#16
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I have two tortoise shell picks, they require maintenance. I honestly like my Blue Chips just as much, gave all my other picks away except the TS when I got BCs. I love my TP-1R60, perfect pick for my playing style.
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Rich - rmyAddison Rich Macklin Soundclick Website http://www.youtube.com/rmyaddison Martin OM-18 Authentic '33 Adirondack/Mahogany Martin CS OM-28 Alpine/Madagascar Martin CS 00-42 Adirondack/Madagascar Martin OM-45TB (2005) Engelmann/Tasmanian Blackwood (#23 of 29) |
#17
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How to smooth and polish tortoise picks?
What do you use to smooth and polish tortoise shell picks?
I have a few antique ones - they're in good condition; not faded or pale at all. But they could stand to have a smoother surface and get rid of minor scuffing, and I'd like to have the surfaces and edges really polished to a high-gloss. I read some people suggest using a few drops of vegetable oil (corn) to restore the deep, dark color and Meguiars #7 Show Glaze to polish them - yes? I have a variety of different car polishes, waxes, etc., and probably some 1500 or 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper. I also have some Meguiars 'Scratch-X' polish in a black tube - I think it's for removing light surface scratches, but I'm not sure whether it leaves a gloss finish or not. I don't play my guitar for hours at a time and only a few days a week, so I'm hoping I won't really need to do a lot of maintenance and polish them too often - you think? Thanks a lot for any advice! Adam |
#18
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I've done several T.S. picks when the edges cracked. I rubbed them on 600 Wet or Dy paper and followed up with 1200. Then a light, careful buffing on my jewelers wheel makes them good again. The problem with them is that, since they are organic, they will keep deteriorating. I had a couple of them break in half. |
#19
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"I've always thought of bluegrass players as the Marines of the music world" – (A rock guitar guy I once jammed with) Martin America 1 Martin 000-15sm Recording King Dirty 30s RPS-9 TS Taylor GS Mini Baton Rouge 12-string guitar Martin L1XR Little Martin 1933 Epiphone Olympic 1971 square neck Dobro |
#20
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I believe tortoise shell has a high degree of coolness factor about it, even the fake stuff I like.
Especially on guitars and sun glasses frames. |
#21
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I like fake TS, too. Love my SWDGT for that reason.
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"I've always thought of bluegrass players as the Marines of the music world" – (A rock guitar guy I once jammed with) Martin America 1 Martin 000-15sm Recording King Dirty 30s RPS-9 TS Taylor GS Mini Baton Rouge 12-string guitar Martin L1XR Little Martin 1933 Epiphone Olympic 1971 square neck Dobro |
#22
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When I first started playing music in the 1970's, you could sometimes still find "new old stock" tortoiseshell picks at older music stores. They were fairly cheap, as well - I don't think I ever paid more than a dollar apiece for them. I got some really stiff ones, a few of which I still own, but the ones I liked were thinner and had just a bit of a flex to them. I was using one of those slightly flexible ones when I won the US Mountain Dulcimer contest at the Winfield festival in 1980.
The problem with those thinner ones was that they do break, as Zigeuner mentioned in his post from 2012. All the tortoiseshell picks I actually liked using broke years and years ago now, and I haven't seen any similar ones in decades. Which is just as well. D'Andrea Celluloid Classic .84 medium-heavies and the Blue Chip TD-35 give me that small amount of flex I need, and I actually do like the way they sound better than I do genuine tortoiseshell, anyway. Wade Hampton Miller |
#23
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I've used one a few times, never owned one. I really do like the way they sound and how the organic material feels "Sticky" when it's not. Very odd and wonderful material. Too bad it was an overused and abused species.
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https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-T...56266954411686 http://www.reverbnation.com/jayhowlett http://www.jayhowlett.com Guitars: I'm really happy to have a few nice ones. |
#24
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Early Ovation classical 2001 Taylor 355 2002 Taylor 308 BB 2004 Taylor 214 2011 Taylor GC4 1964 Fender Stratocaster 1965 Fender Jazz Bass Fender Twin Reverb |
#25
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#26
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Hi DT…
Of course you are questioning banana's attitude. And you are 'calling out' someone who has not posted in the forum for over a year and responding to a more than 3 year old thread to make your point. RedBear formulates Tortis© picks which are made from a chemical slurry with the same components as Tortoise shell, and they are poured and dehydrated, and then picks are made from it. I really like them for the same things that Tortoise shell picks are noted for, less pick slap, & better tactile response with the strings for the player. I'm not in favor of killing Tortoise to get the shells, but am not opposed to old Tortoise being formulated into other things. The advantage of the new formulated versions, are the are nearly indestructible compared to Tortoise which wears out.
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Baby #1.1 Baby #1.2 Baby #02 Baby #03 Baby #04 Baby #05 Larry's songs... …Just because you've argued someone into silence doesn't mean you have convinced them… Last edited by ljguitar; 05-13-2015 at 04:10 PM. |
#27
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Hi Larry,
I don't mean to make you wrong, but I have had a different experience regarding the redbear picks. I have purchased 5 of them. 1 broke in my pocket. I know they say not to do so, but I wouldn't call them "nearly indestructable". 2 of them "cupped" - a curved shape that made then less playable. I contacted red bear about the issue, and they were not interested in offering any remedy. The other two are nice picks, unless you compare them to the TS picks I've been able to play. In my experience, I would warn folks to beware of Red Bear picks. |
#28
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Tortoises are still dying and the cycle continues. All this needs to stop. Any trade in tortoise shell contributes to the extinction of the species, no matter what you might think about or believe about stock in antique pieces. Touching any tortoiseshell today kills more of them. Just say no. |
#29
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I agree you cannot put them in your pocket and sit on them (or in your wallet) or get them wet. When I said 'indestructible' I meant you can play them forever and not wear in the edge (which is why they cut a speed bevel edge into it). There are plenty of warnings about mistreating. And the ones punched full of holes will cup. I have some that are going on 6 years old which are still in pristine condition, because they travel in my guitar case inside an old SD memory card case, and when I grip picks, it's with a light hand. |
#30
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Hope that helps. |