Picks

[highvibrational]

Hello all,
Can the right pick make all the difference in the world? I just changed to nylon flexi picks with gripping action and I feel like my playing has gotten so much better. Anyone with similar experiences?

[muscmp]

i choose my pick based upon the guitar i'm playing, what song i'm doing and, whether or not i'm singing. may be thin, medium or thick. may be a variety of materials.

play music!

[Muddslide]

I also vary the picks I use based on the kind of music I'm playing.

That's a fairly new development since from the late 70s to about 10 years back I pretty much only used Herco nylon Flex 50s and 75s. Or whatever was around if I didn't have those to hand.

I started experimenting a few years back and found myself gravitating more towards thicker picks. For a time I was all about triangular Dunlop and Clayton Ultex picks around 1.5mm. Still use them too.

Have a few Dunlop Primetone triangles at 1.4 mm and like the bevel on them, but prefer the overall sound and feel of the Ultex.

Stumbled onto a couple of V-Picks and dig those a lot. Especially the 4 mm "Snake" model.

Recently, though, I've decided to start playing 50s-60s upbeat country and rockabilly at some local nursing homes and the VA hospital. Moving back to that sort of playing--fast strumming and so on--the thicker picks didn't respond as well...I felt I needed a bit more flexibility.

So I went through my pretty substantial collection of picks...tried various gauges and materials...and I came full circle back to the trusty nylon Hercos. I bought a bunch of them as I was running low.

I wish, I wish with all my might that Dunlop would offer these in the rounded triangle shape in addition to the standard "351" pick shape. I think that would be my ideal lifetime pick.

I know Herco picks used to come in the 346 triangle shape back in the day, but since Dunlop acquired the company back in the early 90s they just have 3 or 4 varieties of the Hercos on offer.

This is not to knock Jim Dunlop. Great company with a huge range of quality products priced well.

But hey, Mr. Dunlop--how about some Herco Flex triangles?

[GHS]

You may find, like I did, that the longer you play, the smaller and thicker your picks will get. Dunlop Gators 1.14 and 1.5 are my favorite. They grip well, add no plastic "snap" to the strings, ( if you dont want it), last for ever and are inexpensive.

[Murphy Slaw]

Every time I think I settle, I don't.

[PorkPieGuy]

I didn't think pick would make that big of a difference until I got some V-picks. I think I've lost them all now, but they are great!

If you get a V-pick, be sure to put a dot or something on it with a Sharpie. They are clear and VERY easy to lose.

[Johnny K]

Why are we talking about picks in the Open Mic section?

C'mon mods, take that to the Acoustic forum.