Pick choices?

I'll admit it....I am a complete pick geek.
I keep 2 bowls full of picks here on on my desk at all times & I usually have at least 8-10 in my pocket at any given time. LOL You just never know when or where you might run into a playable guitar ya know....Plus guitar picks make great ball markers and conversation starters, when you're out playing golf. :rolleyes:

Anyway...the point of this whole thread, is what kind of picks do you currently use & why?

For myself, my main picks are 1.5mm Dunlop Gator Grip, 1.14mm Dunlop Tortex Jazz and 1.5mm "Heavy" Cool picks (white Jazz shaped picks, that are slightly larger and have non-slip surfaces on each side).

BUT....LOL...I also keep picks in every shape/thickness/material handy, from .6mm Dunlop Tortex Standards to 2mm Gator grips to 1.5mm Tortex Sharps to these little florescent green .88mm Pro-Grips to Jazz IIIs to the little teardrop shaped Fender 358 Jazz picks. :confused:
It's worse than that really...but I am saving you some of the gorey details. LOL And yes...I do use virtually all of them at some time or another.

What's your fav & why?

Don

I also carry around about a dozen picks in my pocket with all my change, and have them scattered all over the house.

I use 1.05mm planet waves - like Dunlop tortex but a little harder wearing compund so they'll stand a few pick slides.

I also use 3mm Dunlop 'Big Stubbie' picks when I'm just going to pick like crazy... and they're good for bass too.... :)

I've got all kinds of gauges lying around, even thumb picks and random bits and pieces... I guess I'm a geek too....

Originally Posted by: ren
I've got all kinds of gauges lying around, even thumb picks and random bits and pieces... I guess I'm a geek too....

Ren, good to meet you! Maybe we can form a support group for it or something. LOL

I really like the stubbies as well, I just have a tough time holding onto them. I got a tip from someone, about putting a drop of super glue on each side of the pick & letting it dry (don't hold the pick while you're doing this, obviously...LOL). Once the glue is dried it really does form a nice grippy, non-slip surface...
I can't really deal with the 3mm ones though, too glassy sounding with my picking action. The 2mm are really nice though.


Don

I like the .7 (I think, the orange ones) Dunlop tortex picks. They're tough and I like my picks a little stiffer than the fender medium ones.

I use a ton of different pics depending on what song it is, but the best is Jim Dunlop .60mm using the edge instead of the tip. That way you get the rough edge and can bend the pic a bit to get some bite.

I mostly use the green Dunlop ones...whatever thickness that is. Yellow and orange are also acceptable.

I was using the Dava picks for some time now. Special pick that bends in the middle. Try them if you never used them before.

I have now come back to heavier picks (dunlops 1mm over)

I like to keep lighter gauge too for strumming.

I beleive Lisa did a lesson on picks :)

I always keep them in my pocket, on shelves, in guitar cases, in my gig bag, probably at least a dozen within reach right now. I even have pick holders on key chains, and oddly enough I'll end up digging for the one I want.

I mostly use Clayton USA, and Jim Dunlop, the thickness depends on what guitar, or instrument I'm playing.

If I'm playing acoustic or mandolin then I use Dunlop tortex 1.14mm, and gator grip 1.1mm picks. Sometimes I use an Dunlop tortex .88mm if I'm picking something really fast.

If I'm playing a tele, strat, tenor banjo, or dulcimer I use Clayton USA .63mm picks. I used to use thicker picks for everything, but I needed a lighter touch on electric. All of my picking buddies looked like they were barely touching the strings, and the tone was great. Since I started lightening up so to speak, I've loosened up, and been able to pick up more speed.

Using a thinner pick makes it easier to roll and tuck it, and play using my thumb, and fingers. This is harder to do with thicker picks, since they don't give as much they're always sliding around. I may have to put together a lesson to show how useful this little trick can be.

Time to edit some video, hope everyone has a great day.

JD

I use Dunlop Jazz III picks in either red or black. It's annoying because I either have to order them, or drive 50 miles to guitar center to get them. They are my favorite picks. They feel perfect, and I get great pinch harmonics with them. The do cause a bit of a pick handicap though. It makes it hard to use regular sized picks anymore. They are the perfect size/shape for me.

JD, that interesting. I learned something new there...I honestly just assumed that most, if not all country pickers used very thin picks. I would've never envisioned you using something in the 1+mm range. Most country, bluegrass pickers, just seem to have that "snappy" sound to there playing, that I typically would associate with thinner picks. Interesting for sure.

Originally Posted by: sixpicker Since I started lightening up so to speak, I've loosened up, and been able to pick up more speed.

JD

LOL...Pretty much THE answer to everything isn't it. More effort does not always mean better results. ;)
At least not when the "effort" involves more straining & tension...I battle that all the time, the whole struggle to stay loose while picking up speed, etc.
I always think that I need to whack the heck outta the strings to get it to project, then I'll watch someone like Paul Gilbert, who looks like he's barely even grazing the strings, yet the notes just *pop* out like he's snapping them. And he does it with that horrible, treble heavy, 1/4 distorted tone that he uses in all of his instructional vids.
Gilbert actually uses those Orange .60mm Tortex picks, which recently lead me to start practicing with them. I can't really use them effectively for like recording or anything yet, since I'm so used to picks in the 1mm-1.5mm range and these .60s just feel sooo...flippy....LOL, for lack of a better term. :D

Interesting comments so far...very cool stuff!

Don