Thin picks?`

[JB_From_Hell]

All my life I've felt that thin (anything thinner than .88mm) picks were worthless. Until, that is.....

Earlier tonight, I was checking out Paul Gilbert's gear in a recent Guitar World, and it said he used .60mm Tortex. I thought that was strange, since he plays uber-fast, and thin picks get all flappy and slow you down.

So, I got curious, dug through my box of picks, found some thinner Tortex (.50, .60, and .73) and decided to give them a try. After adjusting my attack, I realized that you can indeed play fast with them. However, the tone thinned out a bit, so I tweaked my settings a bit, and realized I can nearly duplicate the tone, but with a more defined attack.

I don't know that this is gonna convert me (I usually use 1.14 Tortex, Jazz III, or Adamas 2.0 Graphite), but I'm definitely gonna keep a few of these in the "go-to" pick box.

 

[supernosher]

Re: Thin picks?`

I always thought anything thicker than the yellow (.73) was too thick and I felt that it was too close to chicken pickin' when I played. I think the yellow tortex or fender mediums have the right amount of "give", and both of those have different timbres, with the fenders being a little more glassy, not as midrangy as the tortex. I guess if you hold the pick light enough the give from your fingers will make up for having a thicker pick... I would also say that the amount of fat on your fingers affects the give equation... **** it, just use whatever gives you that sound you like. For me that's always been the yellow tortex, I think that is a very popular pick, as I've seen a few bands using yellow tortex.

I should add that the .73 yellow picks are not thin, it's actually more of a medium. You use really thick picks, JBFH.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Thin picks?`

I've gravitated towards thinner picks in the past year or so myself.

If you are heavy handed it really helps, because not only can you smack away for rhythm and riffy stuff, it makes you a better lead player cos you have to put more effort into picking cleaner/more precisely.

On the other hand, if you've got an extremely light touch, thick picks work awesome.

EDIT-material type is key for thin picks-

 

[jerryjg]

Re: Thin picks?`

1mm . nothing less. im no high holy priest of high tone, but thin picks- for effin get it.it gets a snappy poppy sound fun for for a few moments and thats about it.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Thin picks?`

I should add that the .73 yellow picks are not thin, it's actually more of a medium. You use really thick picks, JBFH.

I know that the yellow ones are really more of a medium. I would also consider the green ones (.88mm) in the medium category.

I should've said "Thinner than I like"

....it makes you a better lead player cos you have to put more effort into picking cleaner/more precisely.

I noticed almost immediately that I was paying more attention to my picking hand than I have in forever. It made me ease up, and actually pick the note, rather than hitting the string.

EDIT-material type is key for thin picks-

What do you like? The only ones I've really tried are the Dunlop Tortex & Nylon, Herco Flex 50, and a Clayton .56.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Thin picks?`

All my life I've felt that thin (anything thinner than .88mm) picks were worthless. Until, that is.....

Earlier tonight, I was checking out Paul Gilbert's gear in a recent Guitar World, and it said he used .60mm Tortex. I thought that was strange, since he plays uber-fast, and thin picks get all flappy and slow you down.

So, I got curious, dug through my box of picks, found some thinner Tortex (.50, .60, and .73) and decided to give them a try. After adjusting my attack, I realized that you can indeed play fast with them. However, the tone thinned out a bit, so I tweaked my settings a bit, and realized I can nearly duplicate the tone, but with a more defined attack.

I don't know that this is gonna convert me (I usually use 1.14 Tortex, Jazz III, or Adamas 2.0 Graphite), but I'm definitely gonna keep a few of these in the "go-to" pick box.

Thinner picks are all I use these days. Your playing is so much smoother and balanced then if you were to use a thicker pick. I didn't realize this until I tried it about a year or 2 ago. It's also alot easier to play faster because the pick will flex off of the strings as you play rather than catch on strings as you play fast with a thicker pick.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Thin picks?`

I use .50 these days now even .60's feel like like planks. I go through them fairly quick since they wear down fast.

I hit like a hammer playing rhythm and now I hardly ever break a string.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Thin picks?`

hate thin picks. i use 1.00mm

 

[jerryjg]

Re: Thin picks?`

hate thin picks. i use 1.00mm

I guess i can see it. .50's for a heavey handed guitarist who slams the strings on mainly rythym. Thats legitimiate technique and if it works for you then thats solid .
T
For a primarily lead player, i don't think 50's could or would be a workable option. Theres too much finesse involved at the skilled level.I really think that a heavey pick is necesecary to get the quickest articulation in realtion to speed, and useing a variable light to medium heavey attack but with some moderation on the attack on the thin strings- thats useing normal gauge strings tho. .

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Thin picks?`

I guess i can see it. .50's for a heavey handed guitarist who slams the strings on mainly rythym. Thats legitimiate technique and if it works for you then thats solid .
T
For a primarily lead player, i don't think 50's could or would be a workable option. Theres too much finesse involved at the skilled level.I really think that a heavey pick is necesecary to get the quickest articulation in realtion to speed, and useing a variable light to medium heavey attack but with some moderation on the attack on the thin strings- thats useing normal gauge strings tho. .

i use ernie ball 9-42. i must have a pretty hard pick attack or something cuz every time i use thin picks i break em in about 10 minutes (even brand new ones), so i dont us em. (yes i do play lead tho)

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Thin picks?`

I use either .73 Dunlop Wedges or Black golds. Use to 1.14 Dunlop sharps but I don't seem to have as much control w/ them.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Thin picks?`

I like the dunlop ultex 1.14, 'cause I can get them in bulk, they last forever, and they sound great with a power pick (that little ditty that groove tubes makes that you attach to a pick) or by themselves. I like the way celluoid sounds, but I can't deal with a pick that gives. I need more control than that.

 

[3'scompany]

Re: Thin picks?`

Man, I couldn't imagine going anything thinner than 1.00 and not being annoyed. I play on the 2.0 gators if that tells you anything :laugh2:

 

[Heavy]

Re: Thin picks?`

I can play the same speed with pretty much whatever pick, even some cardboard cut out display I tried once as a joke and the band members were laughing because the pick was as bigger than a pack of cigarettes and I was playing Yngwie licks. The thing to look for, the thick picks give a nice thick tone. I didn't know Gilbert used thin picks but his tone is kinda bad most times. Very and thin and ratty even tho' he uses buckers for the most part. You can tell he likes real low, buzzy action and then he's using a thin pick?! That explains a lot.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Thin picks?`

The thing is, the thick picks give a nice thick tone.

I agree on acoustic, but I came to the conclusion earlier that you can dial the thickness back in at the amp/pedals.

Thick picks almost seem like compressors. I'm finding it much easier to control dynamics with a thinner pick than those I normally use. Ordinarily, if I wanted real control, I'd do away with the pick altogether. The thinner picks don't seem to have quite that level of control, but it's much closer.

 

[Vetteboy]

Re: Thin picks?`

I used the yellow Dunlop pointy picks for years (10+). I recently switched to jazz style picks, and I'm definitely digging it...cleaned up a lot of noise in my playing that I never really noticed.

Right now my pick of choice is the Eric Johnson Jazz III pick...they claim that Eric had this one jazz pick he really liked, and they laser scanned it (because we all know what a fanatic that guy is)...whatever. It was the only thicker jazz pick the store had at the time, so I got 'em, and they're nice.

*really* thin picks have a definite place for acoustics, specifically in some recording I do. To get nice spacey open chords that hang in the background you really need to eliminate the attack from a thicker pick. I still break them pretty quickly though.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Thin picks?`

Anytime a thin or medium pick makes it's way into my possession, I throw it in the trash.

Heavies....always. Green Tortex or Fender Heavy. Not trying to sound manly, but they sound the best and my fingers can control them. Plus, since I'm a hybrid picker, I need the pick to sound nearly the same as my fingers.

 

[ParameterMan]

Re: Thin picks?`

I use medium-thin picks for the sound and feel. It's usually somewhere between .50 and .60. It's interesting you guys feel a thicker pick gets a bigger sound, because I've always felt thin picks gave me more snap, punch and articulation. I feel like I have more dynamic control as well. It's easier to lightly rake the strings for that harmonic wash, and I felt it was easier to get alternate picking as well. If you get used to the snap speed of the pick you can make the pick work for you at faster speeds. If you're a light handed player that's already really precise I can see how you wouldn't need that, although I might still prefer the sound for some applications.

The material makes a big difference as well. Acetal gets a nice thick yet snappy response that can be quite fast. Nylon sounds almost like you aren't using a pick- there's very little pick sound. Ye Olde Fender thin sounds incredible, lots of harmonics, but breaks in minutes. Tortex is a really nice, general all-around sound.

I do have a bit of a heavy hand, think SRV, and like a really snappy pick attack. It makes it so I can just smack a power chord without mashing the strings all out of shape.

EDIT: I should specify I'm primarily a lead player and use more wrist than arm action. I don't just mash out cowboy chords.

 

[arbiter]

Re: Thin picks?`

.60 or .70 for me. my sweaty hands+shoulder/elbow action+thick picks = VERY low string life. i'm talking HOURS.

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Thin picks?`

I like Fender mediums and the green tortex. When I dig in I destroy thin picks and the thick ones sound a bit sterile.

In a pinch I have played with a dime and a bread bag clip. (not at the same time)