Favor picks/strings

[BigGuitars]

Hey guys!

I’d like to start a convo about picks and strings.

I believe most of you have seen the vids of my playing, so you know the type of playing I do. I get kind of frustrated sometimes because I feel the picks I’m using are just not helping me mechanically. I don’t really like small picks. I tend to like more traditional-shaped picks, but getting the right material, thickness, and shape of the tip. I’m not a straight up”shred” type guy. I’m kind of in the middle. I like good full sounding rhythm, whilst keeping the articulation good for shredding. I like picks that have good “pop” to them. I’d like to hear some of y’all’s favorite picks.

As far as strings, lately I’ve tried some of the more expensive sets. Ernie Ball Cobalts, D’addario NYXLs and XTs. The only one of these I found worth their salt were the XTs. I’m interested in what strings you guys have tested and like the best. I typically play in E-flat and C# tuning, and use 10-46 gauge.

 

[Purpleibby]

Same here, do not get along with those small picks....I like traditional pick shapes, nothing too pointy.

My picks of choice are Dunlop Ultex 1.0...used to be the Juratex Cool picks 1.0(they're a little warmer sounding and glide over the strings really easy)...neither of these are too scratchy sounding if you have a little bit of pick angle.

Strings D'addario EXL120s 9-42s at E flat. That's for all guitars(Les Paul included). Very bend friendly IMO and they last a long time for me(I wipe em' down after every play)

 

[Smash]

My pick choice, you won't probably be into: Dunlop 1.35mm tortex sharp. Butthe strings are magic for any style of music: NYXL 10-52. They are very musical sounding strings. Now it's like 3 or 4 bucks for a pack of 12 of those picks so you may try it. They are really big, and very pointy, but i don't have any problem with chords, and they really feel god for trem picking and cut through that string when you angle your wrist a bit and use them like a knife

 

[ClintN667]

I've been using 1.14 jazz 3's but I got some prodigy 1.5 and 2.0 picks recently and have been favoring them. A friend sent me some picks that were dunlop I think that were pretty big and super pointy. I was preferring those for some stuff.

As far as strings I usually go for the NYXL's. I think I use .09-46. I have an Evertune guitar tuned to standard E then use my digitech drop for down tuning. I picked up some plain Slinkys last week that I'm going to put on today. Honestly strings are not really a big deal to me. As long as they are the right gauge I haven't really met a pack I didnt like except there was one kind that were supposed to be uber resistant to corrosion that I hated. It was almost like they were coated in wax.

 

[Baloney Balderdash]

I predominantly use my fingers for picking, but if I use a pick, which is rarely, I like a relatively thin and flexible one, more specifically the Dunlop Nylon Max Grip .60mm, which for some reason actually is slightly stiffer than the regular Dunlop Nylon .60mm pick.

A for strings for my 24.75" scale Epiphone SG Special I recently swapped from using D'Addario EXL 110 gauge .010 to .046 set of strings to the coated Elixir Nanoweb Light string set of the same gauges, and I am actually really pleased with the result, so that is what I am going to buy in the future whenever I need new strings for my guitar.

 

[rottingcorpse]

Tortex Sharps,white. Thick as a brick and pointy. New with a fresh edge.

Any string brand,10-52 or 10-54. Tuned down to D standard.

 

[guitarnerdswe]

For strings, I tend to favour D'Addario. 9-42 on 25.5" scale electric, 12-56 on acoustic (the bluegrass set). Either NYXL, XT or the coated EXP.

For picks, I actually bit the bullet and tried BlueChip. Now that's all I play. I use the same CT55 (big triangle) for acoustic and the same IBJ55 (jazz style) for electric that I bought almost a year ago. And I play a lot, between 4-8 hours a day. I have bought some more since then, but the originals still serve me well. I totally love them. The sound, the feel across the strings, how they don't get slippery. Just awesome.

 

[mooncobra]

ultex sharp, super slinky 9s, and on some guitars nyxl 10s

 

[romanianreaper]

Years ago I used flimsy picks but over the years moved to thicker. I use .88 and started that years ago when I was in high school and found out Metallica used that size. I'm not really stuck on any particular pick but my playing style is that the pick has to be able to slip thru my fingers a bit while I'm playing. I've tried picks with a rough surface and is a nightmare.

I normally use D'Addario as well but I've thought about trying some different ones sometime.

 

[BigGuitars]

I see I made a typo in the title. Sorry bout that.

At this music store I go to, they sell these Clayton USA picks like this. Don’t know exactly what they’re called, but they’ve got a really bright, articulate sound.

 

[ErikT]

Been loving the Dunlop Flow Standard Grip .88's. 1.0mm of the same are a close second.

Was using the NYXLs but recently tried a set of Ultra Slinky's (10-48 for D standard on 25.5" scale) and loving them. A close second would be the D'Addario nickel wound XL's. Used to buy all those $12-14 string packs but I'm more than happy with these $5.50 packs.

 

[BigGuitars]

For strings, I can say I’m definitely not impressed by the Ernie Ball cobalts

 

[itsme]

Strings --> whatever's on sale under $4. Daddario, Ernie ball, Dunlop...

Picks --> the little tiny Jazz III's. Converted yrs ago. They really do improve your playing. Can't go back.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

Gravity picks...the neon green classic pointed mini 1.5

Strings...D'addario NYXL...they seem to last forever and intonate right out of the pack. I do want to try the XT on one of my guitars that is a little bit more bright.

 

[Detroit1973]

Dean Markley or D'addario 11-52 Tuned to D Standard.

.73mm Dunlop Tortex (The Yellow ones)

 

[ewill52]

Plain ol' Ernie Ball Slinkys for me. Tried the others, always seem to gravitate back to these, cheap, consistent, and feel good to me.

Picks - right now I really like the Dunlop Tortex Flow picks in 1.0 or 1.14 mm. I've tried them in their primetone line, not as crazy about the grip. It's almost too grippy, made adjusting the pick while playing a little wonky. Jazz III XL and regular jazz, both in Tortex, same dimensions as previously mentioned are way up on the list also.

I've tried Gravity, too thick for me. I've got a Red Bear and LOVE it, but until I win the lottery I won't be using it much lol.

 

[fek]

Elixir Nano's on electric and acoustic. Any other strings last less than a week with my hands.

Green Tortex Jazz III's for electric most of the time anyway. Have been switching up the thickness here and there but don't really go much heavier than that. For acoustic I generally favor .60 Ultex standard size picks for a cedar top Seagull and .73 Ultex for a sitka top Taylor.