Guitar Picks... Share Your Favorite

johnnyseven · Post by **johnnyseven** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 9:46 am

I use Jim Dunlop USA Nylon 0.73 picks. I've always used them, I like the writing on them which gives me extra grip - the tortex ones slip out of my hand too easily. I've never really used any other type of pick but I have tried different thicknesses of these but I like these best.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:45 am

johnnyseven wrote:the tortex ones slip out of my hand too easily.

i used to find this, but now i stick a wee dab of double sided tape on them and they stick like shit to a blanket.

Boab · Post by **Boab** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:54 am

Orange .60mm Dunlop Regular Tortex. Always!

I've got a lone green SS pick that I would perhaps use for the rare occasion I use a pick for bass. Maybe Blue/Purple Tortex too for bass.

vivadeluxxe · Post by **vivadeluxxe** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 12:26 pm

I've used the black Jim Dunlop 1mm nylon pick for the last 10 years (not the same one obvs) I've not really had the imagination to try anything different...
Also I use the .73mm version for playing the acoustic...

Boab · Post by **Boab** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 1:09 pm

^ I've meant to say for a while Viva, but I take it that's a Fender Deluxe 85 (or something similar) in your avatar? I had one up until about May after trading it+Â£100 for a TT with a 1x12 Orange Cab, but I did really love it. Both for it's sound, and for it's ubercool red knobs!

Got mine pretty cheap as well (Â£70 I think).

What do you think of yours?

soundofseventythree · Post by **soundofseventythree** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 1:10 pm

vivadeluxxe wrote:I've used the black Jim Dunlop 1mm nylon pick for the last 10 years (not the same one obvs)

Now that would have been impressive!!!

I've used these quite a bit in the past and I still have a ton from when I bought them in bulk.

Its funny but as I mess around with the various picks in my pick bin I think I am realizing that it is not just the sound but the way the material FEELS when it makes contact with the string.

vivadeluxxe · Post by **vivadeluxxe** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 3:27 pm

Boab wrote:^ I've meant to say for a while Viva, but I take it that's a Fender Deluxe 85 (or something similar) in your avatar? I had one up until about May after trading it+Â£100 for a TT with a 1x12 Orange Cab, but I did really love it. Both for it's sound, and for it's ubercool red knobs! Got mine pretty cheap as well (Â£70 I think).

What do you think of yours?

It's something called a Power Chorus, two channel solid state with a built in chorus... I bought it over 15 years ago 2nd hand when I joined my first band in college... I can't remember how much I paid for it but it was probably around Â£100..
For what it is, I found it a great amp, really nice cleans and the chorus is as good as most pedals... it doesn't really have the balls for anything more than a small gig or practise room tho...

I'd got rid of it twice and it seems to keep coming back to me... the first time I'd abandoned it in a rehearsal space when one of my old bands split up. Two years later when the building was being knocked down the owner found it while clearing the place out and brought it round to my house...
I then sold it to an old bandmate, a year later he went travelling the far east for a couple of years so said I could have it back for free otherwise he was gonna throw it out...
It'll never sell for much, so I might as well just hang onto it now...

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 7:17 pm

I like my Red Dunlop Jazz III's

For awhile I was using Dunlop Jazztone 205's but they wore out too quick and the tip wasn't sharp enough to economy pick efficiently.

SpaceFace · Post by **SpaceFace** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 11:44 pm

I typically use the .63mm picks. Really great for intricate picking, kind of a pain to strum chords with but perfect for playing chords with pick + fingers. I like those thick tortex picks for chords but prefer those teardrops.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 1:49 am

blue shortscale pics. every day. every time

soundofseventythree · Post by **soundofseventythree** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:54 pm

So thanks to everyone who contributed here. I bought some different picks while up at Guitar Center. My current favs are the Yellow Tortex and the Ultex and Ultex Sharp. The Ultex and the Tortex sound very similar but feel completely different. The Ultex Sharp however has a tone all its own. Not sure if I like it more or less. May still need to try an Ultex Tri before settling on anything. Anyway, thanks again for the contributions, very useful info.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:12 pm

My favourite pick is one that I got when I worked the MachineHead gig. It's one of these. Usually when I get a pick at a gig, I like to hold on to it as a momento of having worked that gig. Dunno why, I have loads lying around now.

This is the only one that I played though, until it went blunt. Excellent pick. It even has little, like, nipples on it for grip.

Other notable mehtullll picks:

► Show Spoiler

soundofseventythree · Post by **soundofseventythree** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:16 pm

BacchusPaul wrote:My favourite pick is one that I got when I worked the MachineHead gig. It's one of these. Usually when I get a pick at a gig, I like to hold on to it as a momento of having worked that gig. Dunno why, I have loads lying around now.

This is the only one that I played though, until it went blunt. Excellent pick. It even has little, like, nipples on it for grip.

Other notable mehtullll picks:

► Show Spoiler

Hatebreed (I think)

Hatebreed Roadworn (the decal came off during the gig)

Metallica

Metallica Roadworn (all scuffed up from being dropped on stage and walked about on

Weird thing about Metallica's picks: After the gig, the guitar tech came and threw us all a stack of picks (I already had these ones, so I didn't take any). Most of the picks were from other bands, I remember Killswitch Engage ones being there. Metallica are notorious for owning absolutely every single item that is used on tour (their line is that they rent nothing, all they need to play the gig is a power outlet), and being extremely well organised and tightly controlled with money matters. I suspect that at some point Lars realised the band could save forty dollars a year by stealing picks off all the other bands that they played with at festivals, hence the assorted picks.

So I think your favorite is one of the ones I am really digging right now the Ultex Sharp 73. I am amazed at the level of detail it brings out of the string. Not positive I want that much detail, but I think I just might!

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:19 pm

That's basically what I thought. I like the way a normal shaped plectrum slides over the strings, but I can totally see how this would be useful for quick, tight riffing. I dunno if I would use them full time, but I really enjoyed that one, which is more than can be said for most picks. I definitely noticed it changing the way I play.

sonicboom · Post by **sonicboom** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:50 pm

Dunlop Riffs. The fluo greeny ones are .96 mil or something too small for me to read, but they're just right - just a wee bit lighter than the grey 1mms. Also harder to lose when you drop 'em.
I've used nylon picks fer donkeys' years, partly because I used to regularly break plastic ones.

peecheeclean · Post by **peecheeclean** » Mon Sep 13, 2010 11:54 pm

orange and yellow dunlop tortex...
been playin the orange ones for years now...tried lot of other picks and they just break or get worn down way too easy.

broncobuster80 · Post by **broncobuster80** » Tue Sep 14, 2010 3:24 am

I mostly use my fingernails but when playing bass I use .73 dunlop nylons

jumbledupthinking · Post by **jumbledupthinking** » Tue Sep 14, 2010 3:22 pm

Orange Tortex on electrics, Jim Dunlop Nylon Standard on the acoustic.

I'm so OCD when it comes to picks. Nothing other than these feels right to me

vincel · Post by **vincel** » Tue Sep 14, 2010 3:38 pm

Rebadged Ernie Ball cellulose picks, heavy gauge. Bought as a job lot of 120 for a fiver off eBay. I think the store may have closed down now, which is a shame.

George · Post by **George** » Tue Sep 14, 2010 3:39 pm

Dunlop Jazz III Reds

I generally have other odds and sods kicking about of varying sizes and thicknesses for other applications, but these are my go to. The size takes a bit of getting used to and they usually have a little bit of sharp flash from where they've been snapped off the factory sprue (takes all but a few seconds of sanding to remedy that). Anyway, best I've ever tried. I'm sticking an order in for some of those new max grips soon.

I used to use Ultex picks but if you drop on the floor they disappear, and Tortex wear away too quickly.