(Log in to disable ads.)

This weekend while walking through my local guitar store I tried out a new piece of equipment. It sounded so much better than what I played before and I adapted quite quickly to it.

Plectrum upgrade, I used to be a Red Sharkfin guy, but now I'm using a Dunlop Tortex 0.73mm. I would never have thought a simple piece of plastic made such a big difference in sound.

All of this for R7.00
    ah, the big, triangular yellow one? good move ? The slightly smaller ones are even better... esp the green (can't remember what thickness it is)
      a red Sharkfin to a 0.73 is quite a big jump to make.

      I recently moved to a 0.71 and found that step to be quite manageable. I have a few 0.73, but found that a bit to chunky and unforgiving , having come off the Reds.

      as an aside, we just returned from 3 weeks holiday in the UK, where i had this little objective to visit music shops in every town and city we were in, and to buy 3 plectrum's from every shop I visited as my commemorative gesture.. and can definitely say a plectrum is not a plectrum , is not a plectrum...

      i bought 3 different ones in each shop, so when we got back home I had over 20-odd plectrum's to try out... some are just absolutely shiite.... you start out holding them in the middle but by the third strum your fingers are sliding off the bottom and hitting the strings... some have concentrated so hard to make a "grippy" section that they forgot to actually leave enough strike area.. and each one does give different tones.. the brass and aluminium ones sound particularly unique ...
        WantzChas wrote: This weekend while walking through my local guitar store I tried out a new piece of equipment. It sounded so much better than what I played before and I adapted quite quickly to it.

        Plectrum upgrade, I used to be a Red Sharkfin guy, but now I'm using a Dunlop Tortex 0.73mm. I would never have thought a simple piece of plastic made such a big difference in sound.

        All of this for R7.00
        I was ripped off >☹ I paid R9...
          StephenG wrote: I recently moved to a 0.71 and found that step to be quite manageable. I have a few 0.73, but found that a bit to chunky and unforgiving
          You feel a difference in 0.02 mm ??? I've been alternating between .73 .88 .96 and 1.14 for a few months now, those differences are obvious to me, but I don't think I could pick up the difference that you mention ?
            Sean wrote:
            StephenG wrote: I recently moved to a 0.71 and found that step to be quite manageable. I have a few 0.73, but found that a bit to chunky and unforgiving
            You feel a difference in 0.02 mm ??? I've been alternating between .73 .88 .96 and 1.14 for a few months now, those differences are obvious to me, but I don't think I could pick up the difference that you mention ?
            its probably a combination of things that makes the diffs - material used, shape etc..

            the 0.71 is a small tear-drop plectrum, whilst the 0.73's are all the larger tadtional sized plectrums.. but yeah, definitely notice the diffs between the two.

            a nice set of plectrum's I picked up are weird in that they are 3 materials sandwiched together. the outer sides are black and hardish rubber type material, so you get a lekker grip on them, but the inner material is some sort of hard plastic / nylon and that protrudes beyond the black rubber to actually be the strike area of the plectrum (if that makes sense??)
            i have 3 different ones, each one the inner material is a different colour and thickness... very very comfortable to play with.
              Wow and here I was thinking my 1.2 wasn't that thick....But I recently got a new plectrum, and Fender Medium, and its quite a bit thinner/more flexible and it definitely sounds quite different. I knew it would feel different but the sound was unexpected for me ? ...Still prefer my 1.2 ?
                Congrats man. Once you were lost, but now you are found. Once you were blind. But now you see.
                  Sharkfins... amazing how people can actually play with those things.

                  If all the 3mm stubbies suddenly disappeared from the earth, I'd have to stop playing guitar. ?
                    StephenG wrote:
                    a nice set of plectrum's I picked up are weird in that they are 3 materials sandwiched together. the outer sides are black and hardish rubber type material, so you get a lekker grip on them, but the inner material is some sort of hard plastic / nylon and that protrudes beyond the black rubber to actually be the strike area of the plectrum (if that makes sense??)
                    i have 3 different ones, each one the inner material is a different colour and thickness... very very comfortable to play with.
                    the picks i am mentioning above are DAVA Picks.. not sure if you ca get them here, by they give awesome grip and control and i see on their web they have quite a big range.. i have 3 different varities, just trying to figure out which ones i have.

                    i see u can buy direct from their website - buy 2 packs and get free world wide shipping plus another sample pick free.

                    http://www.davapick.com/
                      StephenG wrote:
                      StephenG wrote:
                      a nice set of plectrum's I picked up are weird in that they are 3 materials sandwiched together. the outer sides are black and hardish rubber type material, so you get a lekker grip on them, but the inner material is some sort of hard plastic / nylon and that protrudes beyond the black rubber to actually be the strike area of the plectrum (if that makes sense??)
                      i have 3 different ones, each one the inner material is a different colour and thickness... very very comfortable to play with.
                      the picks i am mentioning above are DAVA Picks.. not sure if you ca get them here, by they give awesome grip and control and i see on their web they have quite a big range.. i have 3 different varities, just trying to figure out which ones i have.

                      i see u can buy direct from their website - buy 2 packs and get free world wide shipping plus another sample pick free.

                      http://www.davapick.com/
                      Nice one - just ordered the 'Try One of Each' set
                        Giggsy wrote:
                        StephenG wrote:
                        StephenG wrote:
                        a nice set of plectrum's I picked up are weird in that they are 3 materials sandwiched together. the outer sides are black and hardish rubber type material, so you get a lekker grip on them, but the inner material is some sort of hard plastic / nylon and that protrudes beyond the black rubber to actually be the strike area of the plectrum (if that makes sense??)
                        i have 3 different ones, each one the inner material is a different colour and thickness... very very comfortable to play with.
                        the picks i am mentioning above are DAVA Picks.. not sure if you ca get them here, by they give awesome grip and control and i see on their web they have quite a big range.. i have 3 different varities, just trying to figure out which ones i have.

                        i see u can buy direct from their website - buy 2 packs and get free world wide shipping plus another sample pick free.

                        http://www.davapick.com/
                        Nice one - just ordered the 'Try One of Each' set
                        Please let us know what you think of them and how long they take to arrive ?
                          if anyone in cape town is perhaps interested in ordering and trying some, lets talk about a joint order, as I definitely dont mind getting some more and its pointless if any of us put in 1 order and have to pay shipping, if we can join an order and get shipping free.
                            StephenG wrote: if anyone in cape town is perhaps interested in ordering and trying some, lets talk about a joint order, as I definitely dont mind getting some more and its pointless if any of us put in 1 order and have to pay shipping, if we can join an order and get shipping free.
                            I dont have paypal so I'd be glad to join! ?
                              raithza wrote:
                              I dont have paypal so I'd be glad to join! ?
                              thank you, i see that hand................... anyone else??

                                I switched to a green Tortex .88 and haven't looked back, my picking feels a lot more comfortable and is definitely faster! (can you say placebo? ? )
                                  Kalcium wrote:
                                  Giggsy wrote:
                                  StephenG wrote:
                                  StephenG wrote:
                                  a nice set of plectrum's I picked up are weird in that they are 3 materials sandwiched together. the outer sides are black and hardish rubber type material, so you get a lekker grip on them, but the inner material is some sort of hard plastic / nylon and that protrudes beyond the black rubber to actually be the strike area of the plectrum (if that makes sense??)
                                  i have 3 different ones, each one the inner material is a different colour and thickness... very very comfortable to play with.
                                  the picks i am mentioning above are DAVA Picks.. not sure if you ca get them here, by they give awesome grip and control and i see on their web they have quite a big range.. i have 3 different varities, just trying to figure out which ones i have.

                                  i see u can buy direct from their website - buy 2 packs and get free world wide shipping plus another sample pick free.

                                  http://www.davapick.com/
                                  Nice one - just ordered the 'Try One of Each' set
                                  Please let us know what you think of them and how long they take to arrive ?
                                  No problem, will do. I saw thathey are available on eBay but thought I'd order direct from them.
                                    StephenG wrote:
                                    raithza wrote:
                                    I dont have paypal so I'd be glad to join! ?
                                    thank you, i see that hand................... anyone else??

                                    I don't have paypal either, but count me in for 2 of the Jazz Grips Combo 6 packs.

                                    I can be reached on Oh 8 triple 2 Five Oh 69 Oh

                                    Cheers
                                      My rule of thumb seems to be The higher the action, the thinner the plectrum.
                                        That Yellow Tortex is wicked cool! I switch between the Yellow Tortex, Jim Dunlop Nylon 1mm [Black] and the Jim Dunlop Jazz III [Small Red]...depending on how I feel and what I want to play.