Re: anyone using two sets of picks for clean and distorted tones
When I go to recording sessions, I'll often take a handful of picks. 95% of the time I'll just use the Eric Johnson Jazz III's, but sometimes on an acoustic guitar, or if I need a strummy guitar part I'll use a lighter, softer pick, and if I need a really warm sound for the melody of a song I'll use heavier tortex. Though, I'll add that doing it while practicing seems a bit extreme to me.
me too, i find the black(stiffo) jazz III to be the best pick i can live with most, does everything. red Jazz III has bit more snarl when u dig with it though. i m in the same camp for light strumming, and likewise opt for heavy tortex for heavier stuff.
Does using your thumb and nail count?
absolutely
Strictly speaking, no. However, I've got a little rice bowl filled with different picks, and it's when I'm playing clean that I'm most likely to experiment. I often want a softer attack, so I might grab a pick made of felt or rubber, or a thumb pick in celluloid or metal. But I'm just as likely to use the same 1.0mm Tortex that I use for everything else.
true that, the clean tones seems to be more finicky with ur pick selection. i never used felt or rubber on guitar, those are like my strictly for bass kinda picks, i think i should check that out.
Not for clean and distortion, but for electric and acoustic I do. Or if I'm playing a lot of lead style stuff I will use a Jazz 3.
i used to be so too. but what happened was i soon found out that most (not all) picks that were good for acoustic were as good in clean electric guitar playing.
I've switched picks so many times over the past couple years...right now I've come to really like the Herco flex 75 for the clean to vintage dirt tones I primarily use. However, for acoustic I still prefer the yellow tortex for a brighter tone. I think if I was playing with more distortion or needed more a of bright, jangly tone, I'd go with the yellow tortex or some other bright sounding pick. The nylon picks are definitely not bright.
gotta love Herco Flex 75s, another one of those can do all picks. I used to chugga-chugga with them too, that was before i moved onto heaviest tortex picks i found for that. i think yellow tortex is the pick most ppl feel (me including) sturdiest and slickest in the range. i wont argue that the nylon picks are brighter, but it is certainly not too warm either. the Jazz III red (nylon) is not a pick u can call as being warm considering its thickness.
Switching picks for clean and dirty seems like a LOT of overkill not to mention I vary my tone so much while playing i'd be switching picks every few seconds...
No thanks.
i agree, there is no way u can juggle picks in a live situation, gotta have that do it all pick and let the feet do the tap dance. This was simply meant for what ur choices would be if u were critical for best tone reaped by different picks in sort of recording situation.
like i said, i ve had my share of goto 'do-them-all' picks, presently it is the jazz III stiffo XL. this thread was to find out what ya all do just for that extra bit of tone fiend-ness when u have that bit of time and picks to spend in ur leisure.
apart from choosing light picks for clarity i have found that, clean tones are very responsive to ur pick material choices. i do shuffle in between celluloid, tortex, nylon. but then there are fender 'california clear' medium picks that keep goin back to. not very durable pick if u are a very heavy strummer, but it is very toneful for both clean and acoustic work.