What other brand pick most sounds like Blue Chip?

[AcousticDreams]

I love my Blue Chip picks. They give me the tone I have been looking for.

I have an odd idea that I would like to try out. I am a serial experimenter. I wish to partial laminate two picks together. It is a crazy Idea I have that may or may not work(won't go into to it now). Regardless it is always fun to get your curiosity satisfied through experimentation.

Because of the cost of Blue Chip...I would like to experiment with a less expensive pick first. I am sure there will be lots of failed tries.

So I am looking for recommendations of an Alternative Pick companies, that have some of the tone & stiffness-flexibility ratios similar to Blue Chip at a far lesser price. I do not expect it to be identical...but just something that has some of the attributes for my laminating experiments.

[TiffanyGuitar]

The Primetone smooth (not the grip/textured) picks are the closest I have found.

But I still really like Fender mediums and heavy picks. And recently ordered some medium/heavy celluloid from D'Andrea (who make Fender picks) that might just be my goldilocks pick - they are backordered and have not come yet for me to test.

[jaymarsch]

The Primetone smooth, opaque were the first that came to my mind. You also might try Clayton Ultem picks as well.
Best,
Jayne

[Bogle]

The Dunlop 207 jazz-type pick may sound similar as well, depending on your attack angle.

[AcousticDreams]

Originally Posted by TiffanyGuitar

The Primetone smooth (not the grip/textured) picks are the closest I have found.

But I still really like Fender mediums and heavy picks. And recently ordered some medium/heavy celluloid from D'Andrea (who make Fender picks) that might just be my goldilocks pick - they are backordered and have not come yet for me to test.

Originally Posted by jaymarsch

The Primetone smooth, opaque were the first that came to my mind. You also might try Clayton Ultem picks as well.
Best,
Jayne

Thanks I will give Primetones smooth a try.

I went on the website but the do no list the actual dimensions of the pick. The Blue Chip I am using is triangular 30mm long by 30mm wide.

Does anybody know what the measurements of the Primetone Standard smooth versus the Primetone smooth Triangle are? Lot's oh thickness of the smooth, but only two in the triangle.

[gretsch4me]

Just got some Primetone Jazz III XL 1.4mm. I'm impressed. YMMV

[J Patrick]

…plus one for Primetone smooths

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

Thanks I will give Primetones smooth a try.

I went on the website but the do no list the actual dimensions of the pick. The Blue Chip I am using is triangular 30mm long by 30mm wide.

Does anybody know what the measurements of the Primetone Standard smooth versus the Primetone smooth Triangle are? Lot's oh thickness of the smooth, but only two in the triangle.

Knives:

The standard sizes for various pick models are almost universal across the industry. They were originally designated more than 100 years ago by Mr. D'Andrea, an Italian immigrant in New York, then appropriated by Fender. Again, these are pretty much universal sizes, with precise measurements.

The standard large triangle shape -- known in pick parlance as the Fender 346 -- is 32.5 mm tip to tip, so your 30 x 30 is smaller than that. The standard teardrop pick shape is known as a Fender 351. My guess is roughly 99% of all guitar picks made worldwide every year are one of these two shapes.

And yes, I would agree the Primetone smooth series is a pretty good knock-off, for 1/10th the price.

scott memmer

[Italuke]

Originally Posted by TiffanyGuitar

The Primetone smooth (not the grip/textured)

Hmm...how would the sides of the pick affect tone? Aren't the tips/edges the same?

I like the textured, never tried the smooth because I have a hard time holding on to smooth picks.

[J Patrick]

Originally Posted by Italuke

Hmm...how would the sides of the pick affect tone? Aren't the tips/edges the same?

I like the textured, never tried the smooth because I have a hard time holding on to smooth picks.

….you should give the smooth Primetones a shot….the textured picks tend to put hair on your tone….some might consider that a plus…….a smoother pick gets rid of the hair….

….and the Primetone smooths are pretty grippy as far as smooth picks go…

[Peter Z]

As others said, the Primetone smooth. I even prefer them to my BlueChips. Only my Gibson Dove likes the BlueChips more that the Primetones.

[AcousticDreams]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Knives:

The standard sizes for various pick models are almost universal across the industry. They were originally designated more than 100 years ago by Mr. D'Andrea, an Italian immigrant in New York, then appropriated by Fender. Again, these are pretty much universal sizes, with precise measurements.

The standard large triangle shape -- known in pick parlance as the Fender 346 -- is 32.5 mm tip to tip, so your 30 x 30 is smaller than that. The standard teardrop pick shape is known as a Fender 351. My guess is roughly 99% of all guitar picks made worldwide every year are one of these two shapes.


scott memmer

Fun History of pick sizes Scott. Very Helpful. Thank you.

So I have a few teardrops and measured them. They are still 30mm long but only 26 mm wide.

Since you are a pick expert:

Can you tell me how width of a pick effects flexibility? Triangular picks are a bit wider at the bending point. I would assume then that their is some flexibility differences between a Triangle and teardrop of the same thickness?

Typically using the same material such as wood, a longer distance will bend easier in the middle.

However when adding width to the equation...then the board does not bend as easily for the same length, I believe. The Board becomes stronger. As an example a 8 foot by 4 inches wide by one inch thick board versus a 8 foot by 8 inches wide by one inch board. I believe the wider board will bend less.

If Width does effect, how would you compare stiffness ratios between the same thickness in a Triangle versus Teardrop Pick. And if so by what percentage? Basically, will a Teardrop 1.0 bend easier than a Triangle 1.0?

[Lawren]

Originally Posted by Italuke

Hmm...how would the sides of the pick affect tone? Aren't the tips/edges the same?

I like the textured, never tried the smooth because I have a hard time holding on to smooth picks.

While the smooth and textured picks are apparently made of the "same" material, the end results are not the same. One is opaque and one is semi-opaque, for one. Aside from playing them, simply drop each pick on a hard surface and there is an audible difference in the materials. The grip version is a bit harder.

[Dave JH]

I got a gift which included a Dandrea used by Tommy Emmanuel pick which Ibactually likes better than blue chip. A brighter smoother tone. Can’t remember the name, pro plec I think. Much cheaper than blue chips too. Worth a shot for sure.

[Italuke]

Originally Posted by J Patrick

….you should give the smooth Primetones a shot….the textured picks tend to put hair on your tone….some might consider that a plus…….a smoother pick gets rid of the hair….

….and the Primetone smooths are pretty grippy as far as smooth picks go…

Wait, I'm confused. Are you saying that the EDGES of the non grip picks are different than the edges of the grip ones? I dunno how everyone else plays but for me only the tip and MAYBE a tiny bit of the side surface touch the strings. I'm looking at a grip Primetone right now and it is smooth for a good 3/8 inch before the raised stuff starts. Can't imagine anyone touches the string with the raised grippy part.