Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

TwilightOdyssey

Darkness on the edge of Tone
Guitar Center was all out of the Heavy picks in both Celluloid and Premium Celluloid, so I picked up a few sets of Dunlop Ultex 1.14mm ... Can anyone tell me what I can expect tonally? I know they won't be as bright and present as the Fenders; is this a draw-back, or does this pick offer things the Fender cannot do, besides longevity. (We all know the the Fenders have a 1/2 life of about 1 1/2 hrs.)
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

First of all, I don't agree that they aren't as bright or present as Fender celluloids, the tone of Ultex is excellent, better than celluloid IMO. As for durability, they will probably last until you lose them. If you do pick slides they're a Godsend. The snap of Ultex will also let you get by with a thinner pick if you so desire.
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

Ultex picks rock. I used to use Dunlop Tortex and Fender celluloid picks all the time.

I didn't realize how much better they were until my store ran out of them and I bought some Dunlop Tortex picks for the time being. The Tortex just don't have the same feeling, both in grip and in string feel.

They last forever, play well, provide good feel of the string, and great snap. That, and you don't need to replace them after every pick slide. They're also great if you use the edge of your pick to speed pick, as the edge lasts longer and doesn't seem to groove.

The only thing I absolutely hate about Ultex is the colour. When you drop a pick, they're really freakin' hard to find. :mad:


Edit: one more thing, the Tortex picks tend to warp and concave around the shape of my thumb, and the Fender pics rip/split in the middle, above my thumb; they Ultex pics have done niether (so far).
 
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Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Yes, ultrex picks rule. I have no desire to use anything else. They work great for both acoustic and electric guitars. I have the heaviest gauge, the 1.14mm, but they still give the guitar a snap to it. They are heavy duty and will withstand string scrapes. I haven't managed to destroy one yet, so that should say something. They are articulate and really help when doing sweeps or alternate picking. Love the shape, the feel and basically everything about them. I never used to think picks made a difference, but these definitely do.
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

Well, now I'm psyched to play 'em! I play technical stuff, so I'll give you all a full report tomorrow. (Rehearsal is tonight)
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

Haven't had a chance to try Ultex yet as no stores around here carry them yet. My personal pick of choice at the moment is a Dunlop Jazz III.
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

1.14mm is not enough for me. I use Dunlop 2mm picks exclusively.
2mm picks are very confortable and very heavy so you can play really fast sequences in alternate picking with a lot of control.
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

i'm currently really liking .73mm (i think) Gator Grips (the purple ones). I used to use .88 Nylons and switched to these

Other picks fly out of my hands!
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

i gator grips wear down to fast for me. i use ultex .73 but i reshape all my picks with light sand paper. i never came to like the standard shape of fender and dunlop picks.
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

Hey speed pickers, here's a tip:

If you like a standard teardrop shape but want more point, forget about filing. Just run the edge of the pick firmly and quickly through some carpet a couple of times. Instant point. Works best on heavy picks.

These days, I've traded my purple dunlop tortex 1.14s for the blue/purple dunlop .96 ones with the crocodile on them. I found the extreme inflexibility was causing too much resistance for my rythm playing.

I also occasionally use a very thin pick on superfast tunes, just to keep in my right forearm's good books. Those blue crocodiles wear down fast. A couple of gigs and I might as well be playing a jazz 3.
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

I use D'Andrea 75 Cool Plecs. I've heard great things or the Ultex. I'll give them a try
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

screamingdaisy said:
Ultex picks rock. I used to use Dunlop Tortex and Fender celluloid picks all the time.

I didn't realize how much better they were until my store ran out of them and I bought some Dunlop Tortex picks for the time being. The Tortex just don't have the same feeling, both in grip and in string feel.

They last forever, play well, provide good feel of the string, and great snap. That, and you don't need to replace them after every pick slide. They're also great if you use the edge of your pick to speed pick, as the edge lasts longer and doesn't seem to groove.

The only thing I absolutely hate about Ultex is the colour. When you drop a pick, they're really freakin' hard to find. :mad:


Edit: one more thing, the Tortex picks tend to warp and concave around the shape of my thumb, and the Fender pics rip/split in the middle, above my thumb; they Ultex pics have done niether (so far).

You took the words right out of my mouth...
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

Used to use em, then found the holy grail of picks: Jazz III's in black, 1.38MM
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

Is Ultex with the Rhino?

What's the one with the Turtle? I normally use the Turtle 1.14, but I splurged 1.00 for a Pickboy III with holes the other day. I really liked it, and then I lost it.

-Matt
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

Me i like tortex .73's the yellow ones. Not to thick not too thin can be sued for both acoustics and electrics nicely for me at least. And they don't wear out as fast as the ornage ones do. I enver used ultex but i heard and read they last longer than most picks.
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

DeadSkinSlayer3 said:
Used to use em, then found the holy grail of picks: Jazz III's in black, 1.38MM

only problem is when u go jazz... its too hard to go back!

other picks feel too big now :(
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

screamingdaisy said:
you don't need to replace them after every pick slide. They're also great if you use the edge of your pick to speed pick, as the edge lasts longer and doesn't seem to groove.

My 2mm Dunlop purple tortex picks work for that too.


the Tortex picks tend to warp and concave around the shape of my thumb...

Not happening with a 2mm tortex.


DBentley said:
i'm currently really liking .73mm (i think) Gator Grips (the purple ones). I used to use .88 Nylons and switched to these

Other picks fly out of my hands!

I had the same problem with thick picks when i was just beginning. Just hold the pick at the very tip, and it'll stay in your hand. Pinch harmonics are easier this way too.

Thicker picks sound better for picking IMO.
Thin picks are great for getting a little extra snap when strumming.
 
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Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

JammerMatt said:
Is Ultex with the Rhino?

What's the one with the Turtle? I normally use the Turtle 1.14, but I splurged 1.00 for a Pickboy III with holes the other day. I really liked it, and then I lost it.

-Matt

Turtle = Tortex
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

BornToShred said:
My 2mm Dunlop purple tortex picks work for that too.

Thick picks are great, but not always the best option. I play mostly rhythm, and the thick ones tend to get hung up in the strings at times. It's probably due to my lack of skill with them, but I see no need to change.

I currently use .73mm and 1mm Ultex and Tortex picks. For former for rhythm, and the latter for rhythm/lead.
 
Re: Trying Ultex for the 1st time ...

JammerMatt said:
Is Ultex with the Rhino?

-Matt

Yes, it's the one w/the rhino ...

Well, I played the Ultex last night @ rehearsal. Setup was JEM 7D, Engl preamp, Fulltone Fatboost, Marshal EL34 100/100, full stack ...
First thing I did was a direct comparison between the Fender Premium Celluloid Heavy and the Ultex 1.14mm. The Ultex is thicker, but the matte finish felt great in my hand, and it didn't bend to the shape of my thumb, even after 4 hrs of playing. The Fender is most definitely brighter. But the Dunlop was more powerful and and had a nice snap to it. The most impressive thing was after 4 hrs of rehearsal, I was still on my 1st pick!

I'm going to stick with the Ultex for a few more days and see how it fares, but overall I would say that I prefer the Fender for recording, but for live use I'm going to stick with the Dunlop!!

(spelling edit)
 
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