Pick Thickness on Acoustics

[josephandrews.edu]

Just wondering what (gauge?) of picks you guys use for acoustic strumming. e.g. .50, .60 blah blah.

 

And why!

 

Thank you in advance

[Gator Wing]

I use a Fender medium. I like the way it feels and the resistance on the strings.

[murph]

It depends on the texture of the song. If it's a standard rock strumming or there are lead lines, I use green Tortex (.88mm), if it's lighter (during recording) I'll use yellow Tortex (.60mm). Anything lighter and I break it or lose it.

[Guest]

The Green Tortex for strumming and picking.

 

The thinner Orange Tortex, sounds better for strumming. Sounds good for picking but it's too soft to pick with quickly.

[Eric Worthington]

Heavy (1.0) or extra heavy (1.2).

 

When I first started playing acoustic years ago, I used lights, and have gradually increased the gauge over the years. I find I get better control, for all kinds of strums, and arpeggios (I really don't play any lead).

 

Generally speaking, on any instrument, the lighter the touch the better. And, it follows, the heavier the pick (within reason), the lighter you can be and still have full control.

[Lee Flier]

Normally, I use Fender mediums, same as I do for electric. But for recording, I usually use Dunlop or Fender thins. You really do get a nicer tone out of an acoustic with a thinner pick - that is, if you are going for a brighter tone. If you like a mellower jazz sort of tone you're better off with a heavy pick. But for recording rock, pop, country, folk, etc. thin picks rule!

 

--Lee

[Tedster]

>>Normally, I use Fender mediums, same as I do for electric. But for recording, I usually use Dunlop or Fender thins. You really do get a nicer tone out of an acoustic with a thinner pick - that is, if you are going for a brighter tone. If you like a mellower jazz sort of tone you're better off with a heavy pick. But for recording rock, pop, country, folk, etc. thin picks rule!

 

There ya go, Lee...the 25 cent EQ...

 

I use the Dunlop medium gray nylons with the little bumps on the top for a grip (although I use that edge sometimes, too). But, for some reason, they give me the feel of a medium with the bright sound of a thin. Best of both worlds.

[fet]

The deal with strumming with a thin pick is that part of the overall tone is the sound of the flicking of the piece of celluloid in your hand. For certain pop-music styles this is traditional. To me, this sounds like a playing card in the spokes of a bicycle...

 

I like to move the strings with as great force and control as possible, given my level of technique. So for me, the "dead", immovable pick works best - try the black Dunlop "gator-grip", 2.0 mm in thickness. Absolutely inflexible - all you will hear is the guitar strings, no "pick-flick" added.

[Chip McDonald]

Fender thins for "basic strumming".

 

*Fresh-non-chewed up* Dunlop thin nylons for "basic single note lines"

 

Dunlop 2.00 Tortex for anything requiring speed that the above won't do.

*Never* for strumming.

 

Fingers for anything delicate.

 

Dunlop red Jazz III's for all purpose use, acoustic or not....

 

 

http://www.mp3.com/chipmcdonald

[fet]

1) I strum like a MF with the 2.0 Dunlop! It sounds great! aarghh...

 

2) And when you don't have a pick, use a dime... works best of all your pocket change ... less of a lip around the face of the coin, the strings can slide off it...

[Chip McDonald]

Originally posted by fet:

1) I strum like a MF with the 2.0 Dunlop! It sounds great! aarghh...

 

I used to use those, but the way I perceive it there's three basic sounds that you can get strumming out of an acoustic.

 

Light strum=airy upper partial emphasized sound, de-emphasized bass.

 

Medium strum=more bass, mids get "compressed", highs reduced.

 

Heavy strum="compressed" mids and bass, less definition in single notes in a chord.

 

With the 2.0's, it was too much of a chore to control the line between "medium" and "heavy" strumming, and to do "light and airy" passages required to much conscious effort: I get by with a lighter pick better in that respect.

 

The downside is there's a upper speedlimit because of the pick flopping around, and it's harder to get consistent muted 64th notes out at faster tempos, and swept picked arppegios are more difficult to get definition happening. But I can't make that a priority over the big picture.

 

 

http://www.mp3.com/chipmcdonald

[nrg music]

Quote

posted by Tedster

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I use the Dunlop medium gray nylons with the little bumps on the top for a grip (although I use that edge sometimes, too). But, for some reason, they give me the feel of a medium with the bright sound of a thin. Best of both worlds.

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I second this one. dunlop medium grey nylons rule with the old accoustics imho ya just can't beat em!!

 

Simon

[Sir Bob]

For the strumming bit, try a thin pick but use the corner (not the point) for the strumming. It gives it a little more rigidity for fast srumming.