Picking Picks

[tripp2k]

I come from a background of playing 6 string guitar for more years than I care to admit. I've dabbled in bass over that time period and have chosen to make it my primary weapon of choice in any new projects I participate in. I've never really developed a 2 or 3 finger technique and, at my age, may never. I don't have the time I'd like to practice given the day job, traveling for work and volunteer stuff I do. SO...

I bought a bunch of different picks to see what I like and here is a synopsis of my findings and result should this be useful to you.

Fender Medium - Yes. You can find one of these anywhere. They do the job but I feel that the attack is a bit too strong and bright.

Dunlop Tortex .60mm - My preferred guitar pick that has a perfect give for how I play. Definitely a bit too flexible for playing bass but could work in a pinch.

Wedgie 3mm / 5mm Rubbers Medium - Love the idea but a bit too sticky/grabby on the strings. May try the Hard version at some point but...

Dunlop 3M Big Stubby Nylon - Yep. This is where it's at. Thick and I can use different edges for different flavors. The attack is more ideal and not as strong or bright as the Fender Mediums. Indention keeps it in your fingers. Keeper for sure.

Clayton Exotic Picks - Yep. Another keeper. Love the extra pointy end and the indention to keep that sucker in your fingers. Since these are made out of wood, they will probably wear faster than the Stubby but I exclusively use flats so maybe not. Time will tell.

All purchased from Strings and Beyond which has been a reliable supplier over the years.

Of course, YMMV and I've certainly opened myself up to the traditionalist fingers only crowd

 

[Russell L]

I like a Fender medium #346 shape (rounded triangle) for guitar or bass. Most folks don't though.

 

[JimmyM]

Been rediscovering the Big Stubby 3mm lately. Didn't like them at first but I have been enjoying them lately.

 

[Resonance129]

Still searching for my favorite pick, too. So many to try, which makes it pretty fun. I've come to find I'm a big fan of the traditional 351 shape, and prefer a medium thickness.
Thin picks flop off the string a little much and don't give me the defined sound I like from a pick. plus, they wear and bend out of shape pretty quickly on the thick bass strings.
I tend to attack way too hard with thicker picks, and because I tend to feel like I'm gonna break the strings with them, my technique only suffers further. Gotta be between 0.63mm and 1.0mm for me.

Recently tried the Fender "Wavelength" in medium and really like them.
The Dava picks with rubber grips and plastic tips have been a go-to for quite a while before the Wavelengths.
And I love the Primetone "XL Jazz III"s

 

[stratovani]

After some experimentation I've settled on the tried and true Fender 351 Medium celluloid pick. Most picks I've tried tend to be clacky when they hit the strings, but the 351 seems to me to be the least clacky of all. I don't play them with the sharp end, preferring to play with one of the two top blunt ends, since they don't dig into the string. I also find them easy to palm, since I'll switch back and forth between pick and fingers on certain songs. All in all my personal favorite, and as the OP said YMMV.

 

[B-Mac]

I come from a background of playing 6 string guitar for more years than I care to admit. I've dabbled in bass over that time period and have chosen to make it my primary weapon of choice in any new projects I participate in. I've never really developed a 2 or 3 finger technique and, at my age, may never. I don't have the time I'd like to practice given the day job, traveling for work and volunteer stuff I do. SO...

I bought a bunch of different picks to see what I like and here is a synopsis of my findings and result should this be useful to you.

Fender Medium - Yes. You can find one of these anywhere. They do the job but I feel that the attack is a bit too strong and bright.

Dunlop Tortex .60mm - My preferred guitar pick that has a perfect give for how I play. Definitely a bit too flexible for playing bass but could work in a pinch.

Wedgie 3mm / 5mm Rubbers Medium - Love the idea but a bit too sticky/grabby on the strings. May try the Hard version at some point but...

Dunlop 3M Big Stubby Nylon - Yep. This is where it's at. Thick and I can use different edges for different flavors. The attack is more ideal and not as strong or bright as the Fender Mediums. Indention keeps it in your fingers. Keeper for sure.

Clayton Exotic Picks - Yep. Another keeper. Love the extra pointy end and the indention to keep that sucker in your fingers. Since these are made out of wood, they will probably wear faster than the Stubby but I exclusively use flats so maybe not. Time will tell.

All purchased from Strings and Beyond which has been a reliable supplier over the years.

Of course, YMMV and I've certainly opened myself up to the traditionalist fingers only crowd

My fav are Gravity 3mm
I am currently trying out the Wedgie 3mm in all 3 versions
They all stick but the hardest ones stick less

 

[tripp2k]

My fav are Gravity 3mm
I am currently trying out the Wedgie 3mm in all 3 versions
They all stick but the hardest ones stick less

Should I give the hardest one a shot?

 

[GIBrat51]

I like the Heavy Fender "351 shape" picks, but my favorites are the Dunlop #8012 "Felt Pick Standard" ones. The Felts are pretty thick, but surprisingly stiff. They feel good, and sound great - for what I like to play. They don't stick - for me,; but then, the basses I play with a pick all wear flats or tapes...

 

[B-Mac]

Should I give the hardest one a shot?

Well, they’re still ‘sticky’. Drag across the strings, but I’ve only used them on rounds. They might be totally different on flats and nylon tape wounds.

They definitely don’t have the ‘clicky’ sound at the amp end of things.

 

[zontar]

I own & use a variety of picks for guitar & mandolin.
I also have some I bought just to have a small collection

For bass I almost always use my fingers, but when I do use a pick it is almost always a Tortex 1.14 mm

 

[B-Mac]

I own & use a variety of picks for guitar & mandolin.
I also have some I bought just to have a small collection

For bass I almost always use my fingers, but when I do use a pick it is almost always a Tortex 1.14 mm

For us bass pick players who don't use or want to use fingers we're looking for a pick to sound 'less clicky'. I started with the Tortex 1.14 textured which I really liked and then went to the Gravity 3mm, but both are 'clicky'.

The entire point of the OP's thread is to find the best pick that can get a finger sound without using fingers.
I have tried the felt picks, but they wear out fast and sound clicky when the felt wears off.

The Wedgie sound great with no clicky sound but really feel weird.

 

[wvbass]

Dunlop Tortex .60mm - My preferred guitar pick that has a perfect give for how I play. Definitely a bit too flexible for playing bass but could work in a pinch.

This quote is interesting to me. I've been a finger-style player for (oh my) almost forty years now. I only use a pick in certain situations, but the band I'm in now I probably play > 50% with a pick. I favor thinner picks, and a Dunlop Tortex .60 clone is one of my favorites - the orange .60 Everly Star Pick. I don't find a thin pick to interfere with my timing, but it does generate a lot of pick attack noise.

When I play with a pick, I want it to sound like I'm using a pick. Otherwise, I'll just use my fingers.

 

[MattZilla]

I like a ton of different picks, but an orange Tortex works fine with anything on anything.

 

[zontar]

For us bass pick players who don't use or want to use fingers we're looking for a pick to sound 'less clicky'. I started with the Tortex 1.14 textured which I really liked and then went to the Gravity 3mm, but both are 'clicky'.

The entire point of the OP's thread is to find the best pick that can get a finger sound without using fingers.
I have tried the felt picks, but they wear out fast and sound clicky when the felt wears off.

The Wedgie sound great with no clicky sound but really feel weird.

The Wedgie rubber picks do feel weird--both to hold & when you pick the strings.
When I do use a pick it is often because I want a more percussive sound--so the Tortex works for me.
(And some rhythms are easier for me to play with a pick than my fingers)

 

[sunbeast]

I come from a background of playing 6 string guitar for more years than I care to admit. I've dabbled in bass over that time period and have chosen to make it my primary weapon of choice in any new projects I participate in. I've never really developed a 2 or 3 finger technique and, at my age, may never. I don't have the time I'd like to practice given the day job, traveling for work and volunteer stuff I do. SO...

I bought a bunch of different picks to see what I like and here is a synopsis of my findings and result should this be useful to you.

Fender Medium - Yes. You can find one of these anywhere. They do the job but I feel that the attack is a bit too strong and bright.

Dunlop Tortex .60mm - My preferred guitar pick that has a perfect give for how I play. Definitely a bit too flexible for playing bass but could work in a pinch.

Wedgie 3mm / 5mm Rubbers Medium - Love the idea but a bit too sticky/grabby on the strings. May try the Hard version at some point but...

Dunlop 3M Big Stubby Nylon - Yep. This is where it's at. Thick and I can use different edges for different flavors. The attack is more ideal and not as strong or bright as the Fender Mediums. Indention keeps it in your fingers. Keeper for sure.

Clayton Exotic Picks - Yep. Another keeper. Love the extra pointy end and the indention to keep that sucker in your fingers. Since these are made out of wood, they will probably wear faster than the Stubby but I exclusively use flats so maybe not. Time will tell.

All purchased from Strings and Beyond which has been a reliable supplier over the years.

Of course, YMMV and I've certainly opened myself up to the traditionalist fingers only crowd

I’m a big fan of the Dunlop Jazz XL picks- I like red ones, but the black ones are a bit different and also nice. I’ve tried TONS of picks over the years and these have stuck out for their control, depth, nice attack (without any “click”), etc. For a really bright aggressive attack I like the reissue version Herco Heavy picks- much more give than the XLs (so less control), but the tone is very gritty and bright which I want sometimes and without any clicky attack