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Post subject: Re: Question about picks, and a Happy New Year too!
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2016 3:36 pm
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LawFlow wrote:
I started playing about 50 years ago, but consider myself a beginner. There's about a 45 year gap in my learning curve. I've noticed that experienced players prefer thicker picks and I'm trying to understand why that is. I can see that they are better when picking single notes for accuracy and to avoid the flapping you get from thin picks. However, I have found that thick picks sound dull to me (I like clean electric and acoustic mainly). I also have a very hard time strumming with thick picks, but I'm sure that's probably a newbie thing. I don't want to be stuck in the beginner mode and would like to move on to better technique and using thicker picks if that's part of it. I have recently discovered the Dunlop Ultex .60 which seems to be a little thicker and snappier sounding than the Tortex counterpart. This helps. However, what am I not understanding about the preference for the thick picks, such as the 1mm, jazz type and even stone over the thinner picks?


Great question.
As your picking hand gets stronger you will gravitate towards a heavier gauge pick.

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Post subject: Re: Question about picks, and a Happy New Year too!
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 2:48 am
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Not all good guitarists gravitate towards thick picks. Players like Neil Young, Ted Nugent, Nile Rodgers, Jimi Hendrix and Pat Metheny all use(d) medium or light picks.
(And a few more that predominantly use(d) fingernails.)

Part of the move towards thicker picks was due to the ban on tortoiseshell picks, and players needed thicker picks to get the same stiffness they were used to. But some preferred softness, or used techniques like curving the pick to add stiffness.

Like with string gauges, I believe it's personal preference more than anything. The thickness of the pick isn't what holds a guitarist back.


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Post subject: Re: Question about picks, and a Happy New Year too!
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 4:00 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
I've been using Fender's tortoise-shell 351 "extra heavy" exclusively for about 25 years now. Acoustic, electric, bass, twelve-string, everything.

Arjay


+1 on the Fender t.s. 351's, I also us Tortex 1.0

8)

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Post subject: Re: Question about picks, and a Happy New Year too!
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 9:19 am
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Pick preference is influenced by string gauge, playing style, and instrument choice. For acoustic strumming and flat picking I prefer a thicker tortex between .73 and .88, I'll bend the pick for stiffer resistance when picking single notes but prefer the smoother sound that the pick produces when playing chords. I can get close with a harder V pick by relaxing my grip and allowing more vertical movement but the attack of the pick against the string is harder and noticeable if recorded.

I am a thick pick guy when it comes to electric. I prefer V picks but will use any thicker pick available if I don't have one in my pocket which is rare. I tend to use a smaller version for hybrid picking because its easier to maneuver between the fingers.


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Post subject: Re: Question about picks, and a Happy New Year too!
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 9:45 am
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arth1 wrote:
The thickness of the pick isn't what holds a guitarist back.
This is so true and I need to remind myself of that. Years ago, I used my thumbnail and the back of my fingernails to achieve an acoustic style that was unique to me. It somewhat resembled clawhammer, but wasn't. I had fun and it sounded pretty good. I can't remember how to do it now. :roll:


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Post subject: Re: Question about picks, and a Happy New Year too!
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 1:17 pm
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LawFlow wrote:
I started playing about 50 years ago, but consider myself a beginner. There's about a 45 year gap in my learning curve. I've noticed that experienced players prefer thicker picks and I'm trying to understand why that is. I can see that they are better when picking single notes for accuracy and to avoid the flapping you get from thin picks. However, I have found that thick picks sound dull to me (I like clean electric and acoustic mainly). I also have a very hard time strumming with thick picks, but I'm sure that's probably a newbie thing. I don't want to be stuck in the beginner mode and would like to move on to better technique and using thicker picks if that's part of it. I have recently discovered the Dunlop Ultex .60 which seems to be a little thicker and snappier sounding than the Tortex counterpart. This helps. However, what am I not understanding about the preference for the thick picks, such as the 1mm, jazz type and even stone over the thinner picks?


The thicker picks I use, (2.0 to 3.0), all have rolled and rounded edges. I find I get better action off of the strings and more fluid movement. I have a few thick V Picks that aren't rolled enough for me and don't help.
As far as the tone, it's only a concern at bedroom levels. Once I'm in a band situation and moving some air, it doesn't have much effect on my tone with the possible exception of pinch harmonics.

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Post subject: Re: Question about picks, and a Happy New Year too!
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 2:43 pm
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ButchA wrote:
Good morning everyone, and I want to wish you all a Happy New Year! Let's all hope that 2016 will be a great year for us all!

You all saw that photo of all my guitars on the wall, including that new Gretsch hollow body that I got for Christmas. Even after playing it this past week, I found that it prefers a harder pick than my Strat.

POS Samick pawn shop bass = fingers mostly, but occasionally I'll use a National thumbpick.
Yamaha 12 string acoustic = Dunlop nylon .73mm pick (seems thin for .73mm!)
'95 Fender Strat = Fender medium picks, all assorted colors
Alvarez 6 string acoustic = Dunlop nylon 1.0mm pick (seems thin for 1.0mm!)
Gretsch G5122 hollow body = Fender heavy pick
Ibanez 511 mandolin = common Sam Ash heavy pick, but filed down to be more rounder

With all this being said, I wanted to post up probably the first question for the new year... What is your favorite type of pick? Or, do you change picks with different guitars like I do?

It not only depends on the guitar, but it also depends on what kind of music I'm playing. On my acoustic, I either use a Fender .50mm for strumming, or Fender medium. For electric, I use Dunlop gator grip .92mm for all around playing, or Dunlop Jazz III 1.5mm if I'm playing leads.

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Post subject: Re: Question about picks, and a Happy New Year too!
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 4:22 pm
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I like Fender mediums, but I had them shatter on me too many times playing open mics (haha, I pretty much suck, so that's what I do!). I think I play harder when I'm in front of people.

I've gone to Red Star-Picks and like them. They do wear down faster than the Fenders, but they don't shatter... and I don't care what anyone says, if it's just you and a guitar and youre pick shatters 3/4's of a way into a song, sometimes, it's just better to finish up as good as you can than stopping to get another pick.

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Post subject: Re: Question about picks, and a Happy New Year too!
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 8:22 pm
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Good comments on the why's and reasons for using certain picks. I have to really draw on my memories when I actually did play live music in a band back in the 60's. I remember using big thick triangular picks that would fly out of my hand or break in two pieces. There was not much finesse. Just loud and hard. I can also appreciate the comment about bedroom levels, which I'm now exiled to, versus stage levels. I think I'll continue to experiment and probably end up using different picks for different things. Now If I could just play. :cry:


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