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Educate me about picks.

#24
onionpuzzle said:
give "fingers" a try, you might like it. (no sarcasm intended)
Click to expand...

I think i complete bass player should be bale to do both at least reasonably well!
I was a finger player for 6 years, always looked down at bass players using a pick, started playing with a pick a year ago on a few songs and now im about 50/50 and really like being able to go from one to the other depending on what the song needs!
 
#26
I use a metal pick. cymbolic makes some...and there are manufacturers on ebay and such.
flats + modulus + metal pick + highs is FABULOUS
roundwounds + the above = an amazing aggressive grindy tone. awesome.



EDIT: I <greatly> prefer playing w/my fingers but also prefer the sound of a pick.
 
#29
I like JD 207s and 208s, 2.0 mm; also the JD Gators, anything 1.14 mm and above. I also like the concept of the Everly Star pick, but (as others have pointed out elsewhere) the hole didn't feel like it was in the right place for me; the Star hole is sort of centered in the middle of the fat end. If I grip it there with thumb and finger, it feels like too much pick is sticking out. I ended up taking about 50 Dunlops out to the garage; after two or three experiments, I found what feels right to me. Then I spent a couple hours working my way through the rest of the picks (and a six pack--but easy on that with the power tool phase!) I first mark the center of the pick--that is, halfway between the fat end and the tip--using a sharp center punch. A nail will work just as well. At first, it looks too close to the tip, but it feels right--YMMV. And don't stress too much about being exact; eyeball is close enough. Plus, if you're doing a bunch of, say, Gators, once you decide where you like the hole, you can just punch the same tooth in the Gator's smile every time. Anyway, then I drill a 1/4" hole in each pick. I use a vise to hold the pick vertical, & drill sideways; putzy, but if you try drilling a pick while holding it in your fingers, the pick can spin in your hand & cut you. Besides, the next step is filing the points into the hole using a small triangle file--easiest done while the pick is still in the vise. I experimented with six, eight and ten pointed stars, but I can't feel the difference, six works as well as ten & takes less time. Finally, drilling & filing leaves a rough edge that I found uncomfortable, so I give each side of each pick a few turns on some 80 grit paper. Besides breaking the burr, it gives the whole flat a rougher texture, further aiding the grip. Written out, it looks like a lot of messing around, but once you know what you like, you can do the whole thing in about a minute a pick: locate the punch, one good rap, clamp in the vise, drill; 2 or 3 good file strokes per point, unclamp, a few quick spins on the sandpaper. IMHO, well worth the time. The pick neither slips nor rotates; I can use much less pressure to grip it, which allows for more variations in technique and doesn't tire my right hand as much.

I liked the idea of the Wedgie Rubbers, but I too found that they left a lot of debris behind and wear really fast. (Ditto with felt picks; too much dust. Might not be so bad with flatwound strings, I don't know.) I did like the softer, more finger-like tone, but now I just use my EQ to soften the pick attack a little, & I'm happy. I agree with the posters who encourage developing both pick & finger techniques. I'm not much of a finger player myself; I almost always have the pick in my hand, but I use the other three fingers as needed. Works for me.
 
#30
For $10, you can go to most music stores and walk out with lots of different kids of picks.

To my ears, you hear more of the pick with lighter picks. I like this, because I want it to sound like a pick if that's what I'm using. :) The heavy picks can sound often like fingerstyle. I use .73 Dunlop Gators (the yellow ones), or .73 Ultex.

I think it's important to know how to play with a pick and with fingers.
 
#31
For really old school picks try heavy leather. I'm not talking coat leather - I mean shoe sole leather. You can probably get some scraps from a shoe repair shop for free and cut them to suit you with a sharp knife, box cutter, razor blade, etc. They play like heavy felt but last longer than nylon picks.
 
#32
In my 38 years of playing bass, I have found the "be all end all" pick to be the Moshay. Believe it or not, I still have one from the 70's. That's how long they last! They are absolutely unbreakable. Perfect for bass. They have a hole in the pick that makes holding it easier and less likely to slip out of your hand. They come in three sizes (medium size seems best IMO), and four thicknesses (stiffness). They are made of nylon.

Every GC used to carry them years ago, but it seems GC no longer does. Here is the link to the Moshay site where you can order them.....

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These are the only picks I will ever use. For the record, I have no affiliation with Moshay.
 
#33
I've been happy with the 1.14mm Star Picks (the purple ones), but it looks like I have to force myself to try out a few others. :) Let me add that the Star Picks don't slip around in my hand--at least not that I've noticed. I guess how stable they are depends on your style, how you hold the pick, etc.

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#34
Any pick is useable for bass. From thin to extra heavy. Its just a matter of personal pref. Get a bunch of different ones and find out thru useing which you like the best. I prefer heavy gauage for both bass and guitar. I also never use the single pointy end, and insytead use either of the two more rounded ends. Better sound and control to me.
 
#36
bigtexashonk said:
For old school picks, try Herco mediums. Choice of McCartney, Entwistle and many others in the 60's.
Click to expand...

It is very hard to find these Herco's, but the Dunlop Nylon are very close. I find the gray 0.73 nylon to work very well. It have a very good grip area. When one need a bit more thickness all you need to do is to rotate the pick and play with the back side which is over 1mm. Also the Dunlop Nylon glow 0.80 pick is great. This pick have a bit harder Nylon which gives more response. By holding the pick right you will not need a thicker pick!!!! Metal picks are just silly must i say. Therecis a myth that some players such as Squire play with a coin, no he uses Herco 0.75 like many others from the 70's.
 
#38
I have found that I seem to shred picks fast. The best for me seems to be dunlop utex the ones with the rhino on them ha. And the fender delerin picks. They both hold up for a while. They acetel picks made by clayton arent bad eather but are kinda slippery for me I tend to lose them before they are worn out. Wedgies were awful they felt wierd and they left what looked like eraser dust all over my bass and that was the plastic wedgie picks. I switch gauges alot I like the sound of medium picks on a bass but they feel too floppy and break sometimes. so I tend to use .77 to 1.0 mm picks anything larger and it doesnt feel right it almost grabs the string and falls out of my hand.
 
#40
i like green tortex on bass w/ rounds.
i like yellow or orange tortex for guitar.

havent tried pick on flats in ages ... usually play my fretless w/ fingers ...

celluloid and plastics seem too "clicky" for bass to me ... prefer the slightly muted attack you get from tortex. sometimes i pre-round new ones with a nail file a bit to get the harsh edge off ... makes a HUGE difference in attack.
 

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