Who likes messing with different pick materials? New Picks.

[nightflameauto]

I've gone through some pick fetishes over the years. I think my favorite is the cymbal brass picks that I used on guitars string 12-56 in standard tuning. That made for some interesting metal dust covering the pickups that would never come off, let me tell ya.

I've also gone through the standard Dunlop picks of various types. The acrylic picks have been here and there for me for the last several years. Gravity and v-Picks mostly.

Just got some new picks from https://www.timber-tones.com/. Ebony and Black Horn. Picture below with some old standby picks.

The v-Picks Pachelli is a nice rounded thick jazzish shape and it's been my staple pick for several months now. Grippy, and firm with a nice cutting chirp on the high end. Next to it is the ebony pick. If the lighting were better you'd see the wood grain in it. It's got a nice, well-rounded tone to it. Balanced and even, with a really bell like depth to it on cleans. On the far right bottom is one of the black horn picks. That one impresses the hell out of me. It's got a bite to it, but it's not the super chirpy bite the acrylic picks I've been using have. I can't hardly stand the acrylic ones when playing clean, the chirp is just too overbearing. But the horn loses that chirp, while still retaining the crispness. It feels nice and grippy in the fingers, and plays well clean or dirty.

In fact, when I first picked it up I busted into Battery, which I haven't played in I don't know how long and didn't even think I remembered a lot of the chorus and verse parts. So there must be some sort of inspiration in that little pick.

I'm thinking I'm gonna hit them up again soon for a set of obsidian picks and a set of the various metal picks they make. I'm really impressed with these so far.

What weird picks you guys been trying out lately? Or is this too far down the tone-quest nerdery stupidity for this crowd?

 

[cardinal]

I tried a ton of picks a few years ago and was stunned at how different they could sound from each other.

I really like the tone of celluloid pics (warm and fat), but since switching to 8-strings, I've had to switch to Jazz III type pics because they seem brighter and give much clearer and quicker attack for some reason.

 

[nightflameauto]

I really like the tone of celluloid pics (warm and fat), but since switching to 8-strings, I've had to switch to Jazz III type pics because they seem brighter and give much clearer and quicker attack for some reason.

You should give acrylics a try. Bright, chirpy attack. I switched to them while playing 8 strings exclusively for a few years and still use them when busting out the 8s. Gravity picks with the master finish (unpolished edges) are the best for that quick attack/brighter tone.

 

[maddnotez]

They sound interesting.

I have not gone down the pick rabbit hole too much. I just used Dunlop Tortex for years and they worked but wore quickly.

I did get a free Gravity pick with a Pedal and I have been using that mostly and I do like it.

I refuse to pay $50 for some giant plectrum aka rock to use but I did try Winspear one time. I actually really liked the Winspear I think it was an Amber Broadsword IIRC but the problem was much like your brass picks. My guitar was completely covered in dust after not even 10 minutes of playing. It was ridiculous. If it didnt leave that dust I would only use those because otherwise it was a great pick.

 

[nightflameauto]

maddnotez, if you like long-lived picks, I highly recommend the carbon jazz iii picks, the black ones. Those things last seemingly forever. The way I play I usually can use a Dunlop Tortex for about two songs before it's completely worn out to the point of uselessness. I can use one carbon jazz iii for several months before I even start to notice the wear on it. It's crazy.

 

[stratjacket]

I have been hooked on Winspear picks for several years now. I love the 1mm Amber ones. Last forever and feel and sound great.

 

[maddnotez]

maddnotez, if you like long-lived picks, I highly recommend the carbon jazz iii picks, the black ones. Those things last seemingly forever. The way I play I usually can use a Dunlop Tortex for about two songs before it's completely worn out to the point of uselessness. I can use one carbon jazz iii for several months before I even start to notice the wear on it. It's crazy.

I have been hooked on Winspear picks for several years now. I love the 1mm Amber ones. Last forever and feel and sound great.

Never experienced the dust like in my case? Like it was no joke the guitar was completely covered in minutes. Completely turned me off from those picks but aside from that I would definitely have kept using them.

 

[lockingtuner]

I actually really liked the Winspear I think it was an Amber Broadsword IIRC but the problem was much like your brass picks. My guitar was completely covered in dust after not even 10 minutes of playing. It was ridiculous. If it didnt leave that dust I would only use those because otherwise it was a great pick.

Never experienced the dust like in my case? Like it was no joke the guitar was completely covered in minutes. Completely turned me off from those picks but aside from that I would definitely have kept using them.

I have used Winspear Amber picks but haven't had that issue with them. Maybe a bad batch?

 

[maddnotez]

I actually really liked the Winspear I think it was an Amber Broadsword IIRC but the problem was much like your brass picks. My guitar was completely covered in dust after not even 10 minutes of playing. It was ridiculous. If it didnt leave that dust I would only use those because otherwise it was a great pick.

Never experienced the dust like in my case? Like it was no joke the guitar was completely covered in minutes. Completely turned me off from those picks but aside from that I would definitely have kept using them.

I have used Winspear Amber picks but haven't had that issue with them. Maybe a bad batch?

Sounds like it. I may give them another go.

 

[stratjacket]

maddnotez, if you like long-lived picks, I highly recommend the carbon jazz iii picks, the black ones. Those things last seemingly forever. The way I play I usually can use a Dunlop Tortex for about two songs before it's completely worn out to the point of uselessness. I can use one carbon jazz iii for several months before I even start to notice the wear on it. It's crazy.

I have been hooked on Winspear picks for several years now. I love the 1mm Amber ones. Last forever and feel and sound great.

Never experienced the dust like in my case? Like it was no joke the guitar was completely covered in minutes. Completely turned me off from those picks but aside from that I would definitely have kept using them.

I’ve not experienced that. I have a ton of them I keep in a little cup at my desk and I just grab one, perhaps I haven’t played a single one long enough, not sure. But they stay in great shape.

 

[scottosan]

I order 100 assorted picks from amazon under the brand name of "Alice". The we cheap, but have a very distinct tone. The have a very crisp attack that can clearly be heard through the amp. On the other hand, they wear very quickly and leave a dust residue on the guitar in the color of the pick. Their rigidness is also pretty uniform. Between the thickness which allows from me to not have to stick with a specific thickness. A thin pick has the similar rigidity as a thicker pick

 

[cardinal]

I really like the tone of celluloid pics (warm and fat), but since switching to 8-strings, I've had to switch to Jazz III type pics because they seem brighter and give much clearer and quicker attack for some reason.

You should give acrylics a try. Bright, chirpy attack. I switched to them while playing 8 strings exclusively for a few years and still use them when busting out the 8s. Gravity picks with the master finish (unpolished edges) are the best for that quick attack/brighter tone.

Sweet, thanks for the recommendation!

 

[errrrrl]

I just went thru a "try new picks" phaze a few months ago. I ended up liking ones made of stone which was weird as fuck coming from the old blue tortex pics. My favorite is from Iron Age picks, got it half off for $23 bucks which was still expensive to me but I was curious. Picked up a few different types from Stoneworks too.

What I like is the brightness and the fullness is chugs. Also they don't seem to wear down and when double picking it almost sounds as full as fast down picking. What I don't like is can't pick slide... oh well.

 

[overthemountain]

For years I've been a fan of the Hot Licks copper pics - just the right amount of rigidity, last forever without a ton of dust, and sound great on pick slides lol. The only problem with them is leaving a residue on my fingers after playing.

 

[vultures]

Someone please talk me out of buying one of these ridiculously chunky picks

http://plectrum.ch/product/black_huftron

 

[D-Rock]

I'm pretty simple with my picks but I've been finding that I do like sharp tips.
A couple years ago I was using Ultex Sharps and Hetfield Black Fangs, they were wearing a bit quickly and I was getting a clicky sounding attack from the Ultex.

The past year I've been using regular Tortex blues and purples.

The other day I ordered some Tortex Sharps in .88 and 1.0. (green & blue) and find them incredibly comfortable and they sound awesome. They make me play better which is important. They sound just like the regular Tortex which is just bright enough and not too dark.

 

[skullfxr]

maddnotez, if you like long-lived picks, I highly recommend the carbon jazz iii picks, the black ones. Those things last seemingly forever. The way I play I usually can use a Dunlop Tortex for about two songs before it's completely worn out to the point of uselessness. I can use one carbon jazz iii for several months before I even start to notice the wear on it. It's crazy.

The carbon jazz iii's is what I have used forever. I won some v picks, but I have stuck with my caebon iii's for a very long time.

 

[nightflameauto]

Someone please talk me out of buying one of these ridiculously chunky picks

http://plectrum.ch/product/black_huftron

DO IT!

I didn't need to know about Iron Age picks. I love the idea of stone/agate based picks. This is a money trap.

 

[thisguy]

I tried a ton of picks a few years ago and was stunned at how different they could sound from each other.

I really like the tone of celluloid pics (warm and fat), but since switching to 8-strings, I've had to switch to Jazz III type pics because they seem brighter and give much clearer and quicker attack for some reason.

This is a really interesting and geeky video.

 

[VH4_BigRig]

Someone please talk me out of buying one of these ridiculously chunky picks

http://plectrum.ch/product/black_huftron

Is that actually a pick? It looks like you're getting ready to measure, mark, and cut some 2x4s