I think I've reached my, uh, PICK as a guitar player

[d halfnote]

Go figure...

Youngster starts playing, uses all kinda picks.

Sometimes even breaks the teeth outta combs or tries those plastic tabs from bread bags.

Maybe springs for those high-priced products made from turtle shells or some 21st C. gizmotronica.

Some swear off the entire thing like that's gonna make them into Jeff Beck.

Some mix'n'match "ad hoc-key" stylee.

 

Personally, I play in several different plectrum, plec-strum & crab-claw (quasi-classical) manners but I haven't bought a pick in over 2 decades.

That's not because I keep, uh, finding them, as with ink pens or lighters (the old Lowell George trick ) but b/c I simply haven't lost a pick for that long.

My collection includes various thin, medium & hard picks in shapes & sizes ranging from standard Fender styles (both "teardrop" & triangular) to "cheater" felt picks (for that "no-click" thing on the bass).

Never could get into thumb picks or fingerpicks, though.

 

 

What's your story, Morning Glory ?

[Electric Biscuit]

I buy new picks when the edges are worn down on mine.

[Rampdog]

Sometimes even breaks the teeth outta combs or tries those plastic tabs from bread bags.

Man...That brought back some memories.... Done both of those on numerous occasions back in the day....

[d halfnote]

The diff between the 20th & 21st C.......

 

Sometimes even breaks the teeth outta combs or tries those plastic tabs from bread bags.

Man...That brought back some memories.... Done both of those on numerous occasions back in the day....

You should (I should ?) mention that's "numerous humourous ocassions"...

 

 

I buy new picks when the edges are worn down on mine.

& , pray tell, what types ARE they ?

'Cause y'kmow, that's just the subject....

[rwgtr]

I have been using the red Dunlop Jazz 3's because I like the smaller size. And the raised letters on either side are helpful to keep a grip on with fingers sweating. I like the tone and the tip is just about perfect. I do keep sandpaper around the finish them off, there always seems to be a remnant of plastic mold on the butt end that digs into my finger and distracts me.

 

I can't use a fingerpick or thumbpick, even for banjo. I love the sound of the thumbpick,though. I watch Tommy Emmanuel, Peter Huttlinger, Don Alder and am always amazed.

[Caevan O’Shite]

Me? I swore off the entire thing; I was later delighted to read that Jeff Beck had done the same. I shape, radius (the edge) and smooth my right-hand fingernails; "tone control".

 

 

If I were to use a plectrum, it'd be either a little tear-drop shaped mandolin pick that I'd bent into a concave curvature, and radiused and smoothed the edges on; or, a Jim Dunlop Big Stubby, the thick, heavy, dark purple ones. Some of the unique high-end picks out there would be interesting, IF I thought I'd get more than a few novelty minutes use out of any of 'em per year...

 

 

I loath fingerpicks and have no use for thumbpicks. And I found I have the most grating antipathy for any form of artificial nails...

[SEHpicker]

I used a thin nylon pick for many years. One day a friend showed me a Dunlop Big Stubby 3.0 mm. I thought no way - but I tried it. A week later I was hooked. I mostly pick hybrid style and the Big Stubby gives me much better feel, control and especially tone. I love it. And the indentation on both sides gives you a super grip.

For leads I use the pointy end and for rhythms I rotate it and use the rounded edge. It has improved my overall sound substantially.

SEHpicker

 

[Lokair]

Dunlop .88 (green and true measurement near .85), I buy a gross of them and leave in a Frisbee on top of my right side 2x12. with another Frisbee with hair ties and used picks and specialty picks on the same cabinet. I toss em after the name wears off, or if the edge gets worn to much for me.

 

 

Lok

[p90jr]

Fender mediums... 351 shape. I break them at gigs, toss 'em and grab another one. If they don't break they're usually worn down and have divots around the edges. I'm not an especially hard strummer, but I play rhythmically.

 

Have used and lost tons of others, those just felt natural and won out.

 

Use them on Mandolin, too. Never thought about there being mandolin picks.

 

Plastic thumb and metal finger picks get used when needed, especially on 12 string electric (McGuinn).

 

For bass I prefer nylon picks in that shape, but not too heavy and stiff, with a little give.

 

[desertbluesman]

I use Fender Jazz picks the little ones, and the edge and point wear away after a bit. I buy them by the half gross, Fender light jazz picks.

 

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-358-Jazz-Guitar-Pick-Shell?sku=110550

[rickygclef]

Dunlop .88 (green and true measurement near .85), I buy a gross of them and leave in a Frisbee on top of my right side 2x12. with another Frisbee with hair ties and used picks and specialty picks on the same cabinet. I toss em after the name wears off, or if the edge gets worn to much for me.

 

 

Lok

 

Me too with Green Tortex Dunlops, but I don't think I ever toss them. I usually lose them! I recently bought a bunch. They take a while to wear down and they never break. I did not like the ones with the indent for thumbs. Has to be flat for me.

[Electric Biscuit]

I buy new picks when the edges are worn down on mine.

& , pray tell, what types ARE they ?

'Cause y'kmow, that's just the subject....

 

Lots of things. Dunlop Jazz III (both black and red), Brain .88mm and .75mm nylon, Dunlop thin nylons, and beyond that whatever is lying around.

 

I also have this one triangular, translucent rainbow-colored "Pick Boy" pick that I really liked, but have never found another one of and had to retire it due to grooves in the sides. Looks sort of like this

http://images.bizrate.com/resize?sq=140&uid=1088522975

except that all it says is PICK BOY in much larger block letters, over 2 lines. The C looks like Pacman. The colours are in the same shades and order, but are slightly thinner so there is another row of blue on the bottom. Not sure such a pick exists anymore.

EDIT: here's a picture I just took http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/4456/img0798l.jpg

Watch out, it's a little bigger than I intended

 

 

 

 

I use my fingers a lot too, but never my nails

[GuitarPlayerFL]

For years I used Dunlop small Stubby 3.0s. And I never bought picks for about 17 years since I would always refill for free at the Dunlop booth every Winter NAMM.

 

But they're not very easy to use for fast, funky strumming...so I've now found my most favorite pick material to date:

 

Dunlop ULTEX in either the 1.0 or 1.14 thickness and with a traditional shape.

[buckeyeguy]

I use the Jazz 3's for everything I do on electric. I've been using them for the past 20 years. I prefer either black or ultex. A buddy of mine made some for me out of bone. They're a little thicker and stiffer than what I'm used to...(that's what she said) - sorry, couldn't resist.

For acoustic, I like the .88 tortex. Dunlop used to make them in the Jazz size, but I can't find them anymore.

[rwgtr]

In the last year or so I have tried a tortoise shell, a Red Bear, various Wegens, etc...and I still come back to the red Dunlop Jazz 3s. They sound and feel great, they are almost always in stock, and I can usually find it if and when I drop it, wherever I drop it!

[RetroRocket]

Humm, the title of this post seems vaguely familiar.

I've tried them all, big, small, triangle, teardrop, fingerpicks, thumbpicks, jazz picks, felt, stainless steel, metal finger picks, Tortex, nylon, quarters, pesos & even the one I got out of a Dorito's bag.

I like'm all. They all have something to offer and all are a little different, but my fav is a a run of the mill Fender heavy.

I am however blessed that I can play finger style. My first guitar teacher at the tender age of 9 insisted and only taught finger style - using all 5 fingers. There's a place and time/tune for both picks & fingers. If your doing covers, some covers just don't sound right unless your using a pick.

[Larryz]

Now using the red .73 "COOL" pick...not expensive, really like the grip, they last a long time, no breakage, and work well with hybrid style finger picking (I use only my finger pads with a little unworn nail-can't stand finger picks or thumb picks either)...

 

In my younger days the bread sacks didn't have the plastic tab closers so we used match book covers folded in half (big improvement with the plastic coating)...

[d halfnote]

Humm, the title of this post seems vaguely familiar.