All pick players

[Ken R]

I have never used a pick before. I decieded to try it. I came away unimpressed. Too clicky for me. Then someone gave me a felt pick. Compressed felt. Kinda neat. I brought it to the jam session and I thought it sounded pretty good. Then both guitarists told me that they LOVED the new tone!
I was stoked. Very different than using fingers. Took some getting used to.

Anyone else use a felt pick?

Ken R

 

[Widdershins]

Yeah, I've got an old dirty one that I have had for years.

It's great for getting the tone between pick and fingers... kind of a slightly fuzzy 'thunk' sound.

 

[SwamiRob]

It takes alot of care to get rid off the over the top click, choice of plcetrum, strings action, EQ etc etc. Personally I think the 2 best things you can do to not get thin clicky bass with a pick is to get the thickest, least bright, nickel strings you can cope with and raise the hell outta your action. Obviously there will still be click, but how much of it, and the kind of click you get from it will be different.

If you like felts then keep a it, I'd like to try them but I play hard, and would probably drop them all the time.

 

[iamthebassman]

But the clicky sound is the reason I play with a pick...

 

[matskull]

A thick pick will give you more low mid and more click, a thinner pick will give you less click but less low mids too.
The felt pick is kindda between both with less clarity.

 

[EagleMoon]

When I was first starting out my teacher gave me one of those felt picks. I used it for a while but I much preferred the sound of a regular pick. Try the Dunlop Nylon picks. They're not clicky. I usually use a 1mm black one. They're great.

 

[0175westwood29]

i prefer the normal pics, if i want finger tone ill play with fingers.

but as is the way everyone likes different things, be boring if we all liked the same things!

 

[Nicky-T]

I run my overdrive sounds while using a pick. I use this for pretty much half of the "rock" stuff I do. Playing an pick with that overdriven bass tone, just cuts right through the mix. On my Ampeg CL, I also have a ultra low button, which i engage most of the time I use a pick. It gives that underlying "ultra" low end. If I run my rig completely clean, and use a pick, it does some pretty empty. It's all about that overdriven, fat rock tone!

 

[umbrella]

I'm not a fan of felt picks. I like regular heavy picks. It's hard to get clear, precise 16th notes with a felt pick for me, but maybe I'm not that good?

 

[Stumbo]

In my experience, the "click" is lost in the mix in most venues. Next to a set of drums played at gig volume and you won't here it. If you roll off the treble a bit on your bass, it pretty much disappears if it still bothers you .

My tone seem less muddy with a non-felt pick and I could get more definition, especially in venues that were echo chambers. I tried a felt pick and didn't care for the action. I also play a bit of guitar so it felt more comfortable to play with a non-felt pick. I have been practicing more with my fingers lately just to keep up my dexterity and skills

There was a thread about well known bass players that used a pick. The list is quite long.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-227741.html

 

[Alex E]

I have never used a pick before. I decieded to try it. I came away unimpressed. Too clicky for me. Then someone gave me a felt pick. Compressed felt. Kinda neat. I brought it to the jam session and I thought it sounded pretty good. Then both guitarists told me that they LOVED the new tone!
I was stoked. Very different than using fingers. Took some getting used to.

Anyone else use a felt pick? Ken R

I've used the felt pick and didn't like the thickness of it, but I did like the fact it will never slip out of one's grip with that unique texture it has

If I can find my felt pick, I might file it down on the playing end and see how it feels. For now, I use a 1mm heavy.

As far as clicky-ness goes, the more comfortable and experienced you get with your pick, the less you will hear the click. Our technique gets smoother and smoother. You'll see, it's really cool when you get to the point when you produce a snappy, growly tone with the pick at will.

 

[troyus]

Thinner pick - no click.

 

[prattguy]

When I was first starting out my teacher gave me one of those felt picks. I used it for a while but I much preferred the sound of a regular pick. Try the Dunlop Nylon picks. They're not clicky. I usually use a 1mm black one. They're great.

Those are GREAT, i won´t use anything else

 

[SwamiRob]

Also depends what it's made of (felt is the obvious example as already mentioned), different plastics sound very different and play differently. Jim dunlop nylon and tortex is a good example, if you try the same gauge of both formats they feel and sound different.

 

[SlimT]

The choice of pick is obviously important, but take a lesson on picking.

One lesson, after I had been learning to use the pick after about 9 months, made a huge difference. It's amazing to me how 1/2 an hour spent with someone looking at how I play and what I sound like can have such a huge impact.

 

[Infernus]

I use the dunlop gator grip 2.0mm the click is not noticible.....best pick I've found so far, I've never used a felt pick though.

 

[thisSNsucks]

I've used a felt pick before but found it way too messy. Fuzz got all over my bass.

Planet waves has a set of 3 different gauge picks that come with a thick rubber sleeve. You put the pick of your choice into the soft rubber sleeve and rock out. It gives a nice blend of fingerstyle warmth with the sharp attack of a pick minus the harsh clickyness. Works great but its very thick.

Here's the link, its called the adjustable insert pick

Invalid Link Removed

 

[moomoocajoo]

Best tone with pick is whilst palm muting using flatties.

OLD SKOOL PICK FUNK!




Hehe It's awesome I prefer fingers generally but can be fun to rock out with a plec once in a while.

 

[rockstarbassist]

I like the .88 or 1.0 Tortexes.

Just cut the treble a bit, and you eliminate the click but still remain the cut through ability.

 

[spade2you]

I typically only use a pick if I want to get a picking sound. I really only use it on an EMG PJ bass that's strung with stainless steel strings. Very aggressive tone, but I don't do it a whole lot.