Poll - Who Is Using A Jazz III ?

[JamesPaul]

Since ~1988 I have been using the Yellow (0.73mm) Standard Tortex when playing my electrics. I will also sometimes use the Orange and Red for my acoustics. However, I am always hearing about the virtues of, and how everyone is using, a Jazz III. A friend recently gave me one of the Jazz III Variety Packs, so I am giving them a test drive.

I am curious how pervasive these truly are, and I was hoping I cold pose a poll here.

If you hve anythjing you ant to share

 

[Mincer]

I do! Well, a variant. It is a Jazz III shape, but Tortex material- 1.14mm.

 

[Chistopher]

I always just grab a random pick, usually its some form of Jazz

 

[Seashore]

Nope. I used Tortex Standards for most of my life, now I'm using a couple different shapes of Chicken Picks.

 

[Hsb]

I use the carbon fiber Jazz IIIs, started out using the tiny Fender teardrop picks. Cant go back to a standard size pick now, just doesnt feel comfortable

 

[Sirion]

Nope. I used Tortex Standards for most of my life, now I'm using a couple different shapes of Chicken Picks.

Same here. I went to the smaller Sharp version a few years ago, and generally feel more in control. So I get the appeal of the Jazz III, but I still enjoy the Tortex material too much to switch.

 

[solspirit]

I used to use them religiously, then I started making my own out of the Costa Rican discontinued 5 colone coin they're about as big as a dime, so when it's all said and done, they're roughly the same size as a jazz 3, maybe a tiny bit bigger. After I awoke from the coma I stepped it up to making some out-of a quarter. They felt huge at first, but my fumble-fingers quickly got used to them. I'm going to try to switch back to the 5 colone pick. I only have one coin left, so I will have to find them and buy more. The last time I bought them they were 2 for $10, that was about 8 years ago. So, I have no idea how much they are now. Lately I've been using Fender celluloid 351 shape because I don't really care too much for the tone with the quarters.


Bbbbut. . .. I just found my coin barrel. Hahaha. I've got all sorts of coins that I've collected for about 30 years. I've got a little of everything in there a lot of silver, dollars, half dollars, state quarters, Sacajawea dollars, Susan B dollars, liberty dollars, a few of the huge pesos, and a lot of Buffalo nickels.
Now I just need to find the other jug of my Indian head and wheat pennies.

 

[GuitarStv]

I use Jazz IIIs about 95% of the time when playing electric (albeit cycling through the various grippy variants - regular red is too slippy for me). The remainder of the time I've been experimenting with some 3 mm flow picks. I remember that when I started using Jazz IIIs there was an adjustment period, but my picking technique adapted quickly.

For acoustic I use a much greater variety of picks (including jazz IIIs) depending on the song, although the .73 nylon standard dunlop seems to be the most commonly used one.

 

[JamesPaul]

Appears the cat must have stepped on my keyboard and erased the end of my OP. Still, everyone seems to get my thought and and feel free to post whatever you have to say about the Jazz III or what you are using. Thanks for voting/posting.

I do use the Purple (1.14mm) Standard Tortex when I play bass.

For better grip, I once tried the Gator Grips. While I still have some Tortex in guitar cases which are from the 80's, I tended to grate off the point of the GG's. I could almost do this in one rehearsal if there was some rapid repetitive picking required by a song we were working on. I think the correct musical term is tremolo, but we misuse that a lot. A good example is the beginning/ending of Krokus' Long Stick Goes Boom, which would grate them down.

Back to the Jazz, I initially chose the Black XL Series Jazz III in the variety pack. Although I had to carry it with me due to again, cats. I stopped by the local store to get some spares, but they didn't have the Black XL Series. So I'm using the Red Nylon Jazz III for now as I could get a pack of spares. The Jazz III does seem to be forcing me to be more accurate with all my picking.

 

[STLMTLHD79]

I used the green .88 Tortex standard size for decades. In 2017, i decided to start using the Green .88 Jazz III and damn, my metal rhythm playing really tightened up. I have also been using the black 1.14 Jazz III in recent months. Now the standard size picks feel too big.

 

[beaubrummels]

I like the thickness and edge of the Jazz III, but it's too small for me to hold. I frequently have it ripped out of my fingers by the strings.

In general, I use different picks, thickness and materials, depending on the song and tempo. (I do the same thing with drumsticks on my drums, I pick the sticks based on the song type and tempo)

 

[Der Oberherr]

I no longer use a jazz III. I used to use .73 tortex jazz IIIs exclusively, thinking that they were the only great pick. Originally I thought the smaller size helped.
About 4 or 5 years ago I lost my box of picks, and had to use a standard .88 (green) tortex for the first time in ages.
I now firmly believe the jazz III was actually holding me back. I strum better now than I used to, and my playing was cleaner almost immediately after stopping using them. I think it's my 3 finger pick grip that lends itself to a bigger pick. But for now I have no itention to go back to a jazz III, I'll stick with the normal tortex's.

 

[Mincer]

These are mine. I buy them in bulk, so I don't have to be too precious about keeping track of them.

 

[JamesPaul]

Had the Tortex Jazz III in the VP been a 0.73 instead of the 0.88, I know I would have tried it first. Dime used the 0.88 Green Tortex, so it is quite popular and I figure that's why it's in the VP.

An advantage of the Tortex is Zzounds sells the 72 pack bags. Even so, I likely only bought 3 bags of Yellow and 1 each of Red & Orange over 37 years. I have to lose those Tortex as they seem to last forever.

 

[Cynical]

I think I fall into the "I use a variant" option -- I like the Ernie Ball Prodigy minis, which are roughly Jazz III shaped (but slightly smaller). I used Jazz IIIs before that.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I do. I go on and off materials. I'm digging the regular red nylon ones right now.

 

[Securb]

I just can't gel with Jazz IIIs. I can't control them the way I do with a standard pick.

 

[Cynical]

I actually find that surprising; I find it the other way around, the bit at the top of a standard pick wants to leverage against my hand the wrong way and interferes with my control in ways that a Jazz III doesn't. Also, the tiny size makes pinch harmonics *way* easier IMO.

 

[Securb]

I move the pick around in my fingers a lot and move it from the index finger to the middle finger when tapping. It is strange because when I play I "choke up" on the pick exposing pretty much the tip you would have available with a Jazz III.

 

[GuitarStv]

When I learned to tap it was always with the middle finger . . . because then my pick didn't need to go anywhere or change grips. I know a ton of people tap with their index finger, but it always amazes me when I see it - it seems so much more complicated that way.