Difference in Tone?

[Blue Dream]

Is there a noticable difference in tone say between a Dunlop 1.5mm and a Fender Medium. They make picks out of different materials like rosewood, ebony and horn that will effect tone obviously , but what about different gauge plastic? Also what would be a bigger change thicker pick gauge or string gauge?

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Difference in Tone?

Different picks do sound a bit different but string guage will have a bigger impact on tone.

 

[Oldslowhand]

Re: Difference in Tone?

I think it's more a question of feel than tone a heavy pick tends to give more attack and most "fast" player's will also go for the heavy picks as you don't have a tiny time lag as the pick straighten's up in the way a thin pick would however Carlos Santana use's a large thin pick and He's no slouch really just try loads (they are cheap enough) and you'll soon find out what you like.:cool2: Then of course thay'll stop making/stocking that one but thats life:dammit:

 

[HetfieldRules]

Re: Difference in Tone?

this could jsut be me, but i find that thinner picks give a thinner sound, at least when u are playing metal. the best example i can give for what im talking about is i use a think pick for stuff on "Kill 'Em All" because the tone is bery thin sounding, but i will use heavy picks with stuff like Iced Earth. but really it depends on you ears, for right now i use heavy picks to biuld speed for when i use thinner picks with more slack, it's all one ur own preference

 

[sosomething]

Re: Difference in Tone?

Fut the whuck just happened??

I was just voting on a poll about time and all of a sudden I'm here!

weird.....

 

[gilles27]

Re: Difference in Tone?

Fut the whuck just happened??

I was just voting on a poll about time and all of a sudden I'm here!

weird.....

Like yeeeaah, that totally happened to me man! I'm kinda freaked out! :smokin:


But seriously, :wrf:

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Difference in Tone?

there's a subtle difference in tone because it affects the way you play imo. whenever i use picks that are too hard, my playing sounds fumbly and the tone sucks. on that same token, if i use a really light pick, there's no balls to it because the attack is too soft.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Difference in Tone?

Like yeeeaah, that totally happened to me man! I'm kinda freaked out! :smokin:


But seriously, :wrf:

At least I'm not alone. I was starting to think I'd gone mad.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Difference in Tone?

I played the Dunlp Nylons for many years because they felt best but the difference in sound and control was just too big.

After buying one of most Dunlops I now use the thick small stubbies. Hard and sharp but small and smooth. The only disadvantage is that if you hit something you scratch it.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Difference in Tone?

Since I'm in the pick thread, I can say I made the switch to the Dunlop pointies and haven't looked back. I've been using them for about two years now and love them.

I like the purple ones (1.14mm):

You get a nice accurate point like a jazz pick but with all the grip surface of a standard pick. I can't even use regular picks anymore.

I consider the tortex material my tonal compromise. It's kind of grippy and imparts a particular tone that might be improved with a different material, but I'm so used to the matte texture that going to something else would have me dropping picks left and right.

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: Difference in Tone?

I use Jazz III's because of the tone, I find that my sound is a tad warmer with that pick compared to tortex stuff and some others.

 

[Perry D]

Re: Difference in Tone?

i dont think it has much to do with tone but i guess if you used a really thin pick as oposed to a thicker one there could be. i use a black Jazz III and i think it makes my playing alot more acurate. i tried playing a regular sized one afterwards and its just too big.

 

[gilles27]

Re: Difference in Tone?

I use Dugains made out of Ebony and Snakewood. i think they make quite a big difference to low gain and clean sounds

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Difference in Tone?

I too fell here after posting on the poll.

But picks have a huge impact on tone. One of the biggest things that make me dumbfounded on these forums is that some people can't find a real difference between a fender medium and a 2,0mm tortex dunlop. Accidentally, those two are my favourite picks, both for their own types of tones.

 

[bryan the rocker]

Re: Difference in Tone?

There is really a difference in tone, bec material used and thickness place a part in your overall tone and attack,


also string gauge has more effect on your tone,

 

[aleclee]

Re: Difference in Tone?

I'm a recent V-Pick convert. For most of my life I've played medium-gauge picks, most recently Ultex but the V-Pick feels so much better, I'm probably gonna end up going with them for most stuff I play.

They do sound a lot different from the picks I've traditionally used. Not necessarily better or worse but definitely different--almost like plucking with a finger.

 

[kramer.geetar]

Re: Difference in Tone?

Man I tried so many picks. I was looking for that perfect one with the feel size and tone. There is a difference between picks in material and thickness and shape and also of course the shape of the tip.
I really liked the D'Andrea Pro Plecs small tear drop, its one of those small mandolin sized picks, great pick by the way those Pro Plecs. I could never get used to the Dunlop Tortex, I just don't like the tone they give off.

I think I'm pretty sure I finally found my perfect pick, its the Fender 451 Heavy. Its a mini 351 basically, really cool pick. I've settled on celluloid cause to me they sound the best.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Difference in Tone?

in the last few days i've been using dunlop jazz IIIs alot lately, and i have to say i'm really diggin' everything about them, my sound is better overall, smoother and more articulate(probably from the technique involved with these little things along with the material/thickness yada yada yada) but i really like these.

 

[jalguitarman]

Re: Difference in Tone?

in the last few days i've been using dunlop jazz IIIs alot lately, and i have to say i'm really diggin' everything about them, my sound is better overall, smoother and more articulate(probably from the technique involved with these little things along with the material/thickness yada yada yada) but i really like these.

I use these as well, exclusivley. i cannot get comfy with a regular pick any more. I will mimicking what other said but yes the different thickness of plastic picks and string guage will make a difference in tone and feel. +1 to thinner pick equals thinner tone. That said a thin pick is excellent for really fast strumming on acoustic.

 

[ex-250]

Re: Difference in Tone?

while i wasnt sure i liked the tone they gave off so much when i first got them, ive been loving my intunegp custom picks lately (.88 tortex)

they add a really cool low-mid chewyness that dunlop tortex's lack. it must be the power of satan.
:laugh2:

i mostly use these and dunlop tortex 1.14 jazz III's. depending on the application i also use standard dunlop tortex .88s, dunlop ultex rounded triangle .88s, and dunlop red jazz IIIs.

i went from using green tortexes exclusively up until about last summer, and now i cant settle on just one :laugh2: