Blue ChipPicks (again) Changing my mind.

[Silly Moustache]

For a start: As a flatpicker, I consider 1 m/m picks are "lights."
I've been using BC TAD40 (1 m/m) for smaller guitars (0,00,000 with light gauge strings.
and
TAD50 (1.25 m/m) for guitars, (dreads and my Roy Smeck Jumbo) with medium gauge strings.
A while ago, I ordered a TAD 60 (1.5m/m) just to try.
I had formerly considered that BC 1.5 m/m to be a "tad" (sic) dull sounding.

Edit - additional info. My CMC Joint (The thumb carpometacarpal joint), on my right hand has "gone" -according to my doctor, and one of my former clients "you don't want to have surgery there!" -not that it would be available currently anyway.

Yesterday I welcomed my old pal Mando-Bob and we had a very enjoyable session trying to remember all the numbers we used to play together.
normally, I would have used one of my dreads, but I chose to use my 0002h (with lights and a TAD40) to flatpick, and found it very painful.
I tried a TAD 50, and then a TAD 60 - each time it was a little less painful.
I changed to my DS2h, with mediums and compared the TAD 50 (my normal for this guitar, and the TAD60. I found the medium strings and TAD 60 the least painfiul, and more accurate.

Now in the second half of my seventies, with all my senses dulling, I've found that I preferred the sound and feel of the heavier picks, especially on my smaller (00 and 000) guitars.

So I have at least one BC pick for every flat top plus two for mando.

I think I have 15, and I'm considering changing my BC picks for dreads and Jumbos to TAD60s, and my 3 x 00s to TAD 50s.

This means a considerable further investment.

Anyways, do you guys that use Bluechips pair them with certain guitars and string gauges ... or ... is it .... just ..... me?

Oh, BTW I also use Wegens TF120s and 140s but can't really tell 'em apart.

[Pickcity]

I’m doing the opposite. I have a TAD60 and TAD50, and though I have played with the 60 more often, and preferred it, right now I enjoy the 50 more. I am liking the feel of it and the sound. I believe it is more of a feel thing than it is a sound thing. The sound of the 50 seems a bit more crisp, but I’m not noticing too big of a difference.

I don’t play with anything less than 1.3mm these days, or anything more than 1.5mm.

[musicman1951]

Picks are a real ymmv thing. I use TAD 40's on everything. I tried a 50 and it wasn't as comfortable. I'm sure it would have become comfortable if I just used it for enough time, but I sent it back for another TAD 40 addition to the collection.

Cost is relative. I played a wedding years ago with a violinist who was using a $10,000 bow. My last trumpet mouthpiece was $200 and it's not my most expensive. My flute headjoint was $3,000. All these things relate to guitar picks in terms of getting the air to vibrate and make sound. Sure, a $40 pick is a lot more than a $3 pick, but what did you spend on the guitar and, most importantly, how much does the better pick enhance your playing pleasure?

For some players a $.75 pick pleases them the most. You're not that lucky.

[Murphy Slaw]

I use the 40 on all guitars.

However, I find the Wegen BG 1.0 to be faster. I will use the Wegen probably 80% of the time, but I still keep a few Bluechips.

[sinistral]

I have a bunch of picks from Blue Chip, Charmed Life, Apollo, Red Bear, etc., but find myself using only a couple of preferred picks that I play everything with. Probably my favorite pick is a Blue Chip CT 55 with a speed bevel. It’s like the Goldilocks of picks for me. Not too warm and not too bright, the speed bevel glides easily off of wound strings, just the right thickness for me to hold, etc. Sadly, I only have one of them, so a lot of expensive picks go unused.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by sinistral

I have a bunch of picks from Blue Chip, Charmed Life, Apollo, Red Bear, etc., but find myself using only a couple of preferred picks that I play everything with. Probably my favorite pick is a Blue Chip CT 55 with a speed bevel. It’s like the Goldilocks of picks for me. Not too warm and not too bright, the speed bevel glides easily off of wound strings, just the right thickness for me to hold, etc. Sadly, I only have one of them, so a lot of expensive picks go unused.

Hi, all true. BTW do you play lefty, or are you like me lefty playing righty?

[Gee Man]

I've gone through several BCs and have settled on the TAD60 1R, really like the tones I get out of the rounded corner. One of these days I want to step up to the TAD80 1R, but am kind of afraid I'll like it too much and it will make my TAD60 picks superfluous.

[joejessal]

Hi Silly,
I’m a lefty that also plays righty. Guess that’s how I first played when I got a guitar. I don’t think I even knew there was a choice 😂. As for pics, I use the the TAD3r 50 and 60. I started with the TD40 and quickly liked the sound of the 50 and 60. And I use them even on Collings 01T, and of course the D1T. I like the deeper sound I get out of them. I also the dreaded left thumb problem.
Cheers!

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Hi, all true. BTW do you play lefty, or are you like me lefty playing righty?

I play lefty, so when I order a pick with a speed bevel, it’s left-handed. Blue Chip marks the pick with a small “LH” below the pick thickness marking.

The good thing about BC picks is that one can resell them and recoup a decent amount of their cost. You might want to keep a few of the thinner picks in case you change your mind…

[slimey]

I have a mix from 40's to 60's and find different guitars like different thicknesses. If a guitar was designed to have strong trebles a thicker pick muddies the tone, visa versa if the guitar was designed for strong mid and bass a 40 pick will make the guitar under perform.
While I usually use the TAD triangle you can confuse the issue with a TD , the longer and sharper point can give a slightly brighter tone while providing the control, volume and general tone of a thicker model pick.
Usually after much back and forth with various model picks I find the one I prefer for a particular instrument and that pick then lives in that guitar case.

[CharlieBman]

Took me awhile to get onboard the boutique chip train. At first I thought the idea was ridiculous, but I bought a few to see what the fuss was about. At first I wasn't impressed. So with my initial bias against them, it took me awhile to realize that they are not a one-pick-for-all thing. On my HD-28 and 000-18 they sound awesome. I like a darker tone on my 12-strings so I stick with Tortex. On my Taylors I reach for Tortex too. But they bring a little more life out of my J-45.

So while I'm not a strict boutique chip guy, I have found they have their place.

[drtedtan]

I tend to use a TD50 across the board, but will change picks to suit the tone I’m going for.

[Stringmaster]

Originally Posted by sinistral

I have a bunch of picks from Blue Chip, Charmed Life, Apollo, Red Bear, etc., but find myself using only a couple of preferred picks that I play everything with. Probably my favorite pick is a Blue Chip CT 55 with a speed bevel. It’s like the Goldilocks of picks for me. Not too warm and not too bright, the speed bevel glides easily off of wound strings, just the right thickness for me to hold, etc. Sadly, I only have one of them, so a lot of expensive picks go unused.

Same here—it’s my “just right” pick. I order the CT-55 with one round corner to give me another option. For some reason I have a hankering to try an 80 thickness BC!

[warfrat73]

Personally, I prefer Wegens currently, using TF140s mostly for mando and TF120s for guitar.

[iparkforfree]

I thought you were fingerstyle only on your smaller guitars.