Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

I wish someone offered a test pack with one of each of these. I would have to buy an entire pack of each gauge and shape to try them all, and those are not cheap.

Hmm... looks like their Tusq website does offer a 6-pack in each gauge and color, but they are wanting 5 dollars to ship something that would fit in a very small envelope. The cheapskate in me won't let me hit the "buy" button...
 
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Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

Everything I'm reading about the Tusq picks say they wear really quickly. Has that been your experience? I've been playing a LOT of shred lately, so I would go through them fast if they wear quickly.
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

FullSizeRender.jpg

I made these out of some rosewood scrap. The bottom one I used as a guide as I liked the pick boy but felt it was a bit too small and hard to hold onto when I "chicken pick". I traced out a full size Dunlop pick, then used my dremel to cut out a rough shape, then used a sanding attachment to get the shape really close, then filed it. I also had to sand it to the correct thickness (.011) then I used a file to get a knife edge all the way around. I like it quite a bit when playing acoustic guitar(I usually play with my fingers when playing acoustic) I get a really warm tone with these new picks.
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

Mr. B said:
Everything I'm reading about the Tusq picks say they wear really quickly. Has that been your experience? I've been playing a LOT of shred lately, so I would go through them fast if they wear quickly.
Click to expand...

I'm gonna buy some and I'll let you know what I find. I've been wanting to try these out for a while and if they wear out quickly then I wouldn't think their worth almost a $1 a pick.
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

Mr. B said:
Looks like his signature Jazz III has addressed the things that annoyed me about the regular Jazz III. I may give this one a try.
Click to expand...

That's 100% how I feel. When I first got the pack, I compared the picks to the regular jazz 3's and realised.. they look almost exactly the same. Other than a very very, barely noticeable minor change in shape.. but in terms of playability and tone it makes a huge difference. I can actively feel the difference between one of my EJ picks and one of my regular Jazz 3s, the moment I pick up one of the originals, it just feels worse. The tone is better too, they feel better for strumming and playing lines. The only downside to them (assuming you like the Jazz 3 shape in general) is the price. Here in the uk it comes to almost 3 dollars a pick, which is pretty steep.
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

I guess everyone has their favourite pick, here's mine:
Catfish Texacs 0.73mm (yellow)
The sound is balanced, not too sharp, rather smooth. Good grip.
If you ever find them in a store make shure to "pick" them up ;)
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

I had one or two favorites when I started testing all of these. Now I have several I like better than what I've been playing for years. I have a few more types on their way in the mail.
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

I've been using the Dunlop Ultex Jazz III 2.0. It is a black Ultex that is thickish and sculpted. So far I like it better than the other two I have used is the past. Before that I used the standard Ultex Jazz III, and before that the black standard Jazz III, both of which I like. I have also used the Ultex Sharps and like those also. I have been wanting to try the Petrucci model Ultex but no one around here caries them that I am aware of.
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

For the longest time, I didn't think picks mattered. I used .50 or thinner for the most part, in the standard pick shape. The last year I went on a journey through all types of different picks until I settled on the ultex sharps in .73. They are AMAZING. If you haven't tried them yet, DO IT. I just bought another 10 yesterday.
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

My favorites used to be D'Andrea Graphite .73mm, but the stopped making those long ago. After that I went to Dunlop Gator Grip .71mm, but recently I bought a pack of Ultex .73mm and have really been liking them. As was mentioned by someone else, I was convinced that regular picks would slip out of my hand easier, but that has not been the case. I think the texture of the Gators for the better grip is what slows them down some, but they wear out really fast and I got tired of the pink dust on all of my guitars. So far the Ultex are faster and don't wear as fast.
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

Gonna look this guy up - I want to try a bunch of different thumb picks to get my hybrid picking on
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

I've been using the Daddario Black Ice picks. Before that I was using .88 Tortex Dunlop Jazz III XL's. The Daddarios are in between the XL's and regular Jazz III's in size and brighter in tone. I'm using a .80 with the next thickness up being 1.10, which I need to try, but I wish they had an in between.
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

Mr. B said:
Everything I'm reading about the Tusq picks say they wear really quickly. Has that been your experience? I've been playing a LOT of shred lately, so I would go through them fast if they wear quickly.
Click to expand...
They do wear quickly. I find that the trade off in tone is worth it.
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

picks 2.jpg

I've added a few more to my growing collection. I'm really liking the larger Triangle Tortex Picks. They really help highlight downward pick-slanting while shredding and if you wear out one tip, you still have two more tips. I've been using them for bass as well.

Rob (I guess??) from Rob's String Shack, who I've been getting these multipacks from, sent me a couple of extra picks to try. The Glow-in-the-dark D'Addario picks made by Planet Waves are very slick on the strings. Very low friction and very fast. The gripping surface is one of the slickest of any of the picks too, so that might not be great when sweating on a hot stage.

One that has quickly become one of my favorites is the D'Addario Duragrip line. When shredding, I actually hold a little too low on the picks for the molded-in grip surface to do much good, but I really like the material. It is very similar to the Tortex, maybe just a hair stiffer, and you can get thicker versions of it than you can in the Dunlop Tortex line. If you were chugging away at metal or strumming chords this would offer the best grip surface I've felt.

My least favorite out of all the picks is the D'Addario Cortex pick. It has a loud clicking sound when shredding and at the same time it is really sticky feeling when leaving the string (not the grip, but the string release). It feels really slow, and I feel like the pick is struggling to roll over the string and let go.
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

Demanic said:
These
Click to expand...

Boogie Bill said:
Yep, those are the Tusq picks I mentioned. I use the Warm, 1.00mm cream color picks. I really like these.

Thanks for posting the video!

Bill
Click to expand...

Hmm, I'm very intrigued by these. lol I just bought two of the mix packs, one to open and one to hide in the event my guitar "friends" like them too and decide to borrow without asking.
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

Let me know what you think of these. From what I heard from a few people, they don't sound like something I want.
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

Here it is - the Ultimate Pick (at least for me): very low picking noise; excellent grip; articulate but smooth; nice warm tone and more volume than most picks. Costly... yes, but if you want a Blue Chip in 2.5mm thickness it will cost you a lot more. And I like these better than Blue Chips.

gold%20series%20sunrise%20std%202.5%20sm.jpg
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

Bludave said:
View attachment 61405

I made these out of some rosewood scrap. The bottom one I used as a guide as I liked the pick boy but felt it was a bit too small and hard to hold onto when I "chicken pick". I traced out a full size Dunlop pick, then used my dremel to cut out a rough shape, then used a sanding attachment to get the shape really close, then filed it. I also had to sand it to the correct thickness (.011) then I used a file to get a knife edge all the way around. I like it quite a bit when playing acoustic guitar(I usually play with my fingers when playing acoustic) I get a really warm tone with these new picks.
Click to expand...

I have Rosewood, Ebony, and Mahogany picks. The wooden picks are very nice for getting a different "striking" tone on the acoustic :)
 
Re: Picking Picks (Thats picks, not pickups)

These came in the mail yesterday. I only tried them on my acoustic but was impressed with them. All three are a little stiff for my tastes; however, on my acoustic they produced a full rich strum that sounded really good. Good purchase :)

View attachment 62508
 
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