Beveled Picks and Tone

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by dnf777

I wouldnt have guessed that. Im with UncleJesse, and prefer the way a bevel slides off the strings. Seems like you also have easier control over the amount of bite you can get. But I am highly accomplished at making any type pick sound horrible! Its a gift.

You and me both, buddy.

As soon as I read your post, I thought of one of my favorite scenes from the Marx Bros, when Chico and Harpo are coming to play music. The dialogue goes something like this:

Groucho: How much do you charge to rehearse?
Chico: A hundred dollars an hour.
Groucho: How much do you charge to NOT rehearse?
Chico: Oh, you couldn't afford that.

sm

[Retired1]

As an experiment I would suggest to anyone that wants to hear the differences in bevels (plural because different bevels will sound different) take a large triangle pick such as a Dunlop Ultex 1.14 and sand one of the tips so there is no bevel, make it 90 degrees giving it a square edge, the same shape as it was before sanding but now sharp instead of beveled. Play that tip and compare the sound to the other tips. If you continue to play the modified tip it will begin to wear back to a bevel similar to the other corners - you will be able to hear the change in tone as it wears more and more. Those of you that cannot hear a difference -assuming there are those that can - it's your hearing - not the pick. The good thing about this experiment is that you have virtually instant results by just rotating the pick from tip to tip. It may take about 1/2 hour of playing for the sharp edge to wear down a bit to loose the initial brightness. Looking forward to hearing replys from those that actually do it.

[J Patrick]

Originally Posted by Retired1

As an experiment I would suggest to anyone that wants to hear the differences in bevels (plural because different bevels will sound different) take a large triangle pick such as a Dunlop Ultex 1.14 and sand one of the tips so there is no bevel, make it 90 degrees giving it a square edge, the same shape as it was before sanding but now sharp instead of beveled. Play that tip and compare the sound to the other tips. If you continue to play the modified tip it will begin to wear back to a bevel similar to the other corners - you will be able to hear the change in tone as it wears more and more. Those of you that cannot hear a difference -assuming there are those that can - it's your hearing - not the pick. The good thing about this experiment is that you have virtually instant results by just rotating the pick from tip to tip. It may take about 1/2 hour of playing for the sharp edge to wear down a bit to loose the initial brightness. Looking forward to hearing replys from those that actually do it.

...I don’t think anyone is suggesting they couldn’t hear the difference between a beveled edge and no bevel at all...a squared edge is sure to produce an edgier tone on any pick....I think folks are saying they don’t hear a great deal of difference between a speed bevel and a more conventional rounded bevel...

[ApolloPicks]

I was kinda curious who actually came up with the name of "speed bevel." I know the term is used by BlueChip so I kinda figured they started that terminology.

I have been trying to think of a different name for this kind of bevel since I am not sure "speed" really gets to the point (for me at least). Do you think that just calling it a "played-in" bevel, or a "right hand" bevel might work? Or are those vague for some reason? I'm open to your input on this. And, if someone has a clever name for this kind of bevel that might work I'd love to know
Thanks,
Nik

[Retired1]

I think Wegen was the first to manufacture picks with speed bevels

[ApolloPicks]

Gotcha, but does Wegen call it a "speed bevel?" From what I see on his site it looks like he just refers to it as a "bevel." I thought about just using the term "bevel" like this, but that does not work (for me) either, as a rounded bevel is a bevel as well. Also, I'm less interested in figuring out who came up with the name "speed bevel" as I am in coming up with a different (and maybe better) name for it

[Retired1]

As we learn more about how different bevels produce a different tone I wouldn't be surprised if a new vocabulary describing different bevels arises - 3 degree bevel, 7 degree bevel, 1mm bevel, 3 mm bevel etc.

[ApolloPicks]

This would be helpful indeed! I love the specificity it would bring. I notice that different pickers have different ideas about how this kind of bevel should look and feel. I'm going to consider this. Thanks for the feedback.

[J Patrick]

....I spent some time comparing the speed bevels on my picks that have both speed bevels and non speed beveled edges...all of the tear drop picks I have with speed bevels have rounded bevels on the rounded corners....certainly the pointy edge of a teardrop has some effect on tone but surprisingly little on most of the picks I own...

....what I discovered is that the thicker the pick is the more effect the speed bevel has on tone....at 1.25 mm there is little difference...but as the pick gets thicker the speed beveled edge produces a noticeably brighter tone...at 2.0 it becomes discernible and at 3.5 it is very noticeable...

...most of the picks I have are EML in Arcylic Resin and Casein...I do have one EML Peek 2.5 teardrop as well....they range from 1.5 to 3.5 mm...I also used a BC 1.25 SR 50 for the comparisons...

...I found that the material and shape had little difference as to whether the speed bevels changed tone and that it was pretty much entirely based on thickness...

[Retired1]

Add to that the thickness of the tip compared to the thickness of the middle and the angle the thickness drops off also affect playing speed and tone - so many little things including tip shape. This, imho is why it's so difficult to compare picks , when there are so many variables, what part of the pick are we really comparing - my experience also is that material is only one factor, and sometimes not a major one.

[J Patrick]

Originally Posted by Retired1

Add to that the thickness of the tip compared to the thickness of the middle and the angle the thickness drops off also affect playing speed and tone - so many little things including tip shape. This, imho is why it's so difficult to compare picks , when there are so many variables, what part of the pick are we really comparing - my experience also is that material is only one factor, and sometimes not a major one.

..totally agree...much like guitars the tone picks produce is due to the sum of the parts...shape,material,thickness and of course user...