Primetone Picks

[BFD]

Originally Posted by brancher

...Interestingly, I had a conversation with Trey Hensley at an Emmanual show last month, we were talking technique, and he told me he uses a Blue Chip TAD60. So, I think if I get a TAD60, I'll be able to play like him! Not really.... but I would like to try a BC sometime.
As usual, ymmv.

Really like Primetones also. Have tried various sizes & shapes of triangles from 1.3-1.5. Prefer the tone & feel of the brown (non-embossed) 1.5 large tri best.
Also play BC TAD60 & TAD60-1R (mando). Still workin' on channeling Trey tho . . . maybe it's the hat

[Mr Fingers]

I don't find any difference (other than color) between Primetones and Ultex of the same thickness. Since I don't like the feel of textured picks and am not a pick dropper in need of additional traction (in fact, I like to be able to vary pick position) I sanded the dimples off the Primetones I used to use. I find Charmed Life Red to offer all the benefits of Primetone and Ultex with the additional benefits of even better feel on the strings, even less pick noise, and what feels to me like the best possible stiffness/thinness balance of any pick. But that's all personal to me.

[valleyguy]

I tried the Primetones, too bright for my taste. When I want a mellow tone I use the Charmed Life, when I want a little more brightness I use the Wegen bluegrass, it's a good compromise between the two.

[HHP]

One thing to note about Primetone picks. The grip and no grip models are very different. Material is supposedly the same but there may be something in the molding process that alters them. The grip models are harder, tend to give a different tone than same no grip model.

Here's two otherwise identical Primetones. Grip on the left, non grip on the right.

[FrankHudson]

I use the Primetone picks talked about here for acoustic guitar a lot these days. Not always my favorite for strumming, but for just about anything else they seem to work well.

There's another pick in the Primetone line, not carried everywhere, and I don't believe it's been talked about here as much (or at all?).

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acces...r-picks-3-pack

The Large Round Tip is great for electric bass. I've tried it some for acoustic playing, but haven't got the hang of it.

The material feels like harder plastic, like styrene or something. No flex ever. Extreme beveling on the 5mm ones. For folks who like to experiment with picks they are worth a try.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Mr Fingers

I don't find any difference (other than color) between Primetones and Ultex of the same thickness. Since I don't like the feel of textured picks and am not a pick dropper in need of additional traction (in fact, I like to be able to vary pick position) I sanded the dimples off the Primetones I used to use. I find Charmed Life Red to offer all the benefits of Primetone and Ultex with the additional benefits of even better feel on the strings, even less pick noise, and what feels to me like the best possible stiffness/thinness balance of any pick. But that's all personal to me.

This is not a diss on Dunlop's wonderful products across the board, but I also feel the Ultex line is just right for me. The Primetones appear to be Ultem as well, but just with a different color. It's possible Dunlop has also changed the Ultem formula for the very popular Primetone series, but they ain't talkin.

Anyway, for many years the Ultex 1.14 mm teardrop was my go-to pick, so Fingers and I would concur with Fingers' assessment here.

YMMV.

scott memmer

[geetarman]

I've been using Ultex 1.0 picks for acoustic for years they're cheap and sound good.

[Blueser]

I love the Primetone picks. I use a 1.0 on my J45 Custom Rosewood along with some GHS 80/20 strings and I get the perfect balance of lush warmth and top end chime from them.

I use the Ultex picks on my electrics and love them, but they are a bit too warm on my acoustics.

It's all about the overall recipe!

[big jilm]

I used to use Primetones (.88 - 1.5mm) on my acoustic, but I ended up liking the regular Ultex (.88 - 1mm) better for the tone I like. The Primetones and the Ultex feel about the same in my hand to me, but the Primetones have that 'tic tic' sound on the strings that I don't care for, while the Ultex seems to have a lot less of that, to my ear.

Lord, changing picks makes such a huge difference on acoustic guitar! Fun, relatively cheap, and easy way to change things up.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Blueser

I love the Primetone picks. I use a 1.0 on my J45 Custom Rosewood along with some GHS 80/20 strings and I get the perfect balance of lush warmth and top end chime from them.

I use the Ultex picks on my electrics and love them, but they are a bit too warm on my acoustics.

It's all about the overall recipe!

"Recipe" -- funny word. I never looked at picks quite like that, but you're right.

scott memmer

[Blueser]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

"Recipe" -- funny word. I never looked at picks quite like that, but you're right.

scott memmer

Yeah....It struck me that way, because my Goodall Concert Jumbo is a brighter, guitar with more sustain and on that guitar I use DR Rare PB strings and a Blue Chip 1.0 pick, which is just right if I'm strumming that guitar (though it is heavenly as a finger style instrument as well). It took me a while to get the combinations right (to my ears) for each of these guitars and I said to myself, "this is like tweaking a recipe".

I suspect a lot of people give up on good guitars, because they haven't found the right "recipe" for their ears. Like many, for years, I was following "Internet Forum Wisdom", which is most cases is nonsense and just someone else's personal preferences. When it's regurgitated enough, it becomes "Forum Lore". You truly need to find your own preferences and that can sometimes take months of trying various string and pick types. I narrow things down with strings first, as I believe them to have the overall biggest impact. Then I go through the various pick types in my arsenal to fine tune the tone I want. In the end, it's fun and inexpensive but you have to have patience as you go through the process.

[Rudy4]

I like the Primetone dark brown large triangles, but I'm a little on the fence due to the guage. If they made a simple "1" instead of 1.4 or 1.5 they would be perfect.

The slightly heavier picks sound better, but I wish there was just a wee bit more tactile feedback. That's what I miss when using a heavier pick.

I went through a rather extensive process a while back with trying to define the "ultimate" forever pick for me. Part of the selection process was the amount of click produced by the pick, particularly as it came through when recorded using a good set of small diaphragm condensers. I did a bunch of short recordings one after the other; everything being identical other than the pick. I lined them up in my DAW on the computer so I could toggle between the various demos easily. The 1.4 and 1.5s had noticeably less pick click than thinner picks, and that's an important factor in the decision process for me.

As a daily player I'd prefer large triangle Primetones with the smooth surface in a 1.0 thickness, but I often pick up a slightly lighter 1.0 Ultex since the Primetones are a bit heavier.

[Bikewer]

These popped up on Amazon as “suggested” when I bought a set of strings for my mandolin. For 5 bucks I gave ‘em a try.

Not bad at all as mandolin picks. A little on the quiet side; my usual teardrop Dunlop nylons give a bit more “ring”. Still, a decent pick.
Haven’t tried them on the guitar yet.

[valleyguy]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

I went through a rather extensive process a while back with trying to define the "ultimate" forever pick for me. Part of the selection process was the amount of click produced by the pick, particularly as it came through when recorded using a good set of small diaphragm condensers.

If you want to minimize that irritating click a pick can make on a string, then you might want to try a Wegen bluegrass, with a bevel, like the primetones. However, I find a lot less pick click. They are a tad thicker that your 1.0 target, but I find they work well. It is the thickest pick I use.

[OKCtodd71]

Originally Posted by David MacNeill

I just today received my first Primetones, a 3 pack of 1.3 semi-round. They do not work better than good old yellow Ultex 0.73 — in fact, they are rather clackety clack for anything but single notes. Tossed ‘em in the dead accessories drawer.

No offense intended but I have always found that most “clackity” artifact noises are 95% caused by holding a pick with a very loose grip, allowing the pick to wiggle around between your fingers. I too prefer the plain ultex yellows but it could well be the pebbled texture is making use loosen your grip just a tiny bit. Try just a tiny more pressure between thumb and index with any pick and you’ll get less artifact noise. You can also get a little darker, or brighter tonefrom any guitar, with any pick, by minute adjustments in how softly - bright/ firmly - darker, you hold a pick.