Guitar picks

Picked up the guitar not too long ago. Just want to know what are some of the best picks to use?
What does the pick thickness matter?
What do you use?
What are some good brand names?

Just somethings I've been wondering.

Right now I'm using a thick black one and its not so great for me.

Originally Posted by: Conk250Picked up the guitar not too long ago. Just want to know what are some of the best picks to use?
What does the pick thickness matter?
What do you use?
What are some good brand names?

Just somethings I've been wondering.

Right now I'm using a thick black one and its not so great for me.

I use Dunlop Jazz III's. they're small-ish and fairly rigid. It's almost impossible for me to use anything else. if a use a normal, medium pick, I feel like I'm playing with a paper plate.

Despite that, I think it depends on what you play. If you are more of a metal player and will need more speed and accuracy, a more rigid/thick pick such as the Jazz III might be a good choice. If you are more strum oriented such as a for an acoustic, you may opt for a less rigid/medium thickness pick.

Smaller, pointed and more rigid tends to lead to more accurate and speedier picking that is useful in tighter playing like in lots of modern jazz or in metal. The larger picks help in more 'strummy stuff' which is obviously acoustic but also even in some modern rock styles too.

Funny, I never used any brand other than Dunlop even when I started, I used Dunlop Tortex picks.

I have also used Dunlop pretty much exclusively. Playing acoustic, I used JD nylon anywhere between .60's or .73's for the longest time. (The grey nylon ones. Not sure if they had a name.) I then switched to Tortex .60's as I found it gave a significantly brighter sound.

After my long musical hiatus, I picked up the electric and quickly found I wanted a stiffer pick.

JeffS65 had previously posted about "plate sized picks" (lol!) so under that influence I picked up a couple of JD Stubbies (1mm). I like those, too, but I still like having the dinner plate if my pick gets twisted around. Gives me something to push it back to correct position. I guess I feel I have better control of it.

After giving the Stubbies a fair go, I have been migrating back to the Tortex.

I use Dunlop Tortex .88 (the green ones). Its just one of those things you need to try for yourself. Everyone has different preferences.

Thanks for the reply guys. I think i'm going to go and buy some of these to experiment! I play more of a Rock/Jazz style.

Generally, Id say if you are just starting guitar, start with a medium pick. Forgot what size they are exactly, but if you ask for a medium in a shop, they will most likely hand you some Fender Medium picks. Those are the mid level picks in terms of soft vs hardness. If it feels too flimsy, go harder/thicker. Too tough, get softer/thinner.

Originally Posted by: hunter1801if you ask for a medium in a shop, they will most likely hand you some Fender Medium picks. Those are the mid level picks in terms of soft vs hardness. If it feels too flimsy, go harder/thicker. Too tough, get softer/thinner.

yeah thats what happened to me, fender mediums, and they just stuck, I like a rock/blues style so I use chords and leads and medium is a good balance, plus I never have had a problem with too much pick slippage so I never really felt a need to buy the fancy ones with rough spots or even the ones with the holes in the middle. Its still always fun trying out new picks though, just experiment until you keep coming back to one

Originally Posted by: hunter1801I use Dunlop Tortex .88 (the green ones). Its just one of those things you need to try for yourself. Everyone has different preferences.

I have tried alot of picks. My favs are still the Dunlops, either the Nylons or the Tortex's as mentioned above. I hate the Fendors

Ya, after a while the Fenders just started to feel..."cheep" in a way. I stopped using those after I passed my beginner stage in guitar.

Originally Posted by: hunter1801Ya, after a while the Fenders just started to feel..."cheap" in a way. I stopped using those after I passed my beginner stage in guitar.

suite yourself but nothin beats em, ive tried other picks but they all feel too gimmicky or too specialized for my broad playing, dunlops are pretty good and so are gibson picks etc. but fender is usually the first the store person grabs and its all the same to me so long as their standard medium(unless Im after a specific set that day of course)

Originally Posted by: Conk250
What do you use?
What are some good brand names?

I use Snarling Dogs Brain Picks. They have raised dots to improve your grip and come in 5 or 6 different thicknesses. I use the .73 mm but my style is growing and I'm starting to think about a thicker one.

Hey Conk250,
I use Dunlop, Tortex, Clayton Usa, it really depends on what I'm playing.

Everyone has different preferences, but I'm pretty sure Dunlop would have something you may like. Let us know what you decide, and if we can be of anymore help.

Originally Posted by: GuitardedGeezerI use Snarling Dogs Brain Picks. They have raised dots to improve your grip and come in 5 or 6 different thicknesses. I use the .73 mm but my style is growing and I'm starting to think about a thicker one.

Snarling dog, yeah I used to use those some, unfortunately though they rub me the wrong way and my outside index finger where i hold my pick slowly gets red and raw over the weeks. Their not too bad of picks though and i like the case they come in, I also gravitated toward the thicker ones too for that brand for some reason.

You know, reading the first post reminded me of how I ended up using Dunlop Jazz IIIs.

I had bought a really cheap acoustic on eBay (you can't get much cheaper than an Abe Linc in metal), and I used the pick that came with it, a really thin plasticy green pick that finally was cracking into bits. Playing an electric at this point, I decided to grab a pack of First Act picks from Wal-Mart after work. Not that I really liked them; they always felt so damn clumsy in my hands.

While standing in checkout, I looked down and saw this Dunlop Jazz III pick. Not that I actually knew it was a pick at the time -- it looked like the safety tab off of a spray can, and the only Dunlop I knew of then was in automotives. Curious, I kept it, took it home, then looked it up, since it looked like it would make for a great smaller pick -- Legend of Black Heaven had inspired such thinking with a yen coin. That's when I found out it WAS a pick.

Destined to play, I tell you. :D

First Acts tended to fray badly under my playing, and I've used a Fender Medium pick once. It does not like lots of strumming, I'm afraid, having virtually melted on me after seven minutes of jamming. I am curious about ceramic picks I saw in the back of Guitar World, but I still have and use that red Dunlop I found. And bought a few more just in case, too.

I'm heading to the store to fix up an acoustic guitar i bought.
I'll cheak out all these kind of picks.
I found that the thin picks helped me make a clearer noise when strumming.
But when i just wanted to pick on some pieces the mediums helped out a lot.

Thanks everyone for the great advise and it helped to hear the opinions!

I am between picks right now, i am using Dunlop jazzIII and Dunlop Stubby 2.0mm.

But i like the JazzIII due to the pick beeing pointer and it accents the notes better.

I got stuck on Fender mediums also. I tried others but they just didn't feel right. Use what works for you, that's the best advice I was ever given.

Just started to try out the Dunlop Jazz III's today. I think I'm in love with them already. Tried going back to my normal Brain .88's and just wasn't feeling them anymore.

It seems that there are more varieties of picks out there than there are guitars. I have been half tempted to head out and buy a pack of every (almost) pick made, split em up and make a big ol "pick kit" with one of everything for us new players to try. Or at least a sample of the more standard picks leaving out the off the wall 10$ each ones :)

Cheers!

Andy

I've been experimenting with the Dava's and I think I'm hooked. I also like the Clayton's, it seems like they don't slip as much as others I've used.

Thickness does matter in my opinion. The lighter picks you have the more it will flex, the thicker the pick, the better it will be to do alternate picking, because of the pick not flexing.

I use Dunloop Jazz III and Dunlop Stuby 2.0mm.