from great tone. That person, probably a musician themselves, wants to preserve their hearing and has earplugs in. So they can't even tell.

    Nobody is going to notice the picks tone if I can't get through a song. There are priorities and pick tone is extremely low.
    man if you cant hear the differences that a pick & speaker makes to your tone and playing, then the one guy in the audience doesn't even matter...are you trying to be your best or appease an audience?

    & what happens when you record in a studio..and there is no audience?

    cheers

  17. #16

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by jameslovestal
    When you say "but so many players pay little attention", are you talking about just the guitarist you play with?

    I ask, because I can't believe a pro would "pay little attention", and all the non-pros I play with (my friends), all cared. Now we haven't "cared" about it for decades; I.e. we found a pick (or picks) that worked well with a specific guitar and amp, and we stuck with that pick. When a fav pick is no longer available, then we have discussions about compatible picks.

    But otherwise unless we get a new guitar or amp, we don't think about picks.
    no im talkin about the guys who are responding here!!

    all my people are long hip to the importance of everything when it comes to guitar...from picks on down...like i was trying to stress in my ^ post

    and if you're happy with your decades old/don't have to think about it sound...cool

    but some like to strive...be open to allsorts new adventures

    cheers

  18. #17

    User Info Menu

    Don’t tell a shamisen player that picks don’t matter.


    I had the pleasure of hearing and talking with a master shamisen player in Tokyo several years ago. He told me his “pick” (they have their own word for it of course) was made of tortoiseshell and ivory, that it was very old and was now illegal to produce. He generously allowed me to play his instrument. Picks matter.

    It may be time for me to give up my search for the perfect pick.-c0ee7b79-9503-4b11-be5b-acd20638646b-jpeg

    It may be time for me to give up my search for the perfect pick.-8b905283-a94a-4e30-b585-c742a364aaf8-jpeg
    Last edited by BickertRules; 01-26-2021 at 10:17 AM.

  19. #18

    User Info Menu

    I play solely fingerstyle but I still do think that picks have a place in this world at the very least in terms of tone production. Listen to this guy



    I doubt that fingerstyle players will replicate beans tone anytime soon or ever possibly. So chillax

  20. #19

    User Info Menu

    I guess I'm not explaining myself very well, my gear sounds good to me. I don't buy into thinking I need to search out the perfect strings, picks, determine my guitar cable direction and constantly mod my guitars. To me this is just stuff someone does thinking it'll make them play better missing the point that they aren't playing.

    When I go into a studio (it's been a while) I get my guitar to sound good in the room, then I let the engineer mix it to fit on the recording. I will even take their advice for adjustments. Getting something to sound good in your bedroom is fine, but the rest of the world is not your bedroom, you need to be flexible. I saw a clip with Joe Pass telling a sound guy he prefers to go direct to the PA. It still amazes me.

    Anyway, get your stuff to sound good, but don't forget to keep playing and be flexible. And turn off YouTube, we used to call things like That Pedal Show infomercials, paid advertisements.

  21. #20

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by AllanAllen
    I guess I'm not explaining myself very well, my gear sounds good to me. I don't buy into thinking I need to search out the perfect strings, picks, determine my guitar cable direction and constantly mod my guitars. To me this is just stuff someone does thinking it'll make them play better missing the point that they aren't playing.

    When I go into a studio (it's been a while) I get my guitar to sound good in the room, then I let the engineer mix it to fit on the recording. I will even take their advice for adjustments. Getting something to sound good in your bedroom is fine, but the rest of the world is not your bedroom, you need to be flexible. I saw a clip with Joe Pass telling a sound guy he prefers to go direct to the PA. It still amazes me.

    Anyway, get your stuff to sound good, but don't forget to keep playing and be flexible. And turn off YouTube, we used to call things like That Pedal Show infomercials, paid advertisements.
    Thanks for the clarity; your other post did come-off as being rather dismissive with regards to the issues of pick choice \ usage.

    Like you I have a "match" of guitar, guitar strings, amp and pick: I played-around with different strings and picks and settings on the guitar and amp until I got the sound I desired, and generally I stay with that. Depending on the music and setting I'll use a different guitar and the "match" I came up with for that.

  22. #21

    User Info Menu

    The differences in tone between pick materials, sizes, and shapes is subtle and most listeners might not be able to hear a difference. But as a player you do notice, so I don't see a problem with experimenting with different picks until you find one that feels and sounds right for you. I'm not so keen on nylon. Some plastics are OK, but I like the sound of horn, medium sized with a sharp point. I think most players can adapt to whatever pick, so it's probably not essential to search endlessly for that 'perfect' pick. But if one particular type seems better adapted to your playing go for it.

  23. #22
    Hopefully without being long winded I feel I need to explain a bit more about my search for the perfect pick (for me).

    While I agree that there are noticeable differences in many aspects of different picks, my quest is related to several different health problems.

    Firstly, I have severe arthritis (prominent in my mother's side). This has made it hard to grip most picks without either dropping them or having them move out of position as I try to play. It also makes using smaller picks difficult as well as playing finger style.

    Secondly, I have severe tremors in my arms/hands (a genetic pre-disposition from my father's side). In my school years I had excellent penmanship. Now my writing literally looks like scribbles to the point where even I can't read it. My older brother has suffered most of his life with this but I was fortunate in that it didn't hit me until my late 50's. It seemed to get really bad after I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017.

    So you combine the tremors with the arthritis and it makes for a very difficult time trying to control a pick.

    I am slowly narrowing my choices and I am getting close to a pick that is acceptable for me. I still have about a dozen more I am going to try but I'm close. It may be time for me to give up my search for the perfect pick.

    Last thing I want to say is that I apologize if by starting this thread I caused any problems for anyone.

    Thanks for letting me vent a little and explain.

    Jim

    Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk

  24. #23

    User Info Menu

    ^ so sorry to hear!! you might want to try some kind of thumbpick...there are allsorts of varieties out there these days...type in "thumbpicks for arthritis" in google and you'll see many different styles


    from intricate



    to more basic



    much luck


    cheers

  25. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by neatomic
    ^ so sorry to hear!! you might want to try some kind of thumbpick...there are allsorts of varieties out there these days...type in "thumbpicks for arthritis" in google and you'll see many different styles


    from intricate



    to more basic



    much luck


    cheers
    Great suggestion! I never thought of that.

    Many thanks.

    Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk

  26. #25

    User Info Menu

    Jim, I'm glad you explained your search and I'm sorry to hear about your issues. Very real ones to you. So I wish you well in your search.

    The reason I almost responded earlier and likely in a somewhat negative way is that I've read so many forum topics, here and other guitar sites, about picks and people obsessing about them that I figured this was just another topic to avoid. Your reasons are far more reasonable for the search than I've read from others and that gets to be sooooo tiresome. As others have noted above, I figure it's mostly about just playing.