From thin to thick: a picky topic

[Guitarplayer_PR]

For reasons, I've almost always played with relatively nylon thin picks (from .60 to .73). I've had thicker picks (1.0 and thicker), but never used them for acoustic guitars because, at the time, the tone was kind of dull for me. Little did I know that the material of the pick (I only got plastic picks of that thickness) played a big part.

Recently, I decided to test different picks which are thicker than what I've been used to play. And then I found the Dunlop Primetone and the D'Addario Black Ice picks, from 1.0 to 1.5, pointed and rounded. I wish I could've played them before. I haven't played with the much heralded Bluechips; but if those are, indeed, better, then they have to be amazing because the Primetone and the Black Ice feel so great.

[619TF]

I haven't played the Black Ice one but a friend let me use his Blue Chip once and I was impressed. Maybe more impressed when I discovered the Primetones give a really close approximation of the BC at a fraction of the cost. One of the best picks I've found for my Taylor 314ce is the Taylor branded "blue swirl" which is made from Thermex Ultra but those are a little more "pricey" at $12 for 6 from Taylor so I rarely get those. FWIW I like the Primetones at about .88 and the Taylor at 1.0-1.2mm.

[SuperB23]

I used the Dunlop Tortek lights for the first 10 years of playing from about 17-27. I had multiple pro players tell me I should switch to thicker picks. Later on in my playing I did and I haven't looked back. I like the Blue Chip 60 thickness now which I believe is 1.5. I love the sound of their rounded bevel and rounded edge and how you hear no pick sound, just fat round tone! The tone on the blue chip picks can only be equaled by real TS picks IMO.

For a really fast light strumming sound the thick picks are a bit tougher to use but I really don't play that style as much anymore.

[Dru Edwards]

I'm a standard Primetone 1.0mm fan. I also have some black ice as well and they're different picks than Primetone but still nice.

I used to use thin picks when I started out but slowly switched to .6 - .8 until I settled on 1.0mm.

[roadbiker]

I've been using Gravity acrylic picks exclusively since I was turned on them about 10 years ago. They are reasonably priced and perform well.

[biotechmgr]

Love thin picks for rhythm strumming but love those primetones all around.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Acoustic Guitar Forum mobile app

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Guitarplayer_PR

For reasons, I've almost always played with relatively nylon thin picks (from .60 to .73). I've had thicker picks (1.0 and thicker), but never used them for acoustic guitars because, at the time, the tone was kind of dull for me. Little did I know that the material of the pick (I only got plastic picks of that thickness) played a big part.

Recently, I decided to test different picks which are thicker than what I've been used to play. And then I found the Dunlop Primetone and the D'Addario Black Ice picks, from 1.0 to 1.5, pointed and rounded. I wish I could've played them before. I haven't played with the much heralded Bluechips; but if those are, indeed, better, then they have to be amazing because the Primetone and the Black Ice feel so great.

Hi, like you and many others I started with very thin picks in my case they were Martin nylon and "delrin" and I think I had from .60 to 1 m/m and as I became better - i.e., I found myself in a bluegrass band and needed to get that Boom-chick thing going, I progressed to thicker picks.

My Martin picks were standard 351 (shape) teardrops.

When some years ago, I got my first Blue Chip is was a 346 large triangle and that impressed me as much as the superb qualities of rte "vespal" material that they use.

Thin picks are easier to strum with because the give so its a bit like sweeping with a soft brush, compared to a thicker, firmer picks which is slightly harder work but far more accurate for melody, bass and soloing etc.

You don't have to buy $35 picks and whilst I totally think they are the best in the business, I would advise against it until you really know what suits your style best, and we vary quite a bit.

Large triangles have three points (three times the value!!!) and they are larger (easier to grip), and have just a little more mass (so a 1 m/m triangle might be like a 1.25 m/m teardrop (just my theory), and finally, the angles of the tips are approx. 60 degrees rather than the more acute teardrops.

I recommend large triangle picks to all my zoom clients who struggle with using a flat-pick, and I suggest that they buy an assortment of Dunlop Tortex large triangles like these :

https://www.ebay.com/itm/22117538351...AAAOSwwNVTu2Ca

to see which one (if any) suit you. Most have been converted to triangles!

Here's me rambling on about picks - https://youtu.be/8bBReQVEdaU

[YamahaGuy]

Snarling Dogs Brain purple (thin at 0.63) is my go to pick, even though I have a Blue Chip.

Don't overlook an ebony pick. I like to record with them. Very organic sound and feel.

[Br1ck]

Primetones are the gateway drug of guitar picks. Better or worse is a subjective
judgement. I find BC picks to be less bright than Primetones, but the pick glides across strings. I'm finding Charmed Life casein picks to my liking these days. Bright but not harsh.

Really, the path is uniquely yours, and many who have tried everything like Primetones.

As to cost, do you realize the rule of thumb for violinists is a bow should be equal to 1/3 the value of a violin? A $40 pick s no big deal.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Guitarplayer_PR

For reasons, I've almost always played with relatively nylon thin picks (from .60 to .73). I've had thicker picks (1.0 and thicker), but never used them for acoustic guitars because, at the time, the tone was kind of dull for me. Little did I know that the material of the pick (I only got plastic picks of that thickness) played a big part.

Recently, I decided to test different picks which are thicker than what I've been used to play. And then I found the Dunlop Primetone and the D'Addario Black Ice picks, from 1.0 to 1.5, pointed and rounded. I wish I could've played them before. I haven't played with the much heralded Bluechips; but if those are, indeed, better, then they have to be amazing because the Primetone and the Black Ice feel so great.

Hi Gp
The picks I keep in my place I hide picks from myself are Wegan or Red Bear 1-1.5mm with speed bevels, and rounded corners. Picks are very personal.

[Robin, Wales]

If I could have only one pick make for the rest of my life then it would be Wegenpicks. Michel makes a wide variety of shapes and thickness and I find that the material he uses is the loudest and most balanced of all the materials I have so far tried out (and that's quite a lot!!!). I have no idea exactly what they are machined from? What I can say is that they are machined not moulded. And my guess would be that he is using sheets or rods of some sort of hard industrial nylon - the sort of material that you would cut bushings from for bearing surfaces. It is not the soft moulded nylon of Dunlop or Hurco.

They are not "fancy"; they are not "beautifully finished"; but if you want to get a lot of power out of your flatpicking then they are worth a look. The Bluegrass 1.4 or the TF 1.2 are good starting points. I use the M100 pretty much exclusively, but it is very rounded and so will only suit certain players.

[619TF]

Originally Posted by Br1ck

Primetones are the gateway drug of guitar picks. Better or worse is a subjective
judgement. I find BC picks to be less bright than Primetones, but the pick glides across strings. I'm finding Charmed Life casein picks to my liking these days. Bright but not harsh.

Really, the path is uniquely yours, and many who have tried everything like Primetones.

As to cost, do you realize the rule of thumb for violinists is a bow should be equal to 1/3 the value of a violin? A $40 pick s no big deal.

Apples and oranges my friend. A bow is not a pick. Ever restrung your pick? No, you replace it completely. Try doing that with a bow and you'd soon be broke!

[jaymarsch]

Pick thickness, material and shape are, like many aspects of much things related to acoustic guitar, personal and subjective. Experimentation is your friend. I play with a light attack and prefer a warm, articulate sound for most songs. My faves are casein and I have wonderful picks by Charmed Life, Apollo & Red Bear. My thickness preference ranges from .90 to 1.15mm. I also like more of a rounded corner than a pointed one and have several picks with both. I played with less expensive Clayton’s and Primetones before jumping into the pricier picks. You can learn a lot by getting a few variety packs or seconds from several makers while you are exploring.
If you care about tone, just like with choosing the guitar itself as well as strings, your ears and hands will be your best guide.
Best,
Jayne

[SixStringers]

Yes... the material a pick is made from is a huge part of how the pick plays and sounds and endures.
The bevel angel and the width of the point are also a big deal unless the material is a dud.

Material first, geometry 2nd... both done right and you have a pick you'll be sold on and you'll stop insulting your beautiful guitar with commodity picks made by the famous names.

Most people will spend $1,500 on a decent guitar, but then they won't spend more than $0.35 on a pick... how bizarre is that because unless you play without a pick, the pick is the translator between you and the strings.

Cheap picks make a lot of pick noise, drag on the strings, hence slow down your potential speed and at the same time mess with accuracy. And they make unbalanced intonation on top of all that. And why are they so cheap, because the popular materials are cheap to begin with, they are commodity resins (polymer), and they wear out really fast. Material cost is about $0.01 per pick for popular commodity materials, I know, I've been there and done that.

A violinist knows not to buy a bow at Wallymart... because you know, they have $1,200 or more into the violin and a $20.00 bow kills that $1,200... and the same is true of guitar picks for guitars... except that most guitar players never consider the relationship between pick and strings the way violinist do of the bow to string relationship. Very strange.

Get yourself some good picks... you'll never use those cheapies again.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

A bandmate gave me one of these. He uses them for mandolin but they are an interesting change for me on guitar. We'll see where it goes.