This happened to you ?

Mrbirdog · #1 02-18-2019, 08:57 PM

I have a Charmed Life Pick and had it for awhile. I keep it along with some other picks in a pick holder that is part of my music stand. I was pulling it out of the holder slot when it snapped it two the other day. I have some cheaper picks and some Blue chip picks in the same holder and never had a problem.

Ever had this happen to you ? Maybe its not that unusual but I don't recall snapping one or any pick for that matter.

Mrbirdog

Steve DeRosa · #2 02-18-2019, 10:19 PM

I gave up hard picks long ago - heck, I've cracked (not worn) the ends off Dunlop nylon picks on several occasions...

Gotta find me some of them old-formula celluloid picks they don't sell anymore - see if I can make 'em catch fire at the end of a solo...

Steadfastly · #3 02-18-2019, 10:59 PM

I too am not a lover of hard picks, no matter what material they are made from. They are too slippery for my liking.

ManyMartinMan · #4 02-19-2019, 12:08 AM

Yep. It happened and I reported that it happened and never tried another. I was offered a replacement but it never came. After all they’re just picks so I didn’t dwell on it.

Wild Bill Jones · #5 02-19-2019, 12:23 AM

Over time both my casein Fast Tirtle picks snapped in half. My personal favorite is Blue Chip. I have a bunch of them as people give them to me as presents. Still have my original. It’s ten years old. Still perfect.

Wade Hampton · #6 02-19-2019, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

I gave up hard picks long ago - heck, I've cracked (not worn) the ends off Dunlop nylon picks on several occasions...

Gotta find me some of them old-formula celluloid picks they don't sell anymore - see if I can make 'em catch fire at the end of a solo...

In all seriousness, try Amazon. For the past ten years or so I’ve found it increasingly difficult to find the D’Andrea medium-heavy celluloid picks I prefer. One day while on Amazon I idly typed in the description, and much to my surprise they had them. I ordered a gross, and when they arrived I ordered another half gross, because who knows when D’Andrea will decide to stop making them.

So if you’re not finding what you want on music retailers’ websites, give Amazon a look. I would never order a musical instrument from them, but if they can get me the picks I prefer, more power to them.

Wade Hampton Miller

bizango1 · #7 02-19-2019, 09:22 AM

Yep, happened to me with two of them. First they got a bow to them and weren't flat anymore. Probably my fault cuz I tried to force them back to flat and they broke-seemed brittle. I couldn't play properly with the bow so they weren't good for me anymore anyway. I was offered replacements at a discount but it seems those picks are not a good match for my style. Part of the learning process but Blue Chip picks are my first choice for tone and they seem really tough. Been playing a couple of those for years and they are still flat and like new.

Mrbirdog · #8 02-19-2019, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizango1

Yep, happened to me with two of them. First they got a bow to them and weren't flat anymore. Probably my fault cuz I tried to force them back to flat and they broke-seemed brittle. I couldn't play properly with the bow so they weren't good for me anymore anyway. I was offered replacements at a discount but it seems those picks are not a good match for my style. Part of the learning process but Blue Chip picks are my first choice for tone and they seem really tough. Been playing a couple of those for years and they are still flat and like new.

Not a good match for me as well ...part of the learning/experimentation process. Brittle is the same word I would use and Blue Chip is my go to pick...can't see them breaking into two pieces. For the price ….I'm a little let down...Who wouldn't be.....Guess that is the price you pay for trying to find a better mousetrap.

Mrbirdog

Pardon me while I draft an email

(Dear Blue Chip,

I strayed and promise to never do it again....Please forgive me..... I was wrong....

Signed,

Mrbirdog)

s2y · #9 02-20-2019, 09:00 AM

I broke a Charmed Life pick by leaving it in my pocket. I don't do that any more. I'd agree that it's a problem with the material. I love the tone of the red picks on my dreadnoughts, so I can live with that risk. The brown picks sound good on my OMs/concerts and are much more durable.

I have a Blue Chip TD40 and TD50. These sound ok, but the Charmed Life picks sound better on my guitars to my ears.

DesertTwang · #10 02-20-2019, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

In all seriousness, try Amazon. For the past ten years or so I’ve found it increasingly difficult to find the D’Andrea medium-heavy celluloid picks I prefer. One day while on Amazon I idly typed in the description, and much to my surprise they had them. I ordered a gross, and when they arrived I ordered another half gross, because who knows when D’Andrea will decide to stop making them.

So if you’re not finding what you want on music retailers’ websites, give Amazon a look. I would never order a musical instrument from them, but if they can get me the picks I prefer, more power to them.

Wade Hampton Miller

Wade, your reply made me look up those picks. I have been under the assumption that any pick marketed as "celluloid" these days had "celluloid" in the name only, since modern plastics have all but replaced celluloid.

So I checked out the D'Andrea website, and lo and behold, they do say it's actually celluloid, supposedly sourced from some antique supplies.

I found the medium-heavy pick you probably refer to on Amazon. Interestingly, there are two varieties around that look very similar but have slight differences. One has the registered trademark "R" behind the D'Andrea logo and "MH" (which stands for medium-heavy, I guess), and the other one doesn't. Do you know whether both are genuine? Also, do you know how these compare to the D'Andrea ProPlec picks? Are those celluloid, too?

RP · #11 02-20-2019, 11:05 AM

I've long preferred thin picks so they tend to break a lot. I try to keep several around at all times....

DesertTwang · #12 02-20-2019, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizango1

Yep, happened to me with two of them. First they got a bow to them and weren't flat anymore. Probably my fault cuz I tried to force them back to flat and they broke-seemed brittle. I couldn't play properly with the bow so they weren't good for me anymore anyway. I was offered replacements at a discount but it seems those picks are not a good match for my style. Part of the learning process but Blue Chip picks are my first choice for tone and they seem really tough. Been playing a couple of those for years and they are still flat and like new.

If for whatever reason, you end up with a bowed casein pick again, please PM me. I would have gladly bought those from you as I really like the natural bow that casein picks develop as the material takes up moisture and molds to the fingers. One man's defect is another man's preference.

jweave69 · #13 02-20-2019, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrbirdog

I have a Charmed Life Pick and had it for awhile. I keep it along with some other picks in a pick holder that is part of my music stand. I was pulling it out of the holder slot when it snapped it two the other day. I have some cheaper picks and some Blue chip picks in the same holder and never had a problem.

Ever had this happen to you ? Maybe its not that unusual but I don't recall snapping one or any pick for that matter.

Mrbirdog

I know Casein can be fragile and it will mold to your finger over time. You can put the pick between two heavy flat objects to straighten it back out. Price you pay for the closest sound to actual tortoise shell...

muscmp · #14 02-20-2019, 02:34 PM

i choose my pick based upon the song i'm playing, whether or not i'm singing and the guitar i'm playing. may be a thin, medium or thick. may be different materials. whatever works.

i've only broken the tip off of one pick ever. i've kept it as it now has two points and gives an alternate sound than a single point.

maybe scott will send you a replacement.

play music!

Charmed Life Picks · #15 02-20-2019, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrbirdog

I have a Charmed Life Pick and had it for awhile. I keep it along with some other picks in a pick holder that is part of my music stand. I was pulling it out of the holder slot when it snapped it two the other day. I have some cheaper picks and some Blue chip picks in the same holder and never had a problem.

Ever had this happen to you ? Maybe its not that unusual but I don't recall snapping one or any pick for that matter.

Mrbirdog

Hi, Everyone. You don't say what model it is, but it is almost certainly a casein model. Contact me directly if you like to discuss.

Folks, casein is very rigid. Whenever we ship a casein pick, it is attached to entire sheet of directions we call "Care & Feeding" of casein picks. On the top of that sheet, in bright red letters, is written, PLEASE READ FIRST!.

We also tape a red sticker right over the pick that says, "DO NOT BEND!"

Casein is persnickety, which is one of the reason it makes such a wonderful plectrum material. It's properties are almost identical to genuine tortoise shell picks, which will do the same thing under those conditions.

Please do contact me directly.

And, yes, the BC material is much more durable than casein, almost bulletproof. It's probably the most durable plastic on the planet. Everything is a trade-off. Many prefer the tone of Vespel, while others prefer casein. I don't profess a favorite.

Please do contact for replacement, with anything in our catalog.

Thanks,
Scott Memmer