Members PatrickDavid Posted October 28, 2012 Members Share Posted October 28, 2012 Hey guys,Before we start reading music and playing we're going to take a quick look at the world of picks, a brief video on what picks to start with and how to progress with different sizes,What size picks do you use and what brand?I'm a 1.8mm gel planet waves user, love em,Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Santuzzo Posted October 28, 2012 Members Share Posted October 28, 2012 I'm using Dunlop Tortex jazzIIIs:and Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mosiddiqi Posted October 28, 2012 Members Share Posted October 28, 2012 Dunlop Delrin 2.0mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JonR Posted October 28, 2012 Members Share Posted October 28, 2012 Originally Posted by PatrickDavid Hey guys,Before we start reading music and playing we're going to take a quick look at the world of picks, a brief video on what picks to start with and how to progress with different sizes, Nice video. I particularly agree with starting with thin ones, for the reasons given, although I'm not sure I'd recommend as low as .30 or .40.IMO, 0.60 is fine for beginner strumming: bendy enough to give when striking the strings (won't break or bounce out of your hand), strong enough to get a reasonable tone and volume if you want it.(Of course, the best advice is buy a variety at the beginning, and try them all out.)As for going thicker, I think a lot depends on the string gauge you use. Of course, there's personal preference about feel, but a good rule of thumb is the heavier the strings, the heavier the pick.So I disagree that 0.90/1.00 is a good all-rounder, but then that's because I use fairly light strings (11s on acoustic, 10s on electric). The heaviest I go is .88, and often use .73 (Jim Dunlop in both cases). But for standard 12s on acoustic, 73 would feel too light to me, at least for single-string lead playing, and probably for strumming if I needed any appreciable volume.In fact, for any lead playing, heavier picks tend to work better IMO. The lack of give means that fine, fast movements are easier to control, transmitted better to the strings. But I couldn't strum with anything as heavy as a 1.00 (let alone more) - on my strings - without sounding crudely aggressive, or without risking dropping them (by holding them too loosely, afraid of breaking strings). Obviously that could be fixed with practice - - but I much prefer the bendier picks, where you can stiffen them with your grip when you need to, but otherwise they give more subtle dynamic variations more readily.Because my playing (on electric or acoustic) combines rhythm and lead, I never use anything heavier than 1.00. I do like the feel and tone of thicker picks for lead, but I find them unusable for rhythm, at least my style of playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yngtchie Blacksteen Posted October 28, 2012 Members Share Posted October 28, 2012 Dunlop Jazz III, the red ones, or Paul Gilbert picks. Held like this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted October 29, 2012 Members Share Posted October 29, 2012 Clayton Acetal 1.52The acetal polymer stays grippy - even wet, takes to grip modulation without issue, has the roundest attack of any pick I've tried, long wearing and, the 1.52 dimension defies physics by equaling many 2.0 picks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members speechless Posted October 30, 2012 Members Share Posted October 30, 2012 I enjoy dabbling with all sorts but I'm only really comfortable with these 1.14s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PatrickDavid Posted October 31, 2012 Author Members Share Posted October 31, 2012 Originally Posted by JonR Nice video. I particularly agree with starting with thin ones, for the reasons given, although I'm not sure I'd recommend as low as .30 or .40.IMO, 0.60 is fine for beginner strumming: bendy enough to give when striking the strings (won't break or bounce out of your hand), strong enough to get a reasonable tone and volume if you want it.(Of course, the best advice is buy a variety at the beginning, and try them all out.)As for going thicker, I think a lot depends on the string gauge you use. Of course, there's personal preference about feel, but a good rule of thumb is the heavier the strings, the heavier the pick.So I disagree that 0.90/1.00 is a good all-rounder, but then that's because I use fairly light strings (11s on acoustic, 10s on electric). The heaviest I go is .88, and often use .73 (Jim Dunlop in both cases). But for standard 12s on acoustic, 73 would feel too light to me, at least for single-string lead playing, and probably for strumming if I needed any appreciable volume.In fact, for any lead playing, heavier picks tend to work better IMO. The lack of give means that fine, fast movements are easier to control, transmitted better to the strings. But I couldn't strum with anything as heavy as a 1.00 (let alone more) - on my strings - without sounding crudely aggressive, or without risking dropping them (by holding them too loosely, afraid of breaking strings). Obviously that could be fixed with practice - - but I much prefer the bendier picks, where you can stiffen them with your grip when you need to, but otherwise they give more subtle dynamic variations more readily.Because my playing (on electric or acoustic) combines rhythm and lead, I never use anything heavier than 1.00. I do like the feel and tone of thicker picks for lead, but I find them unusable for rhythm, at least my style of playing. Thanks for taking the time to respond jon,Especially regarding the use of thicker gauge strings,I really feel that 1mm is a good all rounder simply because to me there's still give enough but it also has enough strength,however! this is my recommendation coming from predominately an electric guitar player, as you said, someone playing lighter strings could prefer the alternative, or not!I love forums and learning how completely different every musician is, you prefer a less aggressive attack, but that's the tone i like from my pick. So many little things can be fixed in practice I remember when i was first starting out i just to sand paper my picks so they had more grip hahanot saying this is at all bad practice i was just focusing on the wrong thing. I've been using for a little while now a mixture of planet waves clear gel like picks, can't seem to find a link sorry (kind of clear black colour - they're in the video),and planet waves cortex 1.25mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Burninator Posted November 7, 2012 Members Share Posted November 7, 2012 Originally Posted by Yngtchie Blacksteen Dunlop Jazz III, the red ones, or Paul Gilbert picks. Held like this: Do you, by any chance, strap your guitar higher than you used to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarville Posted November 8, 2012 Members Share Posted November 8, 2012 I agree with starting out on thinner picks. As time goes by then increase the thickness of the pick. Also as your playing style develops over time, you probably end up finding which picks suits you best. Gibson pure M picks seem to be what I've been playing with recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BarneyGumbel Posted November 15, 2012 Members Share Posted November 15, 2012 Pic size is interesting. I took lessons for a guitar legend, and he advocating for heavier pics, going so far as to say that no guitarist of any significance plays with a medium or thin pic. Then on the other end of it, my favorite guitarist, who also happens to be a good friend, plays with a thin pic and sound better than darn near anybody. Conclusion: use what feels comfortable, but try a bunch of different ones first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tedmich Posted November 15, 2012 Members Share Posted November 15, 2012 I use the exact same pick as Mr. Beck, nada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Krank'N Posted November 15, 2012 Members Share Posted November 15, 2012 Im a likely exception to this thread. I have used Dunlop nylon 46mm for a long time. When I started out I used really thick picks(those big Gibson triangles) but I destroyed them and the strings. I couldnt hold a fender standard for more then a couple mins before dropping it. The 46 nylons do form to my grip and they stiffen when they bend. I also hold them at about a 80-75 degree angle to the strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yngtchie Blacksteen Posted November 18, 2012 Members Share Posted November 18, 2012 Originally Posted by The Burninator Do you, by any chance, strap your guitar higher than you used to? Not at all. It's always been so high that there should be little difference in my hand positions when I'm sitting or when I'm standing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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