picks/plectrums

bottledtone

What is your view on this little thing?
Tone, feel, preference etc.
I recently built a pedal for a guy in usa that makes custom picks (lifebloodpicks), and he is sending me a few to try out. I must say that I've never really put much thought into it, even though I know they do impart on one's tone.

Really want all opinions.

Big-G

Other than thickness, and material, I can't really see what else can impact on tone?

Feel is a whole different kettle of fish though... Certain designs and materials will feel different between the fingers, and affect how you hold it, and ultimately use it. I've never really felt comfortable with any plec's, other than sharkfins, yet I prefer the tone I get from the red Tortex plec's. My main issue is that as I play, they spin around between my fingers, or work their way out of my grasp altogether.

I have one plec called a 'DAVA control Plec', and the idea is that as you hold it nearer the front of the plec, it gets firmer, or less flexible, so that it has more attack. The idea behind this is that you can then use the more firm setting for lead solo's, and the softer setting for strumming. In reality, unfortunately, the plec was too thick or heavy to begin with, so didn't really do what it was supposed to!

Anyway getting back to topic, I suppose there is a lot of thought that goes into plecs, and a lot more that could go into it I guess, since there are still some apparent shortfalls in their designs? At least in my case... Although, that could just be that I've not yet mastered the ability to use a plec efficiently?

Regards
G!

Manfred-Klose

Tonewise big difference, but its like a car, its depends who is driving it.

i have made wooden plectrums before out of teak and maple, and the difference was huge, and compared that plastic pics.
if you find something thats comfortable to play and it brings out the best in you, stick with it.

i recently had a issue of cutting myself open from strumming and having blood all over the guitar at gigs, because i had to play alot of fast chordal strumming.
turns out the solution was to use a bigger plectrum so that i dont cut myself open.

i still use the Jazz3 for leads and my normal stuff, but have to resolve to the bigger plectrum to the punky/rock stuff in a live situation.

stompie

I started using the 1mm dunlop nylon picks, more because they don't wear off so quick from playing alot

Squonk

stompie wrote: I started using the 1mm dunlop nylon picks, more because they don't wear off so quick from playing alot

I use these for acoustic and electric playing, although lately I am using a Jazz II for electric

Sneaky-Pete

Talk about flexibility....Billy Gibbons uses a Mexican peso, ground into shape...I guess it's all in the fingers...

Psean

Big G wrote: My main issue is that as I play, they spin around between my fingers, or work their way out of my grasp altogether.

I struggled with that too. Now I use dunlop Max grips (the jazz IIIs - they come in other shapes and sizez though) and don't have that problem. With other picks I just used to cut grooves into them with a Stanley knife for grip.

singemonkey

I have no problem with Tortex picks. I believe that the grip is activated by sweat, so if you have particularly dry fingertips, you may find them difficult to control. I can sometimes find them hard to hold onto for the first few minutes of playing, but no further problems thereafter.

RobbieZ

Psean wrote:
Big G wrote: My main issue is that as I play, they spin around between my fingers, or work their way out of my grasp altogether.
I struggled with that too. Now I use dunlop Max grips (the jazz IIIs - they come in other shapes and sizez though) and don't have that problem. With other picks I just used to cut grooves into them with a Stanley knife for grip.

I love sharkfins, but I also have the problem of them spinning in my fingers. So, I drilled a few 3mm holes in them and problem solved. ?

Malkav

I've recently stepped over to using the John Petrucci Dunlop Jazz III Ultex signature plectrums, they are rather wonderful, the ultex has a natural sound that balances perfectly with my nails for hybrid picking and isn't too attacky but there's still plenty of that upper mid impact.

It was weird at first, using slightly longer and slightly thinner picks (these are 1.5mm), but now I find them quite comfortable for all my techniques. Prior to these I was using the Ultex Jazz III 2mm plectrums and they're also quite wonderful but I had noticed that they just weren't quite right, on longer economy picked and sweeped picked passages I often found myself wanting just a little more length and now I have it, the biggest hurdle was getting used to alternate picking on them but now that I have acclimated I feel like they're actually quite a bit better for that too.

The one complaint I feel is that the raised shield logo makes them very grippy, which most people will love, but I almost constantly move my pick around depending on the tone and type of attack I'm looking for so that ends up being a little uncomfortable for me, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.

All in all I'm very happy, and I couldn't recommend them more highly, they are incredibly fast plectrums (No doubt a side effect of the beveling done on them) and they sound really good while also making my right hand more comfortable for certain applications (Hybrid picking mainly) - The only down side is that they're John Petrucci's signature plectrums, which makes me look like a bigger fanboy than I already am ?

bottledtone

Well the website is www.lifebloodpicks.com
And they are unusual shapes.
He has holes in a few of them and some have a rolled or folded design from what I can see.

I must admit I haven't really got a preference. I've even used the white washer that comes with a 3pdt footswitch.

When/if some arrive in post I'll let you guys know.

Chocklit_Thunda

I use my fingers, cut up credit cards or those white bread ties.

bottledtone

Haha, yeah I also have used those bread ties if they have been at arms length.
?

AlanRatcliffe

I grow my own. ?

strataxe

Play electric only, use the one and only pick...Alice 1.2mm. have sharkfins and they just feel to clunky because I have small hands. Don't enjoy them at all.

Chocklit_Thunda

bottledtone wrote: Haha, yeah I also have used those bread ties if they have been at arms length.
?

I've literally used anything within reach when I've needed more attack on the strings... R5 coins, shoelace aglets, a folded up R10, business cards, my cellphone cover.... Desperate times call for desperate measures 8) Now I've taken to wearing a Plectrum on a necklace full time... "In case of rock..."

Greg

Tortext Yellows, 0.73mm. I go through one every 2-3 gigs so I have like 50+ of them on reserve. Once they go blunt I sharpen them up again by rubbing them on thick carpet to get the point back.

I play a lot of full bar chords and I play them very "choppy", ska style, for my Balkan band, but I also have to solo A LOT in that band (instrumental band). I like the speed and feel of a smaller, sharper, thicker pick. It gets you closer to the string and you can play much quicker but my biggest issue with those picks is that chords sound horrible with them. The Tortex Yellows allow me to really dig into the strings and as I play with my amp just on breakup, my attack influences the sound a lot.

But I've actually been using a thumb pick for some stuff recently, I noticed Tommy Emmanuel and Paul Pigat both use them as they do A LOT of hybrid picking but also use the pick on it's own a lot. Haven't tried too many of these but I'm learning on an Ernie Ball thumb pick at the moment, medium plastic or something.

For JAZZ tho, I prefer a fat pick with a very blunt edge for a nice mellow tone. My favourite one is VERY fat, great for Gypsy Jazz.

Fatties like this:

chrisbark

Been using the JD Jazztones for a while now, mainly the 207 which has a more rounded edge

Also really dig the primetones, hard to find though

Bob-Dubery

I do a lot more fingerpicking than playing with a pick, and I don't play any lead guitar, so as long as I can keep hold of it I'm happy.

But maybe some of the more active and more skilled players on the forum might give an opinion on the physical comfort issue.

I refer to this:

I use Gibson teardrop medium gauge, what used to be the ‘Les Paul’ pick. These are harder to get now, but Fender make an equivalent. I truly prefer a heavy gauge pick, and sometimes use Fender heavies in the studio – I find that the tone is better, but playing with that for a whole show tires my arm out.

Thompson. I don't think I've heard another player make this kind of observation, and reportedly he has got an RSI problem in his right arm.

ThomasN

When I learned to play I used to cut up ice cream container lids, and later moved up to Dunlop sharkfins.
For some odd reason I still like them. I think it depends a lot on how you hold them when playing. They used to rotate in the begining, but I find I dont play in the same way anymore, and hold them between fingertip and first knuckle. I never use the tortoise shell Fender's or any other like them. Feels like Im trying to play using a monkey wrench. Its all a matter of style and taste I guess. I just prefer Dunlop :-[