What pick(s) do you use?

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7StringedBeast

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Tortex Sharps 1.5, tried most of what's been posted here (specially from Dunlop) and they win so far...willing to try the Tortex III, never tried those...
 

Narrillnezzurh

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Dunlop Tortex Jazz picks, 1.14mm. They're firm but not too thick, they sound good, and they sharpen easy.

The Sharps look cool though, I might try a few if I can find them locally.
 

Electric Wizard

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Dunlop 1mm nylon. Just recently started to sharpen the rounded tips on them a bit and they're even better now.
 

BabUShka

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I've been using the yellow Dunlop picks for years, but recently I changed back to Dunlop Nylon MAxGrip.

Those are amazing picks. They doesn't add these cold picking noise, and they last like for ever.. + The cleans are a bit vamer because the pick is a little bit flexible.

103691366-260x260-0-0_Dunlop+Dunlop+Nylon+Max+Grip+0+88+Player+Pk.jpg
 

ThePhilosopher

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I just got a ......... Tivar Drop from Switzerland - it's my new favorite pick.
 

Christian Noir

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Just my tastes/opinions... :taunt:

SOME PICKS I USE REGULARLY

Dunlop Nylon Standard 1.0 Black
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*My !Flavourite! besides it's drawbacks.
PROS: IMHO, Best sounding pick for rhythm / open chords that I've tried. It's flexibility smooths out big chords in a buttery/sonically pleasing way. Has a good bounce and the right amount of snap if you need it.
CONS: Doesn't grip as well as Max Grip. A little floppy for leads and real accurate stuff. Might be a bit floppy for some using super heavy strings. Least durable out of the bunch. Below average for string scrapes compared to harder picks.
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Dunlop Max-Grip™ Nylon Standard 1.0MM
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PROS: When you need better grip than the regular nylons, this works. A bit more durable too.
CONS: Its bane is that it doesn't sound nearly as good and isn't as smooth feeling as the regular nylons to my ears/touch anyway.
MaxGripNylonStandard-alt-3yxjm.png


Dunlop Max-Grip™ Nylon Standard 1.5MM
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PROS: This is usually my backup for the standard nylons. Nice feel for rhythm and OK for solos. Plays a bit better and sounds a bit better than the 1MM version sometimes. Kind of a taste thing. Grips great. More durable than regular nylons.
CONS: A bit blunt and thick feeling sometimes... Tonal response varies.
MaxGripNylonStandard-alt-Ldaao.png


Dunlop Ultex Jazz III
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*To each their own, but I like the tone/feel of these better than the black version.
PROS: Great for fast intricate stuff and single notes. Grips great.
CONS: Kind of small for rhythm playing sometimes, but not too bad. The "tone" is good the majority of the time, but sometimes feels slightly flat and without snap, perhaps because of its blunt edge and the fact that it's small size makes the tonal variations you get from holding a pick different ways a bit limited.
DV019_Jpg_Regular_111004_single.jpg


Dunlop Ultex Sharp 2.0
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PROS: All-around awesome pick. Fast for its thickness. Grips great. ULTRA durable, most will probably lose it before it wears out.
CONS: A bit thick and unflexible sometimes for playing smooth open chords. Impossible to find on beige carpet.
29872_Dunlop_Ultex_Sharp_2.0.jpg


Dunlop Ultex Sharp 1.0MM and 1.14MM
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I keep these around for when the 2.0 feels a bit thick or if I want a sharper attack/tone.

Dunlop Tortex® Standard 1.14mm
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PROS: Great all-around average pick.
CONS: Not crazy about how it feels... Chalky, plasticky, planky, stiff for lack of a better description. Not trying to knock it because I actually do like to use it occasionally! However, it's not my personal first choice... They do agree better with me than Gator Grips though...
TortexStandard-alt-qpSB5.png


Dava Picks
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Still trying out a bunch of em... Tried at least 6 models and only really dig the small red/black ones so far... want to try the gel version but haven't gotten around to ordering them. Metal ones are ok, but not my cup of tea. The multi-material ones are pretty cool, but sometimes the mix of materials gets a little in the way in my opinion. The transition points between the materials feel slightly awkward.
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Commentary
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I find picks to play a pretty big part in influencing tone and each one is a little different enough to inspire slightly different playing. In-fact, I think they play a much bigger part in the overall equation than people realize. A change in picks could be the biggest tone shaping you can make to your sound relative to cost.

I would recommend trying as many picks as you can before settling. Actually, I wouldn't settle completely and opt for having a few different flavors lying around. Picks all play a bit differently on each guitar and different packs of strings, so take my reviews with a grain of salt, because your assessment could be totally different than mine based on 5 zillion different variables.

DESERT ISLAND PICKS (assuming there are amps, electric guitars and electricity)
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1) Dunlop Nylon 1MM
2) Dunlop Max-Grip 2.0 or Dunlop Ultex Sharp 2.0
3) Dunlop Ultex Jazz III
If I could only have one single of these picks with no replacement, it's probably be the Ultex because it lasts forever.
If I only had an acoustic, I'd go for the nylons (1mm or less), although I'd probably find myself growing out my nails or using shells after a month if I only had one.

WHAT I WISH FOR FROM DUNLOP
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Nylon 1mm that sounds like and is as flexible as the regular nylons, but grips like the max-grip... + 1.14, 1.5 and 2.0 versions.
Durability? Tone comes first IMHO, because you can always buy more picks.
 

JosephAOI

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images


Love these things so much. The sharp tip gives so much more attack and definition to my playing. It's effortless to play with these too. The only drawback is the lack of grip, which can be easily remedied by scoring it with a knife or something.
 

nihilism

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Dunlop Pitch Black Jazz III's. Really smooth and are great for faster runs. I use Dunlop Tortex .88 (green) on my acoustic.
 

MstrH

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I use the jazz III Max Grip Carbon ones, I'm set now :) tried loads of other picks, but just keep on coming back to them. If only they were glow in the dark, I'd be a happy man and a lot richer :lol:

Hell yeah. Dunlop Max Grip Jazz III Stiffos or Carbons. Da best :hbang:
 

Jessy

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Dunlop is an awesome company. I had to get some screws from them, for my straploks, because the hardware stores around here didn't carry the right ones. They either gave them to me dirt cheap or free (I forget which but it doesn't matter), and they gave me a bunch of free stickers and picks as a surprise. However, I ended up giving away all the picks to my friend. I used to be primarily a Dava player (I got into the Control Pick when it was new, and was all I used for years), but I've been spoiled now. The V-Picks are on a whole 'nother level than everything else I've tried. They're exorbitantly priced, but I'll gladly keep paying unless someone can tell me of a competitor to that material and shape selection. I don't mind giving Vinni's family the business though. Seems like a nice guy. It'd be cool if enough of you could be convinced about his products, so that a bigger company might buy the rights, and manufacture them for a lower cost to us.

I don't understand how these tiny shops can be making such vastly superior products without competition (V-Picks, Q-Tuner). It's not like custom instrument production; sure, their products cost more, but the price delta is small because the products aren't that expensive unless you get many of them. It sucks, because when they stop making products, the entirety of the guitar world takes a step back a decade or two.
 

nshaw12

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Dunlop-Stubby-Pick-6-Pack-1mm.jpg


^These. Dunlop Stubby 1mm. They're tiny compared to most picks, but I have so much more control because of it. The thickness is perfect for how I play.

Since I've started using them, normal picks feel big and unwieldy, which in turn affects my playing negatively, so if I forget a pick and I want to try a guitar, it's either fingerstyle or I'm boned.
 

3074326

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1.35 Sharps.. used to use the 1.5, but randomly started using the 1.35s lately and definitely prefer them. Wish they weren't black though, they blend in with everything I own.
 
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