Picks! How, When and Where

[Tim]

There sure are a lot of different brands and sizes of picks to choose from. I have a lot of them, as most of you probably do also.

I have the “Dava” green ridged pick. Depending where you hold it determines it flexibility.

I have 2 sizes Jim Dunlop flexible picks. One is light gray and is 0.60 and the other is dark gray and is 0.73. I believe these two are used on acoustic guitars.

I also have the thin, medium and heavy Fender plastic picks.

Finally I have a couple of real heavy picks that are very stiff with 0.63 and 0.70 for the thickness.

Most of the time I use the green Dava pick or the dark gray 0.73 pick when playing electric guitar.

What is everybody else using for picks and how do you determine which pick for what sound?

Does anybody use the thumb pick for electric or acoustic guitar?

[Katastrophe]

My other guitar player picks with a thin nylon pick, and that's all he'll use. They work great for him... I tend to prefer the thickest, stiffest pick that I can find. I have about two or three different kinds, including a stainless steel pick I made at a job years ago (talk about durable). My favorite pick is called a "Big Stubby," with an indentation for your thumb. If I can't find those, I've got some dark purple plastic picks (I think they're Dunlops) with beveled edges that work great.

Pick selection is a highly subjective thing. I can't use too thin of a pick, because it tends to flex too much when I'm trying to really dig into a string.

[SuperSwede]

I love the Dunlop "Big Stubby" 3.0mm too, its great!

[Tone2TheBone]

I usually use mostly 3 kinds of picks. Right now I'm using this black nylon pick made by some company that I don't remember. It's got a half moon on the pick. It's similar to the gray nylon Dunlop picks. I can never remember the gauge but it's about medium I think. I like using these types of picks for acoustic guitar playing because of the scratchy sound I get when I invert that pick and play it sideways or upside down (the little dots on the pick make beautiful bright tones on an acoustic). As a matter of fact I always play with the pick sideways using the fatter end of the pick...sorta like the fat rounder corner of it. I seldom use the pointy end. And for my scratchy bright sounding acoustic picking...the pick is played upside down against the dots.

For my Les Paul it's always White Fender Celluloid Heavys.

For my Strat it's always the Celluloid Fender Mediums in the funky colors. I like the feel and tone of medium picks on Strats because right now I'm using 9s. If I used 10s I'd probably use the Heavys.

I'll sometimes use a metal pick on the Les Paul if I'm really in the mood to squeak or play really tight fast rough metal rhythms which seldom happens, but does on occasion. Here's something for Nelski...have you ever read that the Reverend Billy once was quoted as giving credit to the "Platex Living Bra" as the source of his squeaks? (the bra clip that looks like a beer can tab).

[Nelskie]

Tone - Maybe in a roundabout way. I always though he was referring to his female counterparts, those mostly of the hairdresser type. Wearing funky fly Levis, and her sweater kinda' tight . . . ! But thanks a bunch for clearing that up.

[Tone2TheBone]

Seriously. I read that in an old Guitar Player magazine interview. The interview was ended with that bit of information....

[Robert****]

The thicker - the better, is my motto! I use Dunlop Gator 2mm, and I can't find any thicker picks around here. I can not play with thin, flimsy picks - no sir!

I want picks to have a "round" edge - not a pointy sharp edge that hits the string. This is so I get a smooth sounding tone - I can always hit the string hard to get a sharper tone.

[Matt]

I'm not hugely bothered about picks- just the colours and shapes etc. Guess I'm not hugely obsessed about my tone yet

btw, what is the purpose of 'shark tail' picks (as I like to call them). I bought one the other day and can't work out if I'm meant to use the pointy end or the serated edge!

regards

Matt

[Iago]

Does anybody use the thumb pick for electric or acoustic guitar?

I do use one for electric (a Dunlop L). It took some days to really get used to it, but after that I think the tone is much better than my bare thumb, cause it stills sounds as a pick sound when you hit the bass strings not that "thuummp" the bare thumb makes. So, thumbpicks are my choice when fingerpicking and old blues ala R. Johnson. The sound of your bass strings will be brighter and that's what I was looking for.

For normal, everyday picking I use Nylon 0.88 or Delrin medium (073 I guess).

I tried the Jazz III and these stubbys ones 1 year ago (since a lot of people talk about how they're good for fast licks), but I hated them... Maybe I'll try them again someday.

[SuperSwede]

The thicker - the better, is my motto! I use Dunlop Gator 2mm, and I can't find any thicker picks around here. I can not play with thin, flimsy picks - no sir!

Robert, you should really try the Big Stubby. Its a really nice pick (no pun intended)

[Robert****]

Hey, check out these - http://stores.ebay.ca/Brossard-picks
They look really interesting!

[SuperSwede]

The wooden pick looks nice, I would really like to try one of those..

[r_a_smith3530]

I primarily use Dunlop Nylon's, in either the .73 or the .88 thickness. Both of these are a dark gray.

I have tried many different pick styles and materials, but these seem to be what I prefer. I too didn't quite get those shark's fin looking picks.

I got a pack of picks for bass that are like a pick-shaped eraser. They're made of a rubber-like compound. I forget exactly what they're called at the moment. The jury is still out as to whether or not I like them.

An interesting note. Those tortoise shell lookng Fender picks, commonly referred to as Celluloids, are more likey to be made of another material these days. The reason for this has to do with the movie industry. There is less use of celluloid film these days, and therefore, there is less celluloid scrap with which to make those picks, so it has been necessary to find alternative materials. As celluloid film is fairly expensive, making picks from virgin celluloid would be cost-prohibitive.

[warren0728]

i have been using thinner picks but have heard everyone talk about thicker picks.

So yesterday when i was out looking at that marshall mini stack... i bought some really thick (to me) picks: a dunlop gator 1.5mm, a dunlop gator 2.0mm and a big stubby 2.0mm.

I was using the dunlop gator 2.0 during my testing videos of the marshall. I've never used a pick this thick and had a little trouble getting used to it. When i got home i played all three picks and am starting to like the thicker feel. I have always had a problem with dropping my picks when i play but seem to be able to hold onto these better! I think i am a thick pick convert (i liked the 2.0 better than the 1.5).

ww

[Katastrophe]

Welcome to the darkside, warren...bwahahahahaha!

Thicker picks are initially harder to play with, IMO... But the tradeoff is they are more precise.

[warren0728]

Welcome to the darkside, warren...bwahahahahaha!

Thicker picks are initially harder to play with, IMO... But the tradeoff is they are more precise.

yeah i am having a tougher time but i do like the results! I think i am going to stick with the thick! Do you have any you prefer?

ww

[Katastrophe]

I use Big Stubbys, or (and I believe these are Dunlops,too) I have some very thick dark purple plastic picks with a beveled edge that I like a lot, too. The Big Stubbys are my favorite, because the rounded shape tends to "glide" off the string a little better, and not hang up so much like the flatter picks do, IMO.

[SuperSwede]

Big Stubbys are so nice! Try the 3.0 , you will be surprised what the extra thickness does to your tone

[Tone2TheBone]

Went to the shop the other day and grabbed some fingerfulls of "free" guitar picks. They've got C.F. Martin stamped on them and they range from .88 to 1.2. I like them because they're stiff and yet soft. Softer than Celluloids but just as stiff. I wonder who makes them as I think they're just stamped with the Martin logo.