Are guitar picks overlooked?

[Willyjacksonjs22-7]

I had a teacher that told me to try an xl jazz iii pick. So i bought a pack. Not all because of him but because some of my favorite guitarists were using them. so for the past 5 years of playing the guitar ( i think) today, i tried a standard tortex pick ( blue) and for some reason my palm mutes sounded better and thicker. just what i was looking for. I been trying to fix my technique , playing with amp settings, blaming the guitar etc.. It was just a pick. lol. Idk but maybe it has something to do with the way my hand is position or the way i pick.

 

[c7spheres]

Yes, picks are overlooked for sure. Picks are the number one fastest, least expensive way to improve your tone, playing and feel imo. You can never try out enough picks. Even the one's you don't like can come in handy for recording or may work better on certain guitars or string gauges.
- Keep trying more picks. the materials make a huge difference tone and clarity. And thick picks aren't always stiffer than thin one's. Sometimes it's the opposite.

 

[wheresthefbomb]

You might like the bevel-edged dunlop gator grips. I can't tell the difference between the materials in gator grip and tortex picks. The dunlop Ultex are interesting too, really sharp and trebly sound, but I don't like the way the material wears. The Ultex kick ass for clean playing but I'm not about to switch picks between parts.

Some people really like the newer dunlop flow, I haven't tried it but they look to be a similar material to the Ultex.

I used the blue tortex for yeeeeears, I find the beveled edge of the gator/ultex gives a much sharper attack whereas the squared-off edge makes a bit more of a "scrape" sound, and wears into an awkward shape. It's subtle but I absolutely notice the difference in both sound and feel. Tremolo picking is much smoother and my pick gets bound on the strings much less in fast runs and the like.

I used star picks for years but couldn't recommend them now, the last bag I ordered all showed up with a slight curvature from tip to end which for me was totally intolerable, and the ones I checked out at the shop seem to have the same issue. Cheaper materials or something, who knows. I cleaned up my technique and incidentally stopped dropping picks all the time so haven't looked back.

 

[willy25]

You might like the bevel-edged dunlop gator grips. I can't tell the difference between the materials in gator grip and tortex picks. The dunlop Ultex are interesting too, really sharp and trebly sound, but I don't like the way the material wears. The Ultex kick ass for clean playing but I'm not about to switch picks between parts.

Some people really like the newer dunlop flow, I haven't tried it but they look to be a similar material to the Ultex.

I used the blue tortex for yeeeeears, I find the beveled edge of the gator/ultex gives a much sharper attack whereas the squared-off edge makes a bit more of a "scrape" sound, and wears into an awkward shape. It's subtle but I absolutely notice the difference in both sound and feel. Tremolo picking is much smoother and my pick gets bound on the strings much less in fast runs and the like.

I used star picks for years but couldn't recommend them now, the last bag I ordered all showed up with a slight curvature from tip to end which for me was totally intolerable, and the ones I checked out at the shop seem to have the same issue. Cheaper materials or something, who knows. I cleaned up my technique and incidentally stopped dropping picks all the time so haven't looked back.

I bought a variety pack and others. Not liking the sharp picks or jazz iii type picks anymore. the gator sounds good and others too but im still keep coming back to the tortext lol. got to try more.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

yup.
picks are the start of the chain (unless you're a weirdo like jeff beck), so yeah they're pretty important ime.
They're the cheapest and easiest way to tweak your sound ime.

 

[bostjan]

Agreed. The sound of the guitar ultimately comes from the strings. Strings are the biggest contributor to tone. Next up on my list is how you excite those strings into vibration, so your fingers/picks/sustainer/eBow/whatever.

 

[willy25]

picks are the start of the chain (unless you're a weirdo like jeff beck), so yeah they're pretty important ime.
They're the cheapest and easiest way to tweak your sound ime.

lol i dont get the jeff beck joke?

 

[KnightBrolaire]

lol i dont get the jeff beck joke?

he plays almost exclusively with his fingers. No pick used.

 

[Willyjacksonjs22-7]

he plays almost exclusively with his fingers. No pick used.

watching some videos. some huge tone with just fingers. i cant even do that lol

 

[Fenriswolf]

watching some videos. some huge tone with just fingers. i cant even do that lol

Trying to play like Gatemouth Brown was easier to figure out for me.


Or like clawhammer on a banjo

 

[KnightBrolaire]

watching some videos. some huge tone with just fingers. i cant even do that lol

getting good at finger picking is a completely different skillset tbh, so don't feel bad.

 

[CanserDYI]

I'd say they are definitely overlooked, BUT, god damn the whole tonewood picks and "what picks do you use" people are fucking dumb.

 

[Seabeast2000]

Someone on this thread works for Big Pick.

 

[wheresthefbomb]

I'd say they are definitely overlooked, BUT, god damn the whole tonewood picks and "what picks do you use" people are fucking dumb.

Agreed, a lot of how I choose my picks comes down to whether I can buy them cheaply in bulk. To paraphrase Mitch Hedberg, "I bought a $20 guitar pick, because I got tired of losing my guitar pick and not caring."

I lose objects, especially small ones, at this point it's in my nature. I'm sure those $20 picks are great, but I can get 72 gator grip/tortex/whatever for the same price and never think twice about a lost pick.

 

[Chris Bowsman]

I can't tell the difference between the materials in gator grip and tortex picks.

They're both Delrin, Gators just have that rougher finish.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

I'd say they are definitely overlooked, BUT, god damn the whole tonewood picks and "what picks do you use" people are fucking dumb.

 

[Heretick]

I absolutely think so. I've been experimenting with thicker picks and slicker materials lately- both of which have helped alleviate troubles I have had with tennis elbow. The thicker pick lets my hand relax more, and the slick material (acrylic, specifically) helps me nail more complex picking stuff more consistently when my elbow is flaring up.

 

[Lorcan Ward]

I’ve tried so many different pics made from all sorts of materials but I always come back to the 1mm Jim Dunlop pics. Some pics make a few techniques sound slight better like downpicking and pinch harmonics but were bad for faster playing. Or one was bad for rhythm and great for lead. The Dunlop’s to me just have the best neutral point that don’t hinder any technique.

 

[beerandbeards]

*Ritchie Kotzen enters the chat*

 

[budda]

I wonder how many people sold amps, cabs or guitars when changing their pick might have gotten that last 10%.

Ok, I'm done wondering .