Guitar Picks

[typo]

what do you use?

i use sharkfins and little black gibsons. never could get into finger picks.

[thelevellers]

I just use what's lying around! I have an odd mish mash of soft n hard, think n thin, worn and new... My faves are all fairly hard tho... I can pick slide then with out eating away the edges!

I've been meaning to buy some for a while, but always get stumped on the actually paying money for something that I already have... When my fave plectrum finally stops being at all triangular I might buy some... Lol...

[Nightwolf]

My favorite one is signed by Willie Nelson and came hanging from a bottle of Whiskey.

I also have a Satriani signed pick and one from Blues Traveler.

I'm gonna start a thickness/shape poll too

[Nick]

My favorite one is signed by Willie Nelson and came hanging from a bottle of Whiskey.

I also have a Satriani signed pick and one from Blues Traveler.

I'm gonna start a thickness/shape poll too

As in "How thick are you?" and "What shape are you?"?

Picks I use whatever is in my pocket at the time (mostly Alistair's and my son's discards) so today for example:

The Nylon ones are .60mm and 1mm and the red thing is very thick and solid it was a giveaway on a magazine and I play mandolin and bass with it.

I used to have an incredibly thin Nylon pick which Alistair discarded which was really flappy which I liked - you could strum the guitar with incredible force but still get quite a light sound of it which was nice to accompany people with as the volume of sound was not that large. Unfortunately i think it was probably in the washing machine or a pocket somewhere!

[Nightwolf]

Sorry, that was silly to start a poll and not answer the questions myself.

I only like the standard shape and the heavier the better.

I like the heavy ones cause they have less give I feel I have more control.

I agree with you that the thin flappy ones do have an interesting sound and I can see the attraction.

I heard that Carlos Santana uses the big triangles, so I tried that, but those shapes are simply too big for me to work with.

The little pumpkin seeds get lost in my hand and end up sailing across the room.

2each their own eh [smiley=acoustic.gif]

[Rudi]

I consider picks very important. I used to make my own out of Perspex. For many years now I have used Gibson black triangular ones. The only problem is, the gauge varies a great deal. They need to improve their quality control. So I handle each pick at the point of purchase & usually end up buying half a dozen mediums & a couple of heavys.

I use the blunt sides for rhythm & the pointy edges for lead. The tapered 120 degree points are ideal I think for picking. After a few months the points wear down to a larger radius. That’s when it needs replacing.

I think the pick gauge should be tailored to the string gauge. So if you have other guitars with lighter strings on, a lighter gauge pick should be used.

If the pick is too light (bends a great deal in use) you have limited control over how hard you can apply it. That affects both the sound and the volume of the plucked string. It’s less critical for rhythm work. If the pick doesn’t give at all, it’s too hard. IMO it should give slightly, then you can apply light or hard pressure and control the sound & volume properly.

I use thumb picks also. Still looking for the best ones there though.

[Steve]

I generaly use three types. These are the smallest.

The one on the right is a fender .71mm, the black one is a Gibson about .90mm I also use a standard plec for rhythm wich is about .40 - .50 mm. I always try the consistancy of any plecs I buy. They are inconsistant in their flexability.

[Alistair]

As in "How thick are you?" and "What shape are you?"?

Picks I use whatever is in my pocket at the time (mostly Alistair's and my son's discards) so today for example:

The Nylon ones are .60mm and 1mm and the red thing is very thick and solid it was a giveaway on a magazine and I play mandolin and bass with it.

I used to have an incredibly thin Nylon pick which Alistair discarded which was really flappy which I liked - you could strum the guitar with incredible force but still get quite a light sound of it which was nice to accompany people with as the volume of sound was not that large. Unfortunately i think it was probably in the washing machine or a pocket somewhere!

I wondered where all my picks had gone! That grey one is mine, you bounder!

[Nightwolf]

I wondered where all my picks had gone! That grey one is mine, you bounder!

:D

[TJFlick]

I use pennies. Just plain ole' simple U.S. currency. Have for years.

Not to be different, but started using them when I ran out of picks one time at around the age of 15 or so.

The only real drawback, is that they can create unwanted overtones sometimes...especially when recording. So in order to avoid a ton of that, I've worked on a lot of hybrid picking techniques and using my middle, ring, and pinky fingers on my right hand....and using a LOT of legato-style phrasing.

As a result, if I do use a plectrum, it's gotta be as heavy as it gets....and I don't use the "pointy" end of it...rather the backside.

[FinnArild]

I use my nails - edit the poll so I can vote, please

[Roflcopter]

Dunlop Stubby (medium triangular, but not flat - they've got a bit of curve, which allows for better holding).

[CallMeEngell]

I use Dunlop Tortex picks or Planet Waves picks...all heavy.

I have one little floppy pick that I use for uke instead of a felt pick.

[Joe51]

Everly star picks.

Love the star in the middle. Really helps the grip. Yellow is the perfect color. Its about the middle of the road of what's available.

couldnt paste the image, so here's a link. http://www.google.co...ved=0CDQQ8gIwAQ

Edited July 29, 2011 by Joe51

[davidmichael]

I like most of you use a variety of picks [i never turn down free picks] ,

Guages depend on the sound im shooting for and the amount of attack ill be putting on the strings,but as for picks I buy,i use Claytons.They last forever!!

Also on slick picks i crosshatch the picks with a knife to keep them from sliding around in my fingers,

[Daryl]

I couldn't really answer the poll. I use at least 6 widely different picks regularly and several more that I use on occasion.

Most people don't give a lot of thought to picks, but material, thickness, and size all GREATLY effect the sound and tone of the gutiar. Limiting yourself to a favorite pick is to take a lot of variety out of your tone.

For flattop players who are primarily using the guitar for fingerpicking or chords for vocal backup can probably get by with one style of pick, but if your using your guitar as a lead instrument, you really should explore a variety of picks.

Pat Metheny claims to buy picks by the gross and then filter through "identical" picks looking for the ones that have the mojo and discarding the ones that don't. I'm not quite that sensitive, but I use a lot of different picks for different jobs.

If forced to choose an all around pick... I might select the 1mm Dunlop Nylon... but thankfully I don't have to limit myself that way

Years ago I used the hard plastic Gibson or Fender pick, and almost never used nylon picks. But now I find for lead work that I like a pick with a little more traction on the string and different materials have different traction, which results in a remarkably different sound, and nylon works well for this. But again, I'm coming at it from a soloing standpoint. Often for vocal backup (depending on the song of course) I just use my bare fingers which I like more and more over time. Some of my favorite guitar players never use picks.

As sombody said above: I like the Purple Stubby as well for heavier lead work.

Daryl

Edited December 16, 2011 by Daryl

[Rudi]

Just managed to find some more Gibson Triangluars (I dont think they are in production). I bought a dozen.

[TomT]

I'm trying to invent a pick that'll help me do some right handed hammer harmonics on this one song of mine. Basically, I'm going to wrap my index finger in foil and create a mold out of nail polish. No matter how hard I work it, the sound never comes out while performing so unless this idea works I might have to very reluctantly rewrite the song.

[duskwings]

the only picks that work for me are the 3mm dunlop big stubby,i can t go back to normal picks,but u hav to adapt your picking to the picks since they tend create unwanted ticks if they re not used properly

[impendingcorruption]

i'm all about the dunlops, gray to light gray with the occasional dark gray in thickness (i might've forgotten the exact dimensions : D ). wouldn't have it any other way!