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Thick Inflexible Picks.That's the way.
- Thread starter Watchootognbout
- Start date
Been playing with fingers for a zillion years, no pick. I started playing in a Cure tribute band about 3 years ago, which mandates pick for proper tone/image. Started with kinda thin ones, the yellow Star picks (.66 or so), the longer I've played the stiffer the picks have gotten. I'm at the point I like 'em almost brick stiff. I have issues hanging on (sweat lots), ones with grips are getting my love. I have these Pickboy 070, with raised nubs on them...they are almost brick hard, I don't think they are .070, they say medium on the back. I was always one of those "picks are for the nose" guys, but I like the sounds they give, just not as much the "divorced from the instrument" feeling of not having my skin in direct contact, nothing like full contact skin on instrument playing! Like sex without a condom...
MJ
MJ
Yes, and others that are similar.
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Or like hunting hogs with a knife instead of a gun?
I don't mind 'reaching out' to get 'em.
But I hate 'mushy' cars for Driving, and like stiff picks for picking.
OK The Dunlop Primetone 5mm and the Koa pick have come in.The Koa is about .125 and sounds like the Big Stubby.
But after using it for a while I notice that the tip has already started to grind away.
Of course.
It's wood.
I probably won't be ordering another.It's highly consumable.(see the tip?)
The Dunlop Primetone 5mm sharp tip takes little effort to use.
This is a dark sounding pick.
The opposite sound from the Agates.
A welcome addition to my collection.
But after using it for a while I notice that the tip has already started to grind away.
Of course.
It's wood.
I probably won't be ordering another.It's highly consumable.(see the tip?)
The Dunlop Primetone 5mm sharp tip takes little effort to use.
This is a dark sounding pick.
The opposite sound from the Agates.
A welcome addition to my collection.
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Dang it...got all these Max Grips and now you're going to make me try the Primetone and I'll probably end up liking it 
That's it!I'm hooked!
Two Agate 4.7 picks are on the runway!
$17.00 each!Timber Tones Agate Tones Crazy Lace Agate Guitar Pick | eBay
Two Agate 4.7 picks are on the runway!
$17.00 each!Timber Tones Agate Tones Crazy Lace Agate Guitar Pick | eBay
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It's the 3mm big stubby for me as well. I used to play with 1mm picks and always hated how they flexed and made me ply harder. Didn't even think about using a thicker pick until a guy at GC recommended one.
Gonna try an agate, but @ almost 5mm, yiu may as well start rummaging through riverbeds
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Alright, I'm going to give these super thick picks a try soon! I would never have imagined that these work as well as everyone says. Man I thought a 1mm pick was thick and too heavy for me! Seeing how everyone on this thread loves super thick heavy picks their has to be something to it! I'll get some and try them and report back after I spend some time with them.
If it makes you feel better, I have a rough time with anything thicker than 2 mm
Then again, the only one I've tried that's thicker is Dunlop Big Stubbys in 3 mm, and I've still got a couple but I can't do a thing with them. Saw some Timber Tones picks at Sam Ash earlier today and almost picked some up, but pretty sure they were wood, and didn't want to spend $17 on picks that would wear down like that koa pick that gebass showed. Have to admit being fascinated with that Dunlop Primetone 5 mm gypsy jazz pick, but the Big Stubby experience is making me hesitant.
Seems strange to be excited about picks in the mail. Got a couple typed of the Primetones to tryout.
I have found lately that I play lots of different kinds of picks. Different ones react and even sound different. Different materials affect tone. Thicknesses affect tone. How the edge is beveled affects tone. (And, yes, I'm lumping attack in with tone.)
So I grab the pick that best fits the attack and tone I am going for on a given song. I always say my pick her looks like a bunch of squished Skittles with so many colors on it.
I use Tortex from .60 on uo, several Dunlop black and grey (whatever they are made of) and a couple other random ones as well. I even have a thumb pick that I can use if I want to go back and forth from pick to finders in a song (so it stays on my thumb whime I am playing fingers style). I have gotten used to the sound they produce so I have also gotten pretty good at grabbing the right one.
So I grab the pick that best fits the attack and tone I am going for on a given song. I always say my pick her looks like a bunch of squished Skittles with so many colors on it.
I use Tortex from .60 on uo, several Dunlop black and grey (whatever they are made of) and a couple other random ones as well. I even have a thumb pick that I can use if I want to go back and forth from pick to finders in a song (so it stays on my thumb whime I am playing fingers style). I have gotten used to the sound they produce so I have also gotten pretty good at grabbing the right one.
.50 Dunlop Turtles. They sound the same on up and down strokes for me, and I like the delrin feel of them.
I stick to Dunlop Gators, usually 1.5mm or 2mm depending on which I pick up from my pick tray. I've been meaning to try the Big Stubbies for a long while, but haven't come across any music shop that sells them.
I have used Fender heavy gauge picks in the past. They often broke and developed ridges in the sides and were much less thick than the Gators; I think they were 1mm at the most. They were pretty (the ones I have are made of blue and green pearloid material), but with a pick I'm not going to care how it looks as long as it works to what I need.
I have used Fender heavy gauge picks in the past. They often broke and developed ridges in the sides and were much less thick than the Gators; I think they were 1mm at the most. They were pretty (the ones I have are made of blue and green pearloid material), but with a pick I'm not going to care how it looks as long as it works to what I need.
OK I got some big stubbies and some of the little red jazz III's to try. Also picked up some thumb picks to try seeing that I'm primarily a finger style player. Figured I could leave the thumb pick on while using fingers. Not much luck with the thumb pick, but to be honest I have been pleasantly surprised with the other two! I'm not much of a pick player yet, but last night I got together with some friends for some playing time. I brought my Precision strung with Fender flats and my Rick 4003s strung with EB Cobalt flats and actually did a half decent job with the picks on both basses. Made the bass cut through so everyone knew I was there. Alternate picking worked pretty well which I really figured it wouldn't do because a 1mm pick didn't work so well for me. I'll give it some more time but I may have become a convert, although I still spend most of my time fingerstyle.
I really prefer to play fingerstyle, but now I'm practicing more with a pick because we do have some songs where I think the tone and attack call for it, plus I just want to add that to my bag of tricks. I tried a bunch of different picks, mostly thinner ones, but then found that I really like the Big Stubbies. The 2.0's and 3.0's seem to work best for me, but I'd say I prefer the 2.0's. They're thick enough to not bend and flex and they're not so big that they're uncomfortable to hold while playing. The 3.0's aren't bad though, so I still use the ones I have.
Having read through this thread, you guys got me kind of curious about some other pick materials. I've tried felt picks and really like the sound of them. However, I found that it doesn't take long for the tip to get compacted and at that point they lose the softer attack that makes them sound so good. Then I tried some rubber picks (can't remember who made the ones I bought) to see if I could get the softer attack but with more longevity than felt. I did like the sound and attack but they seemed to stick to or drag on the strings, which made them hard to control. They'd also wear away, kind of like a pencil eraser, which I didn't like. Maybe that would be less of an issue with flatwound strings?
Those Primetones looks interesting...
Having read through this thread, you guys got me kind of curious about some other pick materials. I've tried felt picks and really like the sound of them. However, I found that it doesn't take long for the tip to get compacted and at that point they lose the softer attack that makes them sound so good. Then I tried some rubber picks (can't remember who made the ones I bought) to see if I could get the softer attack but with more longevity than felt. I did like the sound and attack but they seemed to stick to or drag on the strings, which made them hard to control. They'd also wear away, kind of like a pencil eraser, which I didn't like. Maybe that would be less of an issue with flatwound strings?
Those Primetones looks interesting...
After my first rehearsal using a few different picks, including an agate and a couple different Primetones, i gotta say im hooked. Far from perfect technique, but the tone im getting out of my MM Big Al was simply great. My thanks to the thread!
