Fast Turtle casein pick

[Perchman]

Just received a Fast Turtle 1.2 casein pick today and it really is a different experience. Been an Ultex and Primetone 1.0 user for years now, depending on the guitar. Finally, after reading seems like 100 pick threads, I ordered a Charmed Life 1.15 “tortoise” and Fast Turtle 1.2 to try the “next step” up. The Turtle is a very different experience than anything I’ve ever used. Compared to everything else I’ve used, it’s so quiet across the strings! It’s fast alright. Glides over the strings in a way that will take getting used to. Sound is
very warm and full. There’s no “grab” on my up stroke, just the note. Weird, to me. Waiting on the Charmed Life now.

[CycleBob]

I recently ordered one of these as well and think they’re good value. Especially because casein is a bit more prone to breaking than other pick materials I’d personally be hesitant to recommend more expensive variants. The fast turtle is among my go to picks along with my blue chip 1 mm and charmed life brown 0.75 mm.

[riorider]

The Fast Turtles are my favorite when I'm seeking the best tone. Tortex and the newer Fender mediums are fine while strumming, but solo and emotive pick work - FTs are great.

Phil

[Charmed Life Picks]

Perchman, JP does a wonderful job with the Fast Turtles; they are a superb value.

Casein is just such a wonderful pick material -- quiet, smooth, warm, balanced. It IS slightly brittle when it gets below 1.0 mm, but as long as one plays it reasonably and doesn't wail on it, it will last a long time.

Yes, there have been a TON of pick threads lately. Must be something in the water.

take care,
scott memmer

[Perchman]

Scott, always the consummate gentleman with the competition! I think the FT is going to require me to change my picking attack if I want to get a little brighter click, which at this point I must admit I’m missing! But the warmth is beautiful. Can’t wait for your flame pick too!

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Perchman

Scott, always the consummate gentleman with the competition! I think the FT is going to require me to change my picking attack if I want to get a little brighter click, which at this point I must admit I’m missing! But the warmth is beautiful. Can’t wait for your flame pick too!

Perch, you know what's funny: I don't really look at other vendors as the "competition." Honestly, I don't. Maybe that's why I promote every company. I'm much more interested in advancing the cause of better plectrum for all players. I don't think people understand what a huge difference it can make in tone. It's shocking.

About a month ago I gave a pick to a buddy of mine who is broke and between jobs a pick as a gift. He played it about five minutes and was just floored. It made me smile to give this wonderful man something he could cherish. He plays a beautiful older D-35 and is just the coolest guy.

On the JP's -- those were the first casein picks I played. You know, I must confess I wasn't blown away at first. Casein, I find, at least for me, grew on me slowly. I think that's because it's so understated and balanced. Eventually you look around and realize you haven't touched any of your other picks for several weeks. Wonderful stuff.

But yeah, it's about promoting the category, not CLP. That's the way I roll. Always tell the truth and then you don't have to remember which lies you told to who.

sm

[Murphy Slaw]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

I don't think people understand what a huge difference it can make in tone. It's shocking.

True dat !

[varmonter]

How do you pronounce Casein.?
is it "case seen" or "case in"?
Just curious.
I googled this and found its used to make buttons.
buttons can be bought reletivly cheap on the web.

[Kerbie]

I've heard it pronounced, "case seen," with both syllables almost evenly accented... kāˈsēn.

I have one of Scott's, the flame tri, that I just love. And I'm thinking about Scott's 1.15 "tortoise" casein pics.

[swarfrat]

If you get it in a jazz or triangle shape, it would be Casein Point.

[EMLPicks]

Originally Posted by CycleBob

Especially because casein is a bit more prone to breaking than other pick materials I’d personally be hesitant to recommend more expensive variants.

This tends to be dramatically overstated. I've been using the same three casein picks daily on each of my instruments for a few years now and there has never been an issue, even though I am a bit heavy handed of a player at times. I've also shipped out hundreds of casein picks at this point and haven't ever received an email about one breaking. If you try to break most materials, the pick will bend in half and be unusable. On the other hand, if you also try to break casein, it will snap in half, but the pick has to be thin (less than 1mm), and you have to put a lot of pressure on it. In other words, you really have to be trying to break it.
I'm not sure why, but there seems to be this belief among a handful players that it will break if you look at it wrong. Casein is one of the more durable materials out there for pick making when it comes to every day use.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Kerbie

I've heard it pronounced, "case seen," with both syllables almost evenly accented... kāˈsēn.

I have one of Scott's, the flame tri, that I just love. And I'm thinking about Scott's 1.15 "tortoise" casein pics.

Kerbie, I still say Casein, but "Case-Seen" is the correct pronounciation.

I figured out why. Casein plastic is made from a dairy derivative, a milk protein (Pro-TEEN). So the last syllable of Casein rhymes with "TEEN" because that's actually the scientific name.

Case Solved,
Inspector Memmer

[Goat Mick]

Originally Posted by Perchman

Scott, always the consummate gentleman with the competition! I think the FT is going to require me to change my picking attack if I want to get a little brighter click, which at this point I must admit I’m missing! But the warmth is beautiful. Can’t wait for your flame pick too!

Beveling the edge of the pick will do wonders for making the tone richer and a little brighter, if you haven't beveled it already. There are a lot of great threads on here regarding beveling picks.

[DesertTwang]

Originally Posted by Goat Whiskey Picks

Beveling the edge of the pick will do wonders for making the tone richer and a little brighter, if you haven't beveled it already. There are a lot of great threads on here regarding beveling picks.

Can you safely bevel a casein pick yourself? I'm a big fan of casein picks, including the Fast Turtles, but I have so far shied away from beveling them myself because there is more in the balance than when beveling a cheapo pick (which I've done several times with good results).

I like the 1.25mm Fast Turtles best, but I recently ordered an "extra thin" one (1mm), and that's pretty darn cool, too.

One has to treat these picks carefully, though. Back when I didn't know about the specifics of casein, I tried to flex a Fast Turtle ever so slightly, and it immediately broke.

Don't keep them in your pant pockets, or anywhere where they'll be exposed to body heat for a pro-longed amount of time (other than when you're picking, of course). I have observed that many casein picks tend to mold to my fingers when I hold them for a long time and they are exposed to sweat. I do like this because it usually results in a custom fit to my hand and fingers.

I've also found that Fast Turtle picks are susceptible to drying out, just like a guitar. If left out in the open when it's very dry, small hairline cracks will develop inside. I therefore always keep my casein picks in places that are humidified.

I've recently started using Red Bear's "Pick Tonic," which appears to be cedar oil. Regularly applied to the picks, it's supposed to keep them from drying out and becoming brittle. Whether it works or whether it's snake oil, I don't know. It's been too short to tell if it makes a difference. But I figure it can't hurt, and I love the smell of cedar oil, plus, I enjoy giving TLC to my gear, so why not.

[Goat Mick]

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

Can you safely bevel a casein pick yourself? I'm a big fan of casein picks, including the Fast Turtles, but I have so far shied away from beveling them myself because there is more in the balance than when beveling a cheapo pick (which I've done several times with good results).

I like the 1.25mm Fast Turtles best, but I recently ordered an "extra thin" one (1mm), and that's pretty darn cool, too.

One has to treat these picks carefully, though. Back when I didn't know about the specifics of casein, I tried to flex a Fast Turtle ever so slightly, and it immediately broke.

Don't keep them in your pant pockets, or anywhere where they'll be exposed to body heat for a pro-longed amount of time (other than when you're picking, of course). I have observed that many casein picks tend to mold to my fingers when I hold them for a long time and they are exposed to sweat. I do like this because it usually results in a custom fit to my hand and fingers.

I've also found that Fast Turtle picks are susceptible to drying out, just like a guitar. If left out in the open when it's very dry, small hairline cracks will develop inside. I therefore always keep my casein picks in places that are humidified.

I've recently started using Red Bear's "Pick Tonic," which appears to be cedar oil. Regularly applied to the picks, it's supposed to keep them from drying out and becoming brittle. Whether it works or whether it's snake oil, I don't know. It's been too short to tell if it makes a difference. But I figure it can't hurt, and I love the smell of cedar oil, plus, I enjoy giving TLC to my gear, so why not.

For my playing, I'm personally not a huge fan of the casein tone, however I have heard them sound fantastic in other player's hands. I have owned and done extensive playing with several casein picks just so I would be familiar with their characteristics. I like them to be at least 1.25mm thick and I did bevel them myself. I went slowly with the buffing side of an emory board and was able to get a very nice bevel. The secret is going really slow, but you can easily bevel these.