Pick thickness

Larry H.

Larry H.

Mojo Enabled
I have a friend who has played forever and plays very well. He is a by ear player and relies on videos and his ear to work out a song. I have played for a much shorter period of time. He insists on thin picks and plays very quickly. I tend to like medium picks. He thinks I am nuts and would be faster with a thin pick. I dont like it because it loses its shape and contours while I use it. My OCD hates it. ;-) I am just curious what you guys play for lead and rhythm. Any differences?
 
Norfolk Bill

Norfolk Bill

norfolk uk, just knoodling along
tried a lot ,always come back to .75mm Dunlop nylons for everything,,so pretty flexible i suppose due to thickness and material
 
MarkDyson

MarkDyson

Blues Hound Wannabe
I'm all in on DAVA Grip Tips at the moment. Just the right amount of texture for my personal taste, and though I think the "variable thickness" based on where you grip one is more than a little overhyped there is a subtle feel difference there that I do like.
 
PapaRaptor

PapaRaptor

Father Vyvian O'Blivion
Staff member
My collection contains everything from Fender mediums to Dunlop Big Stubby 4.0mm. If you're not happy with what you're playing, just buy an assortment of different thickness and feeling picks and find the one you like. There is no one magic pick that fits everyone. My limited experience says just the opposite of your friend. I've found thin picks flex more than I like and actually slow me down. They're OK for strumming, but frustrate hell out of me for any picking. Again, what feels most comfortable for you is probably the best for you, but every now and then try something new.
 
MarkDyson

MarkDyson

Blues Hound Wannabe
Yeah: Papa speaks true. When I started out playing with a pick I got assortment packages from various brands and tried them all. My second favorite are Vinni's V-Picks and I probably have at least two of every size and shape he makes.
 
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JohnJ

JohnJ

Blues Newbie
Foe me on acoustic its V-picks tradition (thin) for strumming and Dunlop Gator grip 1.5 for everything else.
 
jackderby52

jackderby52

Prehistoric blues knob (not newbie)
It's all personal preference.. What works for you, works for you... I had a teacher once who insisted on thin floppy picks.. So I said here, take my 1.5 pick home and let me know what you think.. He changed his tune the next time I saw him and asked me to hook him up.. 1.5 is where I ended up over the years.. But you might like something completely different.. I also like the large triangle shape, others hate it.. So, play around...

I love these things but they are so expensive I only have a couple (literately)... Possibly the most expensive picks on the earth.. I would not recommend them if you lose picks often... I did before, I don't anymore... :)... I have the same ones over 5 years now..

http://www.bluechippick.net/testimonials/
 
aleclee

aleclee

Tribe of One
MarkDyson said:
My second favorite are Victor's V-Picks and I probably have at least two of every size and shape he makes.
Click to expand...
I think you mean Vinni, not Victor. ;)

While I no longer use V-picks, Vinni was the guy who got me out of Fender medium style picks. I met him at a NAMM breakfast and he hooked me up with a bunch of picks where he was confident that I'd dig at least one of 'em. He was right. :) I played V-Picks for a number of years until I discovered Chicken Picks, which are a similar idea but the different material chirps a lot less.

These days, the thinnest pick I use regularly is a 1.5mm Dunlop PrimeTone. I don't necessarily prefer different picks for lead/rhythm but changing picks can definitely alter your tone. Whether the tone of thicker or thinner picks is preferable is up to you. :)
 
Rancid Rumpboogie

Rancid Rumpboogie

Blues Mangler
I have started playing with a steel finger pick on my middle and ring finger. We'll see how that works out. I will say that plucking a string with those gives some real Pzang! Used to play Travis style fingerpicking on an acoustic with steel thumb and finger picks.

(Pzang is one of those undefined words like "improvise" :whistle:)
 
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MarkDyson

MarkDyson

Blues Hound Wannabe
My favorite V-Pick is the Tradition Lite, and I have several of them. My main issue with them in general is the string noise. I do a lot of low-volume playing and it was bugging me.
 
Silicon Valley Tom

Silicon Valley Tom

It makes me happpy to play The Blues!
I have been playing fingerstyle, classical and flamenco for over 65 years. Around 2010, I purchased my first electric, and several books on the subject of electric guitars. The books said things like, use 0.5 mm for rhythm, and 0.7mm for solo playing. So I purchased a few of each. Then I got some 1.0mm, and liked them. Next it was 1.5 mm, and there is no way I am going back to a smaller thickness! I like Dunlop and Clayton.

Enter V Picks! Are you serious? Carlos Santana uses a 2.75mm V pick. Since we attended the same high school in San Francisco (and I enjoy his playing), I thought I would give them a try. 2.75mm? Man that is thick! Well they make picks much thicker.

https://v-picks.com/shop/freakishly-large-round/

It comes in three colors. The first time I tried it I was amazed. You can play fast and accurately. The strings roll off the rounded edges so you do not get a snapping noise which I notice from sharp pointed picks. By the way, different pick edges will change your sound.

There is or was a sale (as of a few days ago) 20% off with the coupon code CRAZZYVINNI. You might try a few different V picks to see what you like best. There is no way you are going to see me play an electric guitar without a V Pick. I am sold on them! :)

Tom
 
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