Update! - Guitar picks review from a non-pick guy - Blue Chip & John Pearse content

[Silly Moustache]

Hi Methos,

You have done what I , and I bet many others did on your road to Blue Chips picks.

I too decided that the price was, effectively a scam.

I bought a used one (somewhere, somehow) and it was a TAD-40-1r. (still got it - don't use it). (you could buy it off me if'n you like!)
However, I really liked the large triangle!

Sooo - then I spent a whole lot more on every large triangle I could get to prove to myself that the BC was nut'n special... but it was.

I gave up. I ordered a BC for every guitar and for my mandolin, and one or two for Mando Bob (my sideman).
I play mostly but not exclusively dreads -sp medium strings of course, and I find TAD-50s ideal for me. I use TAD50-3r on mando (Bob uses TAD60-3r)

For all my smaller guitars - TAD40s.

But, I'm still experimenting so today I received some buffalo horn large trngles made by a British chap I know of. Quite nice, very muck like my old (genuine TS) picks but still prefer my BCs.

I've just uploaded a second YouTube video about holw to keep your picks in the right position

see:

[Methos1979]

I'm happy to hear that you "spent a whole lot more on every large triangle" out there and came to the conclusion that the Blue Chip is in fact something special because I'm quite sure I would have eventually done this. Of course I still might but your research and findings are helpful!

I'm also looking at thicker offerings in the BC line. I have the BC CT 55 inbound. I couldn't decide between the TAD-50 and TAD-60 so the CT (Chris Thile) 55 seemed like a happy medium from which I could got to the 50 or the 60 if the 55 doesn't float my boat! I'll update the original post with my thoughts when that one arrives.

[tippy5]

Go for the BC TAD-1R 60. Or the amazing Scott Triangle... My two go to's.

TAD-1R's have three different points for your (warm, finger like, non click) pleasure. For my melody making I use the round point for making one's acoustic tone dramatically better.

The 50's (I have 5) are super but the 60's are better. I have tried the BC's 35's 40's and they are good for simple rhythms. Someday I would like to try the 55 Thiel and the expensive TAD-1R-80.

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by tippy5

Go for the BC TAD-1R 60. Or the amazing Scott Triangle... My two go to's.

TAD-1R's have three different points for your (warm, finger like, non click) pleasure. For my melody making I use the round point for making one's acoustic tone dramatically better.

The 50's (I have 5) are super but the 60's are better. I have tried the BC's 35's 40's and they are good for simple rhythms. Someday I would like to try the 55 Thiel and the expensive TAD-1R-80.

Depending on how I find I like the thickness of the CT 55, I might go for either a TAD 50 or 60 1R as I do like having the one rounded corner of the TAD-40 1R that I have even though I have not used it much yet.

[Methos1979]

Added update to original post.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

Lol - sorry! Hey, at least it's only $35 and not a couple grand, right?!?

For those that constantly lose their picks I can see where a $35 pick or even $10 picks are a non-starter. I generally don't lose picks. And now with that slick little leather pouch to hold my capo and BC picks (plus their cost) I'm likely to not lose them. And if it's something that adds value to my performance rig, $35 is a relatively small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.

Value perception! If you KNOW that you pick has value then you don't lose it.

I doubled up on this aspect by keeping my picks in boxes that were even more valuable :



Particularly from about 9.20 on.

[Russell G]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Guitar Moose picks. They are very easy to grip because of the spongy material on the top half of the pick. They are not as thick as the Pearse and CL picks, and they're not made out of casein, but for gripping they're the best. This might help Roseland67
[IMG][/IMG]

[Yrksman]

I’ve used John Pearse picks for many years and more recently Wegen.

These picks are now my favorite and I was surprisingly made not very far from where I live: https://hawkpicks.co.uk/

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Russell G

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Guitar Moose picks. They are very easy to grip because of the spongy material on the top half of the pick. They are not as thick as the Pearse and CL picks, and they're not made out of casein, but for gripping they're the best. This might help Roseland67
[IMG][/IMG]

Hi Russell, back in the old days of real TS picks some would come with pieces of cork glued to them similar to this design.

I "feel" that any pick which is so stiff that you can't feel the impact of pick/string is unsatisfactory (which is why I've rejected that Dunlop "Primetone" 1.5 triangles which feel totally dead to me, although other picks of similar thickness work OK.

Don't you lose that feeling of contact with these sponge covered part and the
rthing that interferes with the feel of the string/pick contact interferes with the feel?

[Murphy Slaw]

I'm up to 4 Bluechips, a dozen or so Wegens, and some Primetones.

Haven't touched a Tortex in a while...

[FrankHudson]

Originally Posted by Roseland67

If I could find a pick that worked, I would use it.

Surgery on ruptured cervical disc has left
3 middle fingers on right hand numb,
I can hold a pick, BUT, cannot feel it when it falls out
of from between them and 4finger.

Need a pick that stays on 4finger
And points towards strings, NOT,
Straight down finger, if that makes sense.

I can't say for sure it'll work for you, but I've tried these weird pick design sold as Talon picks. The picture and descriptions don't always show the distinction, but they have a "cup" that cradles the lower portion of the thumb along with a textured surface on each side of the pick. I've often had a hard time holding a pick loosely and rapid strumming freely. If the pick doesn't fall out of my hand it'll at least turn. These are stay put even with a very loose grip.

I think the higher the number, the deeper the cup in the Talon line.

Talon guitar picks from one mail order giant

There are also of course "thumb harness" type things that have sold over the years to covert any standard teardrop pick into a thumb pick.

[Russell G]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Hi Russell, back in the old days of real TS picks some would come with pieces of cork glued to them similar to this design.

I "feel" that any pick which is so stiff that you can't feel the impact of pick/string is unsatisfactory (which is why I've rejected that Dunlop "Primetone" 1.5 triangles which feel totally dead to me, although other picks of similar thickness work OK.

Don't you lose that feeling of contact with these sponge covered part and the
rthing that interferes with the feel of the string/pick contact interferes with the feel?

You have a point SM. I guess it's a trade-off, give up feel for a bit of comfort.

[Goat Mick]

Originally Posted by Russell G

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Guitar Moose picks. They are very easy to grip because of the spongy material on the top half of the pick. They are not as thick as the Pearse and CL picks, and they're not made out of casein, but for gripping they're the best. This might help Roseland67
[IMG][/IMG]

I've used a few of the Guitar Moose picks and I like the gripy surface. You can actually buy the sticky pads from Guitar Moose and stick them on any pick you like. (I bought several packs of them and still have some hanging on my workbench.) They are easy to hang on to and sound pretty good, however they wear down very quickly. I couldn't get more than a couple of weeks out of them before I wore the tip completely off the pick.

[skyblue314]

Originally Posted by Russell G

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Guitar Moose picks. They are very easy to grip because of the spongy material on the top half of the pick. They are not as thick as the Pearse and CL picks, and they're not made out of casein, but for gripping they're the best. This might help Roseland67
[IMG][/IMG]

I will definitely try the BCs when I have some expendable pocket change lying around. The comment about their "grabbiness" struck a chord, as that's exactly why I moved to Primetones from my initial foray with celluloid picks - they just wouldn't stay put! I've also tried the both the regular and CF versions from Guitar Moose, and although they felt very comfortable and were grippy enough, both materials sounded really scratchy on the D'Addario EJ17 Phosphor Bronze Medium Acoustic Strings that I'm currently using. Perhaps they won't sound as scratchy on different strings, but for now, they've been shelved in favor of the Primetones, which I'm really liking!!