What thickness plectrums("picks") do you use?

[satch_master]

Brand names don't mean **** for me. Sometimes i use Dunlops and sometimes cheapos. For softer, clean sounding guitar like chords and strumming i prefer a lighter pick (around .50-.70). This is because this allows the pick to down and upstrum with and slide off the strings easily. It also gives a nice sound with a lighter pick for this style of music. Heavy picks aren't really effective here. I rarely play this soft stuff.

Then, for the lead guitar, full blown shred solos, chugging palm mute and heavy riffage requires a thicker plectrum. I usually use about 1mm for this kind of stuff, however i am thinking of going as far up to 1.5mm(what YJM uses). A thick plectrum is essential because it gives you better control over your lead playing and AP, and for your riffage it make it sound fuller and thicker, rather than tinny and weak. However, i am still in doubt whether thicker picks are between for sweep picking. I haven't experimented much ut i believe the thinner picks would make it easier to slide off the strings quickly.

These are just a few observations i have came to realise. In the past i would just say "a pick is a pick" and be oblivious to the differences it can make to one's playing and overall sound.

So what picks do you guys use and do you alternate between different thickness for different styles and techniques?

[Poparad]

I use 2.0mm Dunlop 207 Jazz Stubbies. I really like the control I get with them, and the mellow tone from their round tips.

[satch_master]

Now that's thickness!
I suppose , being a jazzer you are, you would have thick *** strings already so you would need a plectrum of similar thickness otherwise it is illogical.

[diablosrising]

Thicker picks are better for sweeping, imo. the shape also matters a great deal. I like the smaller jazz picks(right now at least lol) that have more of a point to them. I find they havea better release when i'm picking fast. this way i can barely touch the strings and be very precise. I also like them better for rhythm. I can articulate chords better, and pm faster. I kind of have smaller hands though. I don't like slick feeling picks either, like nylon or derlin. I like tortex better.


my 2 cents

[btangel]

1mm PG signature picks. :P just the right size and feel for me.

[silent-storm]

I think I've settled on 1.5 regular sized ones. Or atleast I hoped I've settled on something. Would be nice to not have to change after all the experimenting...spent a long time changing anywhere from 0.5 to 3mm and back again.

If they are the small ones, or any thicker then 1.5, they have a tendancy to spin around in my hand for some reason...never did figure that one out.

[forgottenking2]

I used to use Stubbies 3.0 mm. I used them for quite a while but they do eat up the higher frequencies... or something 'cause the tone becomes way too dark and it muds up chords (with distortion) I'm sure some smart EQing would've probably made it work but I gave up on those. Now I use .65 for strumming and lead on the acoustic guitars (15 - 52 <I think...>) and 1.14 - 2.0 for the electric guitars (11 - 50).

Sweeping seemed easier with the 3.0 picks but honestly right now it makes no difference... I guess once you get used to a pick you can pretty much do whatever with it.

On the other end of the spectrum is my friend who plays in this ambience-experimental band and he uses nothing but .46 (I actually think it's thinner than that)... that thing is paper thin... I don't know how can he play with that but he makes it work for him and he sure can wail on the guitar so it definitely works.

So it's really a matter of preference.

[ashc]

I like to use one and the same pick for everything, electric and acoustic, the rest is control. I've seen folks fiddling about using floppy (0.5) for strumming and then this one for heavy and some tiny thing for picking and this and that for this etc. In a live scenario you could really get in a mess with that and you can with practice get even a heavy pick to give you nice soft strumming if you like. For this reason I take the middle road and at the moment use 0.96 Dunlop Delrins (recently switched back from the green tortex ones).

Nevertheless, when it comes to single string picking, in particular, the thickness and material of the pick can make a BIG difference to the tone so I definitely recommend buying a load of random picks every now and then and trying them all out and seeing what results you get.

If it works for you...

[EricV]

I like to use one and the same pick for everything, electric and acoustic, the rest is control.
I feel exactly the same way, and even though I might occasionally use a thin Dunlop pick for strummed acoustic guitar parts ( country style strumming ), I use Dunlop Jazz IIIs all the way.
This might be a disadvantage for certain things, but at the same time, I prefer to stick to certain things. Using a completely different pick now for my regular playing would require me to adjust to that, so instead, I decided to try all kinds of pick, then decide which one works and sounds best, and stick to that.
And there is a lot you can do with control, as AshC pointed out

Regarding sweeping, I think ( but that´s of course a matter of taste anyway ) that heavy picks work better. Thin picks MIGHT clear the string more easily, but at the same time, a heavy pick is stiff and won´t bend, so it´s kinda "less motion required"... I also think it improves timing if your pick does not bend for fast stuff. Just my opinion though
Also, I think that in most cases, it´s a disadvantage to use different picks for different techniques. WHat I mean by that is: sure, a thin pick might sound or work better for acoustic strumming, or if you wanna play a jazzy-sounding solo a really heavy one might work, but in the end, if you wanna combine different things in one song, you can´t change your pick.
My philosophy these days is that I pick out gear I like and that works for me, and then stick to that and focus on playing, so I have one constant thing. If I´d constantly change picks, string gauges, pickups, amps or whatever, I´d constantly have to re-adjust and that IMO would take away focus from the playing
Just my opinion
Eric

[forgottenking2]

I agree with that in the way that in a live situation you can't be switching picks from the rhythm to the solo section (specially if you have to tap dance real quick to change the settings on your rig). But I have done some pick switching in a studio situation... it does affect the tone (even if it's the same guitar and amp settings)... but that's really a different story. I just thought I'd bring the point up (studio situation) specially if we are tone freaks we might get just that extra brightness (or darkness) on the tone by simply going to a different pick... but that's more of an Eric Johnson school of thought :p

[EricV]

Jorge
I definitely agree, and I didnt mean to say that you shouldn´t switch the pick if you i.e. want a certain sound for a song ( in fact, I pretty much said exactly that ). However, I meant within a song... if you i.e. want a brighter tone for the verse-section and a darker tone for the solo, it would be just as hard to switch as it would be to switch within the solo, wouldnt it ? =)
Believe me, I know how much a pick can affect the sound ( the main reason why I don´t use certain picks anymore that actually were better for fast picking ). The Jazz III comes pretty close to whatever sound I like, so I stick to that usually.
Eric

[satch_master]

I noticed that alot of you guys are using those thick jazz picks. I might actually buy one this week and experiment with it, see if i like it.

I myself would refrain from alternating between different size picks for a song(unless i was recording it), it's just to labourious and difficult and it ain't practical. But say im outside in the sun with my acoustic(even though i don't have one lol) strumming away happy chords, then yeah i would grab a thin pick since i am only playing one thing, acoustic chords.

forgettonmuso - 3mm picks! whoa, that is almost insanity! But seriously, i don't think i would be able to use picks that thick and hard. Maybe if i put my guitar down to A#, with a pair of Boomers on it and started playing chugging, wall breaking rhythms it would work.lol. I to know a dude that plays guitar, and he has very thin strings and his picks are almost made out of tissue paper they are so thin. In consequence, his playing sounded trebly, weak and tinny with a poor tone.

[forgottenking2]

I use medium-thick strings and I hit them pretty hard so I need the hard pick :D.

But the guy I told you about? The one with the "paper pick" has a SUPERB tone, so I don't think the thickness of the pick is has a direct effect on the tone (as in thicker=better/thinner=worse) it's more of the combination of your attack, touch, string gauge and gear. Then you kinda have to find the one that works best with your particular combination... and then again in the end it's all a matter of taste... so yeah. Too much relativity

[AcousticShred]

I know everyone says that thick picks provide better control, and I always believed it. But I gotta tell ya, I bought some thin-medium picks and boy do they work well. I had to adjust my picking technique a bit, but they improved my speed, accuracy, articulation, AND control at least 50%. I think everyone should give them a week for a chance to adapt to them then make your decision....

[SeattleRuss]

I prefer the very-hard-to-find 6mm Grippo-Rama GripMaster Elitest XLS Series Plectrum. Hand forged by Japanese monks whose craft has driven them into a sort of self-imposed exile, these babies are rumored to be 92% titanium alloy and the remaining 8% is kryptonite.....

But I digress.......


I look at it like this: I use thick picks because at any time, if the pick moves at all or flexes, I'm no longer in control. All the movement and or flexability has gotta come from me. Plus the tone is better.

[TheJeffinator]

I agree with Russ, though I was partial to the 7.8293log12 mm myself.

I've found that I can use thinner picks so long as they are pretty sharp at the end - I angle the pick quite a bit, and that tends to affect pick feel quite a bit. I would have to say that I prefer a thinner sharp pick than a rounded thick pick, because at this point (no pun intended) my playing style just doesn't work well with a very round tip. Fortunately, this doesn't matter, because we have picks made by crazy Japanese monks from rare metals in gauges thicker than many instruments used to kill people.

And Jazz IIIs, too, when we return to reality.

Rock On,
The Jeffinator

[satch_master]

I prefer the very-hard-to-find 6mm Grippo-Rama GripMaster Elitest XLS Series Plectrum. Hand forged by Japanese monks whose craft has driven them into a sort of self-imposed exile, these babies are rumored to be 92% titanium alloy and the remaining 8% is kryptonite.....

But I digress.......


I look at it like this: I use thick picks because at any time, if the pick moves at all or flexes, I'm no longer in control. All the movement and or flexability has gotta come from me. Plus the tone is better.

hahaha, i thought you were joking at first! 6mm :eek: oh my gosh :eek: i never even knew something like that even existed. That must be a monster of a guitar pick! At the end of the day whatever works best for YOU is what you should go for. If some one says they have a 10mm pick i will probably believe them after hearing this madness.lol.

Also, for pinch harmonics, the thicker, the more control and the better the squeeeeel. When i play bass i rarely use picks, but when i do nothing is better than a thick 2mm pick for that nice harsh, steely bass attack tone. I think a pick on a bass sounds great in metal(just listen to Jason Newstead but thats an entirely different topic...).

[Mateo150]

oh gosh, you big strong boys and your girthy picks. I should be jealous.:eek: Wait, I have a 10 mm pick, yes, I have the biggest.

but back to reality, I do think the material the pick is made out of does make a difference, dunno if anyone else does.

[ashc]

Thumbs are about 10mm :D

[EricV]

The material definitely makes a difference, I agree.
I think it´s not only the thickness or how smooth / sharp the edges are that affects the sound and playability.
Take Eric Johnson... he always said that he prefers the black Jazz IIIs over the red ones, cuz the black ones sound better. And I happen to believe that they do sound different. If you look at them, they have a slightly different... surface, or texture, so that might explain the difference.
Eric

[delicious]

i use a jazz3 whatever thickness that is:>
the black ones feels a tiny bit thinner than the red ones, but the red ones are softer and more bendable

[blazing saddles]

however many mms the the purple dunlops with the alligator are. that's what i like.

[live]

It's interesting that lots of people use Jazz III -> me too! But it's bad if there's no Jazz III pick near and you have to play despite of that... It's not easy to play with another pick then because most of the other picks are bigger... So once in a time you should play with other picks though to be sure you can do the change.

live

P.S. Sorry for bad english (not only in this post :-) )

[jan 87]

i use paul gilbert ibanez signiatures, good for jazz, good for speed, good for sweeping and they are smallish but sturdy.

[satch_master]

I just bought a 2mm jazz pick.It is really small and compact but the tip is really pointy and sharp. For riffing,palm muting, pinch harmonics and other staple metal guitar techniques it was so-so, reason being the pick is a bit smallish to grab onto and falls out of my fingers regulary and harder to get a pinch harm sound and . for faster AP and sweeping, typical shred techniques, is where it shined. The thickness and pointy tip of the pick gave me excellent control over sweeping and AP. I could do sweeps faster, more accuratly and at greater ease. I always thought my fretting hand was just to slow but infact it was the picks i was using that was slowing me down, now it is almost like my fretting hand has doubled in speed for sweeps. To a lesser extent, but still definite is my AP which hasent got faster really but the control i have over my picking has greatly improved, i can pick every note of a phrase with greater ease.

So, these are just some brief observations i have made about the 2mm stubbies. I am still on a quest to find the "perfect guitar pick", preferably something that can feel as good for riffage as well as solos with lots of control. But definatly, after going from 1mm's to 2mm's, i much prefer the latter, thicker ones. Maybe i will try out a 2mm pick but a standard one, not a small stubby. There is no short cut to good technique, but picks definatly affect it.

[oRg]

I use two different kinds of picks. I use the Jazz III's for rhythm (they just feel right), and then for Leads I use a Jim Dunlop Heavy Speedpick. It has an angled tip. With the way I play I get least amount of resistance with this (that and I don't have to crank my hand), not to mention it has a pretty unique tone IMO.

[Thorsten]

I play Jazz 3´s too but the big black XL ones. I find you can just hit the strings harder with a normal size pick. The regular Jazz 3´s give you great controll and playability specially on AP but they´re too small to get a good tone from the strings. I just need a little more plastic to hit it!

At one time I played normal Fender Heavy or Xtra Heavy picks but used to file them to a sharp edge...also worked!

[Len H]

I like heavy picks that don't flex when I play. My favorite is the Fender 358 extra heavy small teardrop shape that is about 1.15mm thick. It is narrower than the Dunlop JazzIIIs and has a considerably different tone (not as bright). I have tried what seems like every shape, but I always come back to these. The Dunlop 1.5mm Delrin "Yngwie pick" is my favorite standard shaped pick. Because of its stiffness and beveled edge, it has a smooth fast release, but I cannot be as precise with it as I am with a 358.

[Death (Chuck)]

I play just very hard and heavy picks.( for rock and metal ) But in my life i played with almost ervything, because i always lose them, no matter how much i bought, the next they are all disappeared. So i played with handy cards, every kind of chips, picks made out of paper,...
by the way handy cards worked quite good, but u should take an old one :D

[EricV]

Just to point this out for everyone: what Death means with "handy" is a cell phone ( in Germany, those are called "handys" ), and "handy cards" are those little pieces of plastic that you stick in the back... has your account info, code and stuff on it.
Just to make sure no one´s getting confused
Eric

NP: Death, didn´t mean to sound like some smart-allick, just wasn´t sure whether you know that handys are not called handys, but cell phones in the States, for example

[Death (Chuck)]

Np. Yes! I heard that someday but didn t thought about it because handy sounds quite english in german. So its a little bit confusing.... anaway thx

[ashc]

The Finns call them handy's sometimes as well (Kannykka)..

The item in question is officially a SIM card (subscriber idendity module) - must give and old one a try. It's like a 21st century replacement for Brian May's sixpence :D

[satch_master]

Ok, i don't get it guys ,what ur talking about? confused and it's off topic. Did i miss something? maybe im stupid.

[EricV]

LOL... Death mentioned that he occasionally likes to use old SIM cards out of cell phones as picks, as he tends to lose all his picks on a regular base.
Those SIM cards usually are small, rectangular pieces of plastic, about as thick as a credit card ( maybe a tidbit thicker )
Eric

[satch_master]

yes i know, hahahaha, that is funny! I don't think it would work but hhahaha. man i gotta tell my friends, u guys are pathetic.

[EricV]

*points at Death* HE IS THE ONE USING THE SIM CARD !!! I AM NOOOOT
Eric

[Danster]

I reckon I oughta take a stand for the thin pick users among us (although it seems I may be all alone in this regard :(). I use a 0.5mm pick. Part of the reason I do that is that I use a standard shape pick, but I pick with one of the rounded "corners", rather than the pointy end. If I pick with the pointy end with one of those guys, its way too flexible. Another thing is, I find I drop my pick much less if its thin. And I'm no shredder, so my pick doesn't have to be as hard as a rock.

[live]

*points at Death* HE IS THE ONE USING THE SIM CARD !!! I AM NOOOOT
Eric

Imagine your Southpark-Avatar doing this :p Great fun!!!

[Madaxeman]

Just about made a new thread before common sense grabbed me and I did a search for "picks".
Anyway...I use Dunlop 500's, Tortex, and just recently Gator's (all 1.14mm). I had trouble doing the loose wrist Keith Richards style strumming at first, but in a few days it became a non-issue. I went through lots of size and style picks before settling on the 1.14mm size. I have tried as thin as .3 somethings, and as thick as 3mm. For me the 1.14's seem to handle lead and rhythm well without giving up too much on either end. The only benefit for me with the thin one's was doing the cool Van Halen signature solo thing he does where the picks sounds like it is going 200mph and he ascends up the string. I find it harder to do with a thick pick.
Has anyone ever used the metal picks? I tried to make one out of a quarter once, but never finished it.
I can hear the old timer's now..."Back in my day we didn't have a thousand picks to choose from...we had to make ours from (insert hard to find material here) and we could only find them (insert cold remote location here)...and we liked it that way!"

[paTz0r]

I use Dunlop Jazz III's (the black version with a bit of texture). I used to use Dunlop tortex H3's (the jazz shaped version), but I like the thicker Jazz III's better, It seems to be between 1.0 and 1.5mm.

[Madaxeman]

I can see myself ordering some of those damn Jazz picks...everyone seems to use them!

[paTz0r]

they really are nice, especially for AP and sweeping.. now if only I had some sweeping skill...

[tinsmith]

1 nylon mm Dunlop withe nurled grip.Medium Dunlop thumb pick occassionally.

Mostly bare fingers

[Dodge]

I use tortex greens for my acoustic and tortex yellows for my electric. I used to use dunlop 1.0 mm nylons which were the most gorgeous silky textured picks that had the tone of tortex greens but were way more flexible when you wanted them to be but still acted like a 1mm pick should have. But now for some reason they seem to have changed them and now they feel more like those generic plastic picks you find everywhere.

[philclare]

I used .76mm dunlops but found that when recording guitar using very high gain I get an awful squeeky tone that I assumed was the noise of the pick hitting the string so I switched to a thinner .60mm in the hope that it would fix it... haven't actually recorded anything since so not sure if I was successful!

Have you guys noticed anything when using high gain settings like that and if so was it the pick that caused it?

[TheJeffinator]

I have, and switching to a *lighter* pick has only made it worse. The problem is that the wimpy pick is just bending and scratching the string more than it is hitting it, whereas a thicker pick will give a slight click and no scratching unless you're holding at about a 60 degree angle to the string. If you insist on using .60 picks all you can do is use a more straight angle if you want to reduce pick noise - high gain really brings out the worst in your picking sound, so if you're using a potato chip/part of a cardboard box/something like that it won't sound good unless you really spend a lot of time adjusting to it, whereas if you switch to a nice, heavy pick like a Jazz III (or if it's too small a Big Stubby or any nylon thing over around 1.14mm) you get a much better sound. I can all but guarantee that I use more gain than just about anyone I know (when practicing I chain an Ibanez SM7 into a modded DS-1 (which only boosts, does not distort or EQ) and then into a Silver Dragon tube distortion/preamp) so I can improve my muting and control, and one thing I found when I started practicing like that was that my beautiful green tortex .88s ended up making more sound than the actual note I was playing in some registers. This, along with the technique advantage, made me start using nylon 1.5s, stubby 3.0s, and eventually Jazz IIIs. Heavy picks sound better with distortion, end of discussion.

Rock On,
The Jeffinator

[Conholio]

I tend to change dependant on what I'm playing at any given moment.

I use Tortex, no matter what. My fingertips get very sweaty and slippery, and the Tortex's are the only ones that don't slip on me.

I never use the thin red ones, eww, thin picks. I use orange mostly, average thickness for chording and leads, but if I want to hit them there strings hard, I go for the 1mm+ bad boys.

[<KF>]

i switched from the green .88 tortex to the yellow .73 tortex, and haven't looked back yet