Plectrums aka Picks

roberty · September 2023

Deadman said:

theatreanchor said:

@Deadman They only last a few days? What on earth are you doing to them?

Nothing out of the ordinary but once the tip is blunt I’m looking for a new one. They’re still useable, I just prefer the feel of a nice spanking one.

Worn ones are good for bass

mudslide73 · September 2023

I'm still on the Dan's Guitar Store Precision - I never thought anything would usurp the Jazz III family for me but it has. I spent about 5 years on the Ultex 2.0 Jazz III before switching.

Benm39 · September 2023

Mostly either Dunlop Petrucci jazz III or finger picking.. probably need something a little lighter/ thinner for strumming though.

HAL9000 · September 2023

scrumhalf said:

I could comment on what some people use, but I don't want to come across as too picky.

I wouldn’t fret too much about it.

exocet · September 2023

I started out using thin Gibson branded picks in the late 70s - then moved on to 2mm Eros picks. Manufacturing ceased and my spares diminished. For the past 15 years I've been through Dunlop Stubbies, expensive V-Picks, Jazz 3 and latterly Gravity 2mm picks.

.....until the other day when I typed Eros pick into eBay...voila, someone has unearthed a stash of the Bakelite Beauties. Bought enough to see me out - happy as a pig in proverbial. Reasonably cheap too.

https://i.imgur.com/F9pau9P.jpg

When they wear...they go like this. Takes about 12 months.

https://i.imgur.com/WnW7daq.jpg

littlegreenman · September 2023

exocet said:

I started out using thin Gibson branded picks in the late 70s - then moved on to 2mm Eros picks. Manufacturing ceased and my spares diminished. For the past 15 years I've been through Dunlop Stubbies, expensive V-Picks, Jazz 3 and latterly Gravity 2mm picks.

.....until the other day when I typed Eros pick into eBay...voila, someone has unearthed a stash of the Bakelite Beauties. Bought enough to see me out - happy as a pig in proverbial. Reasonably cheap too.

https://i.imgur.com/F9pau9P.jpg

When they wear...they go like this. Takes about 12 months.

https://i.imgur.com/WnW7daq.jpg

I used to use Eros many years ago when I started out, just ordered a pack of 10. Cheers!

axisus · September 2023

I rarely use one, but when I do it is insanely thin, 0.46 or something

spev11 · September 2023

Flows mostly, mostly 1mm but as I bought a variety pack I sometimes use the 2.5 and 3. Flows only because I drop em less, tortex rotate like they are on a tiny lazy Susan for me.
Might have to branch out and try some more though

scrumhalf · September 2023

Herco Flex 50. Anything thicker and it feels too rigid.

digitalkettle · September 2023

I'm old school...

stickyfiddle · September 2023

3 for me, actually 4 if you include my fingers, which is probably 40% of my time on guitar and 90% on bass.

Tortex yellow is #1 and has been for probably 20 years. The Fender Heavy is for acoustic, mostly. The grey dimpled nylons are used backwards using the textured bit to hit the strings for a bit more sparkle, which is how the Edge uses picks a lot of the time too. Also they're a more interesting object to fiddle with

Power_Freak · September 2023

exocet said:
When they wear...they go like this. Takes about 12 months.

https://i.imgur.com/WnW7daq.jpg

This is basically the shape of plectra that I use...

Roland · September 2023

Tonight was the first opportunity I’ve had to test the picks in a band context. I liked the meatiness of the 2mm picks, but the Dunlop GatorGrip which sounded good at home didn’t have enough attack, meaning that I had to turn the volume up to compensate. Instead I swapped to the Dunlop 2mm Delrin. We’ve got a wedding gig tomorrow. I’ll take some of the Ernie Balls, which I hated at home, and see how they sound in context.

ICBM · September 2023

For guitar I still haven’t found anything I like better than the old Fender fake-tortoiseshell celluloid medium gauge or the black Gibson medium ones.

For bass, Dunlop Big Stubby 3mm.

Fishboy7 · September 2023

I've been using 1mm Dunlop nylon for so long it's hard to use anything else. They give a pretty good compromise between feel and speed/precision but I can play faster and cleaner with a Protone 2mm, which is totally rigid.

I'm really tempted to try a Blue Chip,... but £40 quid a peice..... hmmm

SpoonMan · September 2023

This really is an interesting read

aconitethrill · September 2023

I’m a Jazz III fan by default - doesn’t matter which variant, could be standard, Eric Johnson, Kirk Hammett, they all work (would probably put the Petrucci’s at the bottom, but they’re still good).

But very recently I’ve got into Chicken Picks - the Badazz III model, ideally in 3.2mm. Feels great, sounds great, not quite as horrendously expensive as some of the ‘boutique’ options… just perfect.

NicoAdie · September 2023

I alternate between yellow tortex if I’m playing aggressive rock stuff, silver hercos for lower gain/cleaner stuff, brass TeckPicks for technical or weird stuff (you can almost use them like a slide on plain strings) and gold herco for acoustic. My mother in law once got me a set of novelty plectrums with pictures of basset hounds on them which sounded amazing but wore down in a matter of minutes.

My best mate of 30 odd years has always, always used sharkfins, either the red or white ones that have the consistency of wet tissues. I respect him for that.

mudslide73 · September 2023

maltingsaudio said:

Pickboy ceramic and pick boy nylon are the only plecs I use. I buy them from here https://www.plectrum-online.nl/contents/en-uk/search.php?searchphrase=pickboy&start_page=26&searchFormSortBy=R-A&searchFormSortBy=R-A&searchFormRootUse=A Easy p easy to deal with and not had to pay any odd charges on delivery

I used to use glow in the dark Pickboy Megagrips - very hard to lose them in the house... turn the lights off and there they are

I'd forgotten about them.

oh_pollo · September 2023

Two questions: 1. Is celluloid just celluloid? i.e should one companies 1.2mm celluloid pick be the same as another companies 1.2mm pick? 2. With celluloid picks does colour matter? Personally I used either a Blue Chip TD50 or a Gibson XH which is very, very similar to a TD50 in feel. If you want to try Blue Chip but cringe at the price buy a Gibson XH and you're 90% of the way there.

skullfunkerry · September 2023

I use pretty much anything, I'm not super fussy, although I don't like super thin picks. A little bit of flex is okay, but most of my picks are probably around 1mm so pretty rigid.

I like the tortex sharkfins (although I hold them upside down, with the printing facing the floor), but the picks that I have the most of are made by a company called Brit Picks. They're recycled, and I like the 1.2mm silicons.

ICBM · September 2023

oh_pollo said:

Two questions: 1. Is celluloid just celluloid? i.e should one companies 1.2mm celluloid pick be the same as another companies 1.2mm pick?

I think there are differences - the Fender and Gibson ones I like aren't quite the same. Hard to say exactly how they're different, but they are.

oh_pollo said:

With celluloid picks does colour matter?

Not sure about celluloid, but with some of the Big Stubby copies I got, yes it does! The clear ones were very noticeably harder, longer-lasting and possibly slightly edgier-sounding than any of the coloured ones. It appears that the dye softens the plastic slightly. No, I'm not kidding... it was the lack of wear after weeks of use which gave it away, compared to the coloured ones.

CHRISB50 · September 2023

I’m not that fussy, as long as there isn’t any flex. I normally like anything over 1mm.

For years I’ve used Gibson H, the teardrop shaped ones.

Recently I’ve been using D”Addario Planet Waves Black Ice extra heavy.

KevS · September 2023

Don't know if people will get this..If the pick has a tip,should we call the next part the shoulders..?
OK when I looked at how the pick always ended up in my hand..
The tip was pointed a bit to the left,so I was playing slightly towards the back edge of the pick..
More on this later..

From 1994 till about 2012 I used Red Dunlop Jazz III's,,then I went to the Ultex as I was having Fun playing Thrash Metal at that point..Think Slayer,this was chopping up the Red Jazz III's,,taking nicks out of them..
I used to have contempt for this type of music by the way,then I learned not to take myself so seriously,it is both fun and challenging to play,plus I don't take Satan seriously either..lol
The Ultex Fixed the nicks appearing,hard wearing stuff....I then realised the smaller Jazz III was limiting my wrist movement,great for small movements,not for wide ones,
but limiting for 5 and 6 string busy fast strumming,a La Townshend etc..
So I thought Jazz III XL,I got use to the size change faster than I thought I would..(Insert Double Entendre here.)

I just wasn't happy with my strumming sound,,heavier picks can help fast single note playing,but what about the chord sound..
Too thick and it loses air if that expression makes sense...
So I started to experiment..

Pick Thickness if the pick is a different material changes flexibility..
Either that is obvious or you have just never thought of it..

When this became apparent it also became obvious that Celluloid,Nylon,Tortex and Ultex all sounded different..
Celluloid can be slippier in the hand to too,just score a couple of lines in the forefinger and thumb area....Nylon Picks often have gripping dimples etc on them,,they are also more flexible than the other 3 materials I mentioned..

So I started to notice that going lighter made chords ring out more open,I liked that sound..
I had to lighten up my picking when doing faster runs/lead playing..
At first I was much clumsier with thinner gauges..

I really liked the sound of the Herco Flex 75 Grey early 70's reissue,more than the standard..
Once I got use to the lighter feel I realised there was something special about the tip and shoulders..
If you look at one adopting the picking angle I describe above,,there is so much surface you can't miss the string almost..
I found it so much easier to play than the pointed Jazz Style picks,,they have thin shoulders..
The Herco's have wide rounded shoulders,,also just the right amount of grip..
These are now my favourites for electric guitar,but all materials sound different..

I also experimented with Tortex,,at first I used Blue,I thought it very slightly more alive than the Purple..
At that point because of my Technique Green sounded really bad and scratchy sounding..
That has changed since I have stopped muscling through the strings with heavy picks..
I tamed the Greens...Yellows had more air and were great for heavier acoustic strumming duties..
You can get more big open slow ringing chords with the Orange..
They are good for 12 string,, The Reds are great for big open ringing chords on the 12..
I have learned to efficiently pick faster with lighter and lighter gauges,,I couldn't at first..

So I use Herco Flex 75 Reissues...Blue to Red Tortex..
The Blue has a nice Jazz tone to me..
Then Fender Heavy Celluloid,they sound different again..
The Jim Dunlop heavy are much thinner than the Fenders.

I like the Red,White and Blue confetti Fender Celluloid..
Much easier to find if you drop them..

The Herco has the best shoulders though..

Enough Detail for You..??

Before I used Jazz III's I used Purple Tortex,before that I was lighter with Gold Herco Flex 50's..
That's me back to 1988..I always like the tone and sound of Hercos for some reason..

The 2 years before that I was starting out and experimenting with picks and string brands/gauges,,breakage etc..
I paid a quid or 2 quid for a selection of picks..
I think the Gold Herco was in that bundle..

.

Stevepage · September 2023

I exclusively now use these

Intune Jumbo Jazz 0.88mm. Obviously the picture makes for better tone

BigPaulie · September 2023

skullfunkerry said:

I use pretty much anything, I'm not super fussy, although I don't like super thin picks. A little bit of flex is okay, but most of my picks are probably around 1mm so pretty rigid.

This is pretty much where I'm at.

I've never used anything super-premium. The most expensive picks I own are Dunlop Primetone. I love their small triangle 1.4mm for acoustic flat picking. The release feel is amazing because of the bevel. The only draw back is that they make an audible "click" when they come into contact with a string which is more audible when playing softly.

I also enjoy Ultex Standard 1.0 or 1.14 on acoustic which have less of a "click". I sometimes add a bevel with a manicure sponge.

For strumming on acoustic I like Dunlop Nylon 1.0mm. They've got just the right amount of flex, but stiff enough for cleanly picked melody lines between changes.

For electric I always come back to Tortex 1.14. I've recently been experimenting with Herco Flex 75 which are nice, but I'm coming to the conclusion they're a bit too floppy.

I also recently bought some Tusq Standard 1.0 Bright. First impressions are good, though they are maybe too bright for my Yamaha LL16 which is a very bright guitar anyway. They sound better on my Martin D-16gt. I'm gonna try the Warm and Deep ones too.

I've never been tempted with Blue Chips or anything. I don't reckon it's my pick that's keeping me from playing like Norman Blake. That said, I'd love to try some of the horn or casein picks and probably will at some point. I'd never buy a real tortoise pick, but am curious to know what they feel like.

Roland · September 2023

KevS said: Enough Detail for You..??

A lot of guitar players are thinking at this level of detail, whether it’s about picks and strings and capos, or about the way they play.

Th4fonz · September 2023

bbill335 · September 2023

stickyfiddle said:

3 for me, actually 4 if you include my fingers, which is probably 40% of my time on guitar and 90% on bass.

Tortex yellow is #1 and has been for probably 20 years. The Fender Heavy is for acoustic, mostly. The grey dimpled nylons are used backwards using the textured bit to hit the strings for a bit more sparkle, which is how the Edge uses picks a lot of the time too. Also they're a more interesting object to fiddle with

i play with the round bit of the plectrum, the bit of the plec that is textured on those hercos. i tried that thing you mention, using the textured part on the strings, but it both felt and sounded shite. like playing with stickle bricks.

ICBM said:

For guitar I still haven’t found anything I like better than the old Fender fake-tortoiseshell celluloid medium gauge or the black Gibson medium ones.

For bass, Dunlop Big Stubby 3mm.

i prefer ernie ball celluloid tort plecs to the fender equivalent, they just feel *slightly* nicer in the hand

Philly_Q · September 2023

ICBM said:

oh_pollo said:

With celluloid picks does colour matter?

Not sure about celluloid, but with some of the Big Stubby copies I got, yes it does! The clear ones were very noticeably harder, longer-lasting and possibly slightly edgier-sounding than any of the coloured ones. It appears that the dye softens the plastic slightly. No, I'm not kidding... it was the lack of wear after weeks of use which gave it away, compared to the coloured ones.

I always hesitate to comment on pick/plectrum threads because I'm far too much of a hamfisted idiot for pick size, shape, material or thickness to make any difference to my "playing".

However, I always buy Fender celluloid picks, standard 351 shape, heavy gauge, because I always have, and they seem OK to me. Usually I've bought translucent, single-colour ones and I notice no difference at all between the colours. Most recently I've bought some rainbow-coloured ones and there is a difference. They feel ever so slightly softer, more rubbery almost, and although it may be my imagination that does seem to translate into the picked note.

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