minorkey
C.O.G.
Too many instruments, too little time
Posts: 2,992
My main instrument is: hurting my fingers!
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Post by minorkey on Nov 4, 2019 13:44:14 GMT
Yesterday I found a mixed pack of picks that I'd bought years ago but forgotten about, and I thought I'd go through them all. They range from 0.6 to 1.12 mm, and it was surprising the difference in tone I got with the different picks. The light ones felt floppy under my fingers, especially when playing near the bridge. The thicker ones had a darker tone there, but could sound clicky if played hard. I think my favourite out of them was a 0.88mm, not too soft nor too hard. I'm playing on D'addario light strings. Made me wonder how different thicknesses of picks compare on different gauges of strings.
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Post by curmudgeon on Nov 4, 2019 19:30:31 GMT
Like many elderly guitarists I have boxes of picks including a fair number of tortoiseshell ones that I bought when they were still legal.
There are at least tree variables in finding one's ideal plectra:
Shape , material, and thickness: Shape - large triangles (346)m have more mass that teardrops (351) Materials - some materials may be harder/more dense than others of the same shape and thickness. Thickness - because of the above some thinner picks might be stiffer than a softer hiker pick, and vice versa.
After years of picking, I achieved my ideal shape, thickness and material - probably about ten years ago.
Via various fora, and via some pros that I met, I heard about these Blue Chip picks which cost $35 each plus postage.
That is definitely a scam to catch those who will buy expensive Boutique guitars and such. I fought against this ridiculous idea of using such costly bits of plastic. But the hoorays and satisfied customers, mainly in the US continued unabated.
I got one - a used one via ebay or from a fellow forum member - honestly can't remember.
It was a "TAD-40" which translates to a large triangle 1 m/m with "speed bevels". I tried to hate it - I really did. I confessed to myself that I preferred the large triangle to my teardrops. I could feel the advantage of the speed bevels.
Therefore I spent a considerable amount on buying every large triangle pick of over 1 m/m thickness I could find. They were "OK" to "blechh", but one brand - the Wegen TF120 and TF140 were very close.
so what did they have in common? triangles (346) and bevels.
I set to learning how to add bevels on the others - Dunlop (tortex and ultex) Clayton (somethings - ugh) D'andrea Pro-plec and Fender extra heavy (both celluloid and essentially the same thing etc.
I found that beveling and polishing , mostly the Dunlops made them appreciably better, but not as good as the Blue Chips.
I gave in.
I bought a blue Chip for every guitar. That meant (at the time) four TAD50s (1,.25 m/m) or use on my dreadnoughts with medium strings. Two TAD 40s (1 m/m) for smaller guitars with light gauge strings), TAD60 (1.5 m/m) for my 12 string, and TAD 50 (rounded) for mandolin.
I think I now have around ten of them, plus Wegen TF140s as alternatives for all. (actually I found that I prefer the Wegens on my two 12 strings.
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minorkey
C.O.G.
Too many instruments, too little time
Posts: 2,992
My main instrument is: hurting my fingers!
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"72dd98"}
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Post by minorkey on Nov 4, 2019 19:58:54 GMT
Sorry but I could never justify paying anywhere near that much for a pick. I'll use my thumb nail first
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Post by hughesy on Nov 4, 2019 20:21:35 GMT
Although I am mostly a fingerstyle guitarist, my recent discovery of Dick Gaughan and Paul Brady (I am very late to the folk music party), who can both do amazing things with a plectrum, has lead me to try plectrums.
Also, since I own only have space for one guitar in my flat and I am too lazy to change strings, plectrums (plectra?) Are satisfying my GAS and obsessive nature!
Like Andy, I even bought a bluechip which cost, I think £45. Absurd, but it is my favourite. It's a TP40 which is a small triangle, 1mm thick. I prefer this size to the normal, large triangle picks which are a bit unwieldy in my small hands.
I have bought a ton of other picks as well and I also bevel them. None have quite come close to the bluechip.
I use light strings.
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Post by curmudgeon on Nov 5, 2019 1:22:11 GMT
Sorry but I could never justify paying anywhere near that much for a pick. I'll use my thumb nail first Hi, you don't need to apologise to me - I felt the same way - until I tried one!
Also, I am a flat-picker and my picks are my essential contact with my guitars.
BC picks might not suit everyone regardless of price, which is why you can return them for full refund within, I think 30 days, although I've never heard of anyone doing that.
Some people say why buy a pick at that price because they lose picks. If you pay that price you don't lose 'em!
The other point is that they don't wear out, so one pick is essentially all you'll ever need. (I have one per instrument - that's my choice).
When you think about the price for a £35 lifetime pick is maybe 1% of the price of your guitar - then -well that's pretty cheap.
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Post by curmudgeon on Nov 5, 2019 1:24:04 GMT
Although I am mostly a fingerstyle guitarist, my recent discovery of Dick Gaughan and Paul Brady (I am very late to the folk music party), who can both do amazing things with a plectrum, has lead me to try plectrums. Also, since I own only have space for one guitar in my flat and I am too lazy to change strings, plectrums (plectra?) Are satisfying my GAS and obsessive nature! Like Andy, I even bought a bluechip which cost, I think £45. Absurd, but it is my favourite. It's a TP40 which is a small triangle, 1mm thick. I prefer this size to the normal, large triangle picks which are a bit unwieldy in my small hands. I have bought a ton of other picks as well and I also bevel them. None have quite come close to the bluechip. I use light strings. Hi, yeah 1 m/m is what I reckon for light gauge strings too.
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minorkey
C.O.G.
Too many instruments, too little time
Posts: 2,992
My main instrument is: hurting my fingers!
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"72dd98"}
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Post by minorkey on Nov 5, 2019 11:58:03 GMT
Sorry but I could never justify paying anywhere near that much for a pick. I'll use my thumb nail first ).
When you think about the price for a £35 lifetime pick is maybe 1% of the price of your guitar - then -well that's pretty cheap.
Unfortunately my guitar only cost about £100 as a kit. Cheap and cheerful for me. Tho my other one cost my partner £180. Thats cheap compared to most guitars I know, but for me its a lot of money.
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Post by hughesy on Nov 6, 2019 17:09:11 GMT
The cheap Dunlop Ultex and Tortex both sound good to me. I like the Ultex a bit more and prefer them both to the more expensive Prime Tone picks, which people seem to like.
I would go with 1mm in the standard shape rather than the big triangles or small jazz ones if using light strings.
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Post by PistolPete on Nov 6, 2019 19:13:48 GMT
I've been a thumbpick devotee for as long as I can I remember. I generally prefer Jim Dunlop ones (in tortoiseshell rather than white, although I'm happy to concede that difference is probably all in my head), but occasionally try out other brands, usually cheaper, but occasionally more expensive, though never anything in the Blue Chip price range, and have almost always found them inferior. Happily though, I purchased a box of these off-brand ones from Amazon the other day and they seem to be every bit as good as the Dunlop ones for around half the price
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minorkey
C.O.G.
Too many instruments, too little time
Posts: 2,992
My main instrument is: hurting my fingers!
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"72dd98"}
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Post by minorkey on Nov 6, 2019 22:20:04 GMT
I've been a thumbpick devotee for as long as I can I remember. I generally prefer Jim Dunlop ones (in tortoiseshell rather than white, although I'm happy to concede that difference is probably all in my head), but occasionally try out other brands, usually cheaper, but occasionally more expensive, though never anything in the Blue Chip price range, and have almost always found them inferior. Happily though, I purchased a box of these off-brand ones from Amazon the other day and they seem to be every bit as good as the Dunlop ones for around half the price I have one of those Dunlop thumb picks tho I've no idea where it came from...
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Post by PistolPete on Nov 8, 2019 18:44:40 GMT
I have one of those Dunlop thumb picks tho I've no idea where it came from... I lost one the other day, do you think it could be mine?
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Post by dobro on Nov 9, 2019 1:32:19 GMT
I like the Wegen triangle. To each his own.
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Post by malcolm on Nov 11, 2019 0:57:48 GMT
A British company, Hawk, make very good and reasonably priced casein picks. I also prefer the large triangles and agree that if you pay a lot of money for a pick you tend not to lose them.
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ocarolan
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CURMUDGEONLY OLD GIT (leader - to join, just ask!)
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Post by ocarolan on Nov 11, 2019 9:06:56 GMT
Tortex triangles. Cheap, but even cheaper when you realise you have 3 picks for the price of one. Keith
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Post by scorpiodog on Nov 11, 2019 11:58:02 GMT
I've been using Snark picks for a while now. I find them very good, though, as far as I'm aware, they only do the teardrop shape. They have a roughened surface so they don't slip out of your hand. I have tried several different gauges and I have found the 0.8mm are just right for me. They come with a sandpaper pick which is supposed to be to customise the edge, but I use it in an emergency for nail repair.
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