the pick thread '11

[ashstralia]

ok guys and girls, i'm sure we've all tried lot's of 'em.


what's your favourite pick? i like the large dunlop tortex triangles. red or orange. bassists welcome too, we know who you are....

[BigBadBrian]

Dunlop Gator Grip .96

[VanHalenFan5150]

Stuck between two kinds.

Everly Star Picks, .60 gauge, and Dunlop Tortex picks, .50 gauge

[indeedido]

My fav is the Dunlop Tortex .88mm, the green ones. Just the right amount of thickness for me. Too thin and the tone is bad.

[neuralfraud]

Now HERE's a thread!



Where does one begin?

Just about every pick dunlop makes is excellent. That being said, I can't just list a favorite, so I'll start with the ones I DON'T like, followed by the ones i DO like and why.

Picks that SUCK
Wedgie picks. They suck. What a bullshit gimmick.

Cellulose picks - cmon, leave that shit in the trash. How many times have you been shredding only to have your pick CRACK and get stuck on a string?

Picks that ROCK
Current Go-To pick is the ULTEX sharp .73mm, though sometimes I prefer the slightly thinner ULTEX standard .60mm. This the pick I use daily for farting around at home, whatever.

When I play speed metal, shit like slayer and any other type of music involving speed-picking, I prefer a solid, fat pick, and that is usually the Gator Grip Purple or sometimes Green.

The ULTEX is a good compromise; I can pretty much easily play any style with that pick, it's a great pick, but some times you just need something more substantial, and the gator grip fills that need.

[VAiN]

I like these:



In .94mm or 1.07mm.

[Coyote]

1.0mm, brand be damned.

[twonabomber]

Jim Dunlop USA nylon, .73 mm

i have some Tortex and Sharkfins somewhere that are okay too. probably around the same gauge.

i like a little heavier pick for bass, but not a big ol' bass pick.

[Nitro Express]

I like these:



In .94mm or 1.07mm.

I use the same picks but in .80

[Etienne]

Ibanez Sand Grip PA16



1.2 mm

[ZahZoo]

Hard to top a Fender Medium the last 30 years... Dunlop .73's work too...

[ashstralia]

this conversation pops up from time to time in my workplace.... we perhaps play very expensive guitars through nice amplifiers, but it's a 70 cent pick that hits the strings.

[sadaist]

Hard to top a Fender Medium the last 30 years

That's what I use. Not that I can hit the correct strings in the right order or anything.

Any of you try the picks made of stone or a coin? Isn't it Billy Gibbons who plays using a coin as a pick?

[indeedido]

I have a quarter that a friend of mine manipulated into the classic tear drop pick shape. I don't care for it, sound too metallic when it hits the strings. Also a bit harder to keep a hold of.

[Diamondjimi]

I use these fuckers... been using them since Schenker handed me one back in '87. (the 88. and eventually the 1. mil.)




I went through a short spell of using the 205's, but I was wearing them out too quick...

[jhale667]

1.0mm, brand be damned.

Pretty much in that boat, though I do like the Claytons due to the non-slip powder coat...I like Dunlop gels too. Sometimes I'll practice w/ a 2.00 mm for a bit to increase the difficulty level...then when you step back down to a 1.00 you can FLY....

[ashstralia]

we're really spoiled for choices these days, i remember in the early '80s there was dunlop or cheap plastic crap. i've found over the years as my skills improved that i could get away with using lighter gauges which are better for rhythm playing imo, but still have a bit of firmness for alternate picking. i tell my students to spend 20 bucks and buy one of everything, and find the one they really like. i've been using the tortex triangles for about 15 years now, i love how no matter how you hold it you've always got a usable point, and they take 3 times longer to wear out...

[Hardrock69]

I discovered the Dunlop Nylons back in the early 80s. For awhile I used the .72 versions, and have also used the 1mm versions, but my fave by far is the .88. I like the raised dots and lettering, as it makes them easier to grip. I have trouble hanging on to my picks when performing live.

Friend of mine used to work at a company in Wichita, KS called Player Piano Company, Inc. They are the only company on Earth that makes parts for player pianos.

Anyway, down in the basement of the building there were some old junk pianos laying around, and my friend took the ivory caps off some of the keys, and made some guitar picks out of them.
I still have one, I hang on to it purely for sentimental reasons. You are talking a pretty stiff pick when you use the top off a piano key like that, lol.

Jim Dunlop RULES!

[chefcraig]

I've lived and died by the Dunlop Tortex 1.14 for the better part of twenty years now. Not only do they stick to your thumb and finger like Superglue, but they are really handy for breaking your car's window should you drive into a canal on the way home from a gig.

[jhale667]

Here's a question: Does everyone pick with the pointed edge of most of what's pictured in this thread, or do you rotate it for different effects? I'm told I have an "odd" picking style due to that and the fact that I alternately hold the pick sideways, or like I hold a pencil. The sideways thing I got from checking out George Lynch back in the day, the pencil-thing just feels natural, just kind of evolved that way. But the rotation thing allows greater ease of artificial harmonics on the plain strings, and also the ability to get that effect on partial chords too, which is fun...

[jhale667]

For example:



That's the quasi-Lynch thing...works pretty well once you get used to it...

And here's my "pencil-grip", but then I'm told I grip pencils and pens oddly too...but hey, you would too if you had my ginormous fingers!



That's pretty much my standard pick grip...Clayton 1.00mm used in the pics, for those keeping score...lol

[chefcraig]

Here's a question: Does everyone pick with the pointed edge of most of what's pictured in this thread, or do you rotate it for different effects? I'm told I have an "odd" picking style due to that and the fact that I alternately hold the pick sideways, or like I hold a pencil. The sideways thing I got from checking out George Lynch back in the day, the pencil-thing just feels natural, just kind of evolved that way. But the rotation thing allows greater ease of artificial harmonics on the plain strings, and also the ability to get that effect on partial chords too, which is fun...

Remember when we were younger and VH hit the scene, everyone tried picking like Eddie Van Halen (holding it with your thumb and pinkie, or some damned variation, I forget now...)? For the life of me, I couldn't get it to work, so I just stuck with what was comfortable (thumb/forefinger). The thing is, on some of those old ZZ Top tunes everyone had to cover, it was a pain in the ass figuring out how to get those squeally harmonics without adjusting the pick somehow. I also found that I could bury and hold the pick between my fingers when I needed to finger pick, then simply roll the pick back in place in a fluid movement. People were astounded that I could do this naturally, pretty much the same way I am amazed at people that can roll quarters around their hands or singlehandedly juggle pens in a way that seems supernatural.

It all comes down to what works most effectively for you personally. Let's face it, if any of us really cared what others were doing, we'd all still be dropping picks on the floor trying to be Edward Van Halen.

[jhale667]

Remember when we were younger and VH hit the scene, everyone tried picking like Eddie Van Halen (holding it with your thumb and pinkie, or some damned variation, I forget now...)? For the life of me, I couldn't get it to work, so I just stuck with what was comfortable (thumb/forefinger). The thing is, on some of those old ZZ Top tunes everyone had to cover, it was a pain in the ass figuring out how to get those squeally harmonics without adjusting the pick somehow. I also found that I could bury and hold the pick between my fingers when I needed to finger pick, then simply roll the pick back in place in a fluid movement. People were astounded that I could do this naturally, pretty much the same way I am amazed at people that can roll quarters around their hands or singlehandedly juggle pens in a way that seems supernatural.

It all comes down to what works most effectively for you personally. Let's face it, if any of us really cared what others were doing, we'd all still be dropping picks on the floor trying to be Edward Van Halen.

Exactly, exactly.
I could be wrong, but I always thought his tremolo-picking deal was the thumb and middle finger, with the index supporting? I can kinda do it that way, but it's never gonna sound like HIM... I totally get the comments about rolling the pick around too - and you're right, when it comes down to it, it's what works for you...but I like having the options.

[Seshmeister]

That's so weird, I had to pick one up to check.

I'm a thumb and middle finger person. I think that someone told me to do it that way probably based on Eddie Van Halen but oddly if I do tap these days, which is rarely, then I actually use my middle finger for that too so it's no help.

[kwame k]

When I'm flat out strumming I play with my index and middle finger on the pick..........when I'm hitting each string in the chord I'm playing, I use my thumb and index finger.

.....but then again....I'm a drummer

[Diamondjimi]

When I'm flat out strumming I play with my index and middle finger on the pick..........when I'm hitting each string in the chord I'm playing, I use my thumb and index finger.

Same here.

.....but then again....I'm a drummer

We forgive you...

[kwame k]

Phew......glad I'm forgiven! So now I'm part of the cool guy guitarist club, right

[jhale667]

Phew......glad I'm forgiven! So now I'm part of the cool guy guitarist club, right

Let's not go that far yet.... just kidding, bro!

[kwame k]

[Seshmeister]

When I'm flat out strumming I play with my index and middle finger on the pick..........when I'm hitting each string in the chord I'm playing, I use my thumb and index finger.

.....but then again....I'm a drummer

You must be one of those new drummers I've been hearing about that actually have opposable thumbs.

[kwame k]

You must be one of those new drummers I've been hearing about that actually have opposable thumbs.

WTF are you talking about, dude? My thumbs aren't opposable.....they're in perfect harmony with the rest of my fingers

[Diamondjimi]

Phew......glad I'm forgiven! So now I'm part of the cool guy guitarist club, right

You sir, are a multi-instrumentalist!

[Jagermeister]

My fav is the Dunlop Tortex .88mm, the green ones. Just the right amount of thickness for me. Too thin and the tone is bad.

That's what I use also. They last a long time. I actually prefer them to be worn just a bit.

[Coyote]

Here's a question: Does everyone pick with the pointed edge of most of what's pictured in this thread, or do you rotate it for different effects? I'm told I have an "odd" picking style due to that and the fact that I alternately hold the pick sideways, or like I hold a pencil. The sideways thing I got from checking out George Lynch back in the day, the pencil-thing just feels natural, just kind of evolved that way. But the rotation thing allows greater ease of artificial harmonics on the plain strings, and also the ability to get that effect on partial chords too, which is fun...

Personally, I pick with the tip, albeit at a lesser angle than the "pencil grip".
As far as the EVH thumb+middle finger grip, it's reserved for tapping, IMO...


When you're picking, you have the thumb & index/middle finger holding the pick. What about the other fingers?
Do you curl them up like making a relaxed fist, or do you leave them extended, like making a OK handsign?

[jhale667]

Personally, I pick with the tip, albeit at a lesser angle than the "pencil grip".
As far as the EVH thumb+middle finger grip, it's reserved for tapping, IMO...


When you're picking, you have the thumb & index/middle finger holding the pick. What about the other fingers?
Do you curl them up like making a relaxed fist, or do you leave them extended, like making a OK handsign?

That depends, too...IMO the Lynch-type positioning seems to favor the "OK" splayed hand deal, doesn't work so well with the more tradition pencil-like grip...

[ashstralia]

When you're picking, you have the thumb & index/middle finger holding the pick. What about the other fingers?
Do you curl them up like making a relaxed fist, or do you leave them extended, like making a OK handsign?

yeah i like the relaxed fist... and i have a callus on the bottom side of my palm from palm muting and alternate picking

[Nitro Express]

I found if I used a medium pick and choked up of it, it would act like a heavier pick and if I held it towards the back it was like a lighter pick. I vary how much pick I hold all the time and sometimes I use the pointed end and sometimes I use the round edge. An .80 to .90 is what I like.

[Matt White]

Jim Dunlop Sharp Jazz III