Blue Chip picks

TimmyO · November 2016

call me mad but I really fancy trying one of these - but at the price (and there seems to only be 1 UK dealer) you can't exactly buy a few to try can you.

They should operate some kind of loaners scheme.

Anyone use them?

Lewy · November 2016

Yep. They're great. Very slick, and they sound awesome. Plus they don't wear out but as you say, very pricey so you can't experiment.

A company called Charmed Life appear to have got some of the same material and are making picks which are a fair bit cheaper. Last time I looked they weren't making them in my preferred thickness though so I didn't explore further.

TimmyO · November 2016

Just looked at those - they don't look *that* much cheaper (c. $30 plus shipping)

mgaw · November 2016

i have used Bluechip for years bloody lovely however buy some dunlop primetone as they are pretty much identical and waaaay cheaper, £3 each as opposed to £30

Lewy · November 2016

TimmyO said:

Just looked at those - they don't look *that* much cheaper (c. $30 plus shipping)

They were doing free shipping when I looked...if that's stopped then yes, the difference is probably marginal.

Although....I notice JP Guitars has put his price up (was £38 now £39.95) so £23 for a Charmed Life still looks good.

TimmyO · November 2016

Says free in US only now

AliGorie · November 2016

what % price hike is that compared to the price of 'normal' picks.

what awesomely groundbrakingly classic tracks have been recorded with 'CL' picks ?
most of the stuff I like was done with - plastic - just sayin

Lewy · November 2016

AliGorie said:

what awesomely groundbrakingly classic tracks have been recorded with 'CL' picks ?
most of the stuff I like was done with - plastic - just sayin

Well, an awful lot - probably most - of the awesomely groundbreaking tracks I like were recorded with tortoise which is both illegal and immoral (not to mention mostly unavailable), and which these high end picks replicate the sound and feel of really well. So that's the case for them, imo

StuartMac290 · November 2016

I have a bunch of Blue Chips and I absolutely love them, especially for acoustics. They're the nearest-sounding to tortoiseshell that I've used

TimmyO · December 2016

Mr @mgaw of this parish got in touch and offered to lend me a Blue Chip to try out.

It's a TD40 so at the thinner end of what they do (they do some really thick ones) and I have to say I am impressed. No click or catch on the strong but not really imprecise feeling like something like those old Stubby things. Apparently they basically never wear, so the nice bevel that give it the effortless feel should stay the same.

He also included a Dunlop Puretone in 1.4mm - that's the kind of thickness I prefer the feel of - it is similarly slick across the strings. Sounded a bit darker than the BC - not sure if this is all due to the extra thickness or to the material.

Soundwise I preferred the BC - I'm tempted to get one in a slightly thicker size for myself

axisus · December 2016

ridiculous price for a plec. I don't care how amazing they are, I wouldn't even want to try one.

TimmyO · December 2016

You can insert guitar/amp/pedal in the place of plec there.

mgaw · December 2016

axisus said:

ridiculous price for a plec. I don't care how amazing they are, I wouldn't even want to try one.

we all spend spend spend on kit, but bizzarely struggle when it comes to picks which are the main source on contact between many players and their instrument and really alter the tone achieved way more than some realise

sillymoustache · December 2016

Hi, like the OP I resisted for a while, then found a BC pick on Ebay and bought it to try. Instant conversion. Yes they are relatively expensive, but they are a lifetime purchase. I now have one for every instrument I own (that I use picks on). Knowing the value, should change your mindset about looking after picks. Don't leave them on pub tables, sofas, lawns etc.

Find yourself a box to keep picks, capo, tuner, and ALWAYS keep stuff in it. I take my pick boxes on stage with me. BC chips are worth it. I recommend their TAD40 for light strings) and TAD 50 for mediums.

As Mgaw says - if we spend large amounts on our guitars, why worry about buying superb picks for them.

Thought if you have a poor/cheap guitar a BC investment will not improve it, but for a good instrument ....yes.

Lewy · December 2016

Whilst there are a few kindred BC spirits in one place (sorry for the hijack Tim!) does anyone have a 50 or 60 of some sort they want to trade for a 40?

I've got a TP40 and TAD-1R 40 and really I think I'd like one a bit heavier.

TimmyO · December 2016

I have a tad-1r 60 and a td 50 coming

axisus · December 2016

I just can't believe that they are worth the money, that they are so much better than regular plectrums. Still, if people have money to burn why not

Sassafras · December 2016

I remain very skeptical about these magic picks because I finger pick most of the time.
$75 for a pick. They can't make that much of an improvement to your sound.
I think for that amount of money it would be easy to convince yourself that they make a difference. No-one wants to be seen as the fool that's easily parted from his money.

Lewy · December 2016

Sassafras said:

I remain very skeptical about these magic picks because I finger pick most of the time.

Well then you're certainly qualified to assert that....Sassafras said:

They can't make that much of an improvement to your sound.

Why do some people assume that the other guy's a fool for making a choice they wouldn't?

AliGorie · December 2016

Lewy said:

AliGorie said:

what awesomely groundbrakingly classic tracks have been recorded with 'CL' picks ?
most of the stuff I like was done with - plastic - just sayin

Well, an awful lot - probably most - of the awesomely groundbreaking tracks I like were recorded with tortoise which is both illegal and immoral (not to mention mostly unavailable), and which these high end picks replicate the sound and feel of really well. So that's the case for them, imo

If I played with a 'pick' (plectrum) I.d be scouring the antique / brick-a-brack shops for Tortoiseshell to cut my own from, Ive seen a fish made from t/shell - enough for 15-20 picks, it was £18 !.

Lewy · December 2016

AliGorie said:

Lewy said:

AliGorie said:

what awesomely groundbrakingly classic tracks have been recorded with 'CL' picks ?
most of the stuff I like was done with - plastic - just sayin

Well, an awful lot - probably most - of the awesomely groundbreaking tracks I like were recorded with tortoise which is both illegal and immoral (not to mention mostly unavailable), and which these high end picks replicate the sound and feel of really well. So that's the case for them, imo

If I played with a 'pick' (plectrum) I.d be scouring the antique / brick-a-brack shops for Tortoiseshell to cut my own from, Ive seen a fish made from t/shell - enough for 15-20 picks, it was £18 !.

I have thought about it - a friend found a brush and vanity mirror and is pretty much set for life!

But even if you get lucky you've still got the issue of wear and warping with real tortoise. BC sound and feel the same with none of the hassle.

Sassafras · December 2016

Lewy said:

Sassafras said:

I remain very skeptical about these magic picks because I finger pick most of the time.

Well then you're certainly qualified to assert that....Sassafras said:

They can't make that much of an improvement to your sound.

Why do some people assume that the other guy's a fool for making a choice they wouldn't?

Well, there are an awful lot of fools around.

DLM · December 2016

TimmyO said:

No click or catch on the strong but not really imprecise feeling like something like those old Stubby things.

https://cdn.meme.am/cache/instances/folder242/45869242.jpg

axisus said:

ridiculous price for a plec. I don't care how amazing they are, I wouldn't even want to try one.

https://www.thomann.de/de/artino_violin_bow_4_4_special_edition.htm?glp=1&gclid=CMP_4Nej29ACFUyNGwod2RMIjg

https://www.theviolinchannel.com/beares-auction-world-record-violin-bow-huberman-tourte/

TimmyO · December 2016

DLM said:

TimmyO said:

No click or catch on the strong but not really imprecise feeling like something like those old Stubby things.

https://cdn.meme.am/cache/instances/folder242/45869242.jpg

lol

yeah, some words in a row - *I* know what I mean :-)

PinstripePhil · December 2016

BC picks are wonderful. Primetones are really quite different.
I have tried a Tshell pick and it is maybe 10% up the road from a BC but when you factor in maintaining it and all the rest, the BC has it for me. Check out Wegen picks also.

Strat_a_tat_tat · December 2016

PinstripePhil said:

BC picks are wonderful. Primetones are really quite different.
I have tried a Tshell pick and it is maybe 10% up the road from a BC but when you factor in maintaining it and all the rest, the BC has it for me. Check out Wegen picks also.

Wow, that Wegen website is hard to read (for us oldies... spidery thin black text on a terracotta background is a bit of a challenge). How do Wegen compare with BC?

Lewy · December 2016

Strat_a_tat_tat said:

PinstripePhil said:

BC picks are wonderful. Primetones are really quite different.
I have tried a Tshell pick and it is maybe 10% up the road from a BC but when you factor in maintaining it and all the rest, the BC has it for me. Check out Wegen picks also.

Wow, that Wegen website is hard to read (for us oldies... spidery thin black text on a terracotta background is a bit of a challenge). How do Wegen compare with BC?

To my ears they sound a little less bright and they're not quite as slick over the string. The feel is quite different too - the material is kind of textured. They're not as meticulously made as BCs and every now and then you get a dud but they are of course a lot cheaper. And unlike BC they come in white as opposed to a uniquely losable brown which seems able to camouflage itself on just about any surface...

mellowsun · December 2016

Try the Wolfram Precision Strike picks, they are pretty special

https://www.wolframslides.com/precision_strike_shuriken.php

Lewy · December 2016

mellowsun said:

Try the Wolfram Precision Strike picks, they are pretty special

https://www.wolframslides.com/precision_strike_shuriken.php

Interesting. Are the difference between those two models just aesthetic do you know?

merlin · December 2016

I recently had a look at the Blue Chip site and decided it was too much money to spend to try one. I also tried a carbon fibre pick and like the feel very much, but it has quite a brittle attack. Dunlop Jazz III max grips are great, if you like a smaller pick. I also have a John Pearse 2mm that works really well, warm, no brittle attack and incredibly smooth. Not cheap at a tenner though but nothing like as pricey as Blue Chips!

Wolfram · December 2016

Lewy said:

mellowsun said:

Try the Wolfram Precision Strike picks, they are pretty special

https://www.wolframslides.com/precision_strike_shuriken.php

Interesting. Are the difference between those two models just aesthetic do you know?

Hi guys,

David here, founder of Wolfram - thought I'd drop in to answer this.

The Nuclear (green/black) is a slightly harder material than the Magma, so it gives a slightly brighter tone. It's a very small difference - both have a really solid, rich tone, which comes as much from the hand-sculpted and polished bevel and picking point as it does from the material.

Blue Chip and Charmed Life are great picks (I have both) and were my benchmark when developing Precision : Strike Shuriken - I hope I've been able to create an even better pick.

I understand that it's a big leap to pay so much for a pick that you haven't tried, so I operate a 14-day no-questions money back guarantee on all my products - if you buy one and don't like it, just return it.

Happy to answer any other questions.

Cheers,
David

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