GuitarGorilla
Groupie
- Messages
- 49
V-Picks are great, I like the sticky feel of them. I think they heat treat the acrylic to make it that way. I wish they had a jazz III type. Of their offerings I like the Hotter Tamale, Stoner, and Jester the most.
I just geeked out on picks...
- Thread starter DrewJD82
- Start date
- Messages
- 9,158
Flow 2.0 are still my no.1 picks. Grip is the best I've used for myself, tone is bright with a bit more string noise, but I've learned to adjust to it.
- Messages
- 11,915
I can see that, especially if they're capable of catching the winds of the string and doing that scratchy thing.
GuitarGorilla
Groupie
- Messages
- 49
After experimenting with a lot of different picks for a while I've come to the conclusion that these are the best picks for high gain for me. Acoustic is a different beast; I view acoustic picks as EQs. For high gain I put more emphasis on enhancing my technique, since I can EQ my tone in so many different ways. I don't play a lot of cleans/breakup lately.
Left: Tone Slabs custom 1.4mm Jazz III (not their "Classic Jazz," which is a Jazz XL) - Sticky, grippy, articulate, well-defined, brighter-toned than Vespel. This is the one I play with when my maximum accurate speed isn't being pushed. It remains to be seen how it will hold up to Vespel durability-wise, but the fact that it's survived more than a month of my heavy-handed playing with minimal wear puts it above most materials.
Middle: Blue Chip Jazz 100 round bevel, customized with small holes - This is my go-to when I'm playing something with leads that challenge my speed. The thickness and lubricity of the material make it noticeably faster than the Tone Slabs. The sacrifice is that it's more low-end-focused, where I want more high-mids for leads. But there are tons of ways to EQ a high gain signal. It also has more chirp.
Right: Custom Blue Chip STP 100 (they'll make a STP this thickness if you ask) with round bevel and small holes - This is my go-to for fast rhythm work. Think stuff with a lot of tremolo picking, or fully-downpicked Master of Puppets. The wider grip and more rounded tip make it faster and more stable than the Jazz 100. It works fine for melodic leads in a pinch but I don't prefer it for more "shreddy" leads.
Overall it's the materials that makes these picks special, followed by the edge quality. I previously gravitated toward grippy picks like the Wegen Twins when playing fast stuff. While those are still good, I find the speed boost of thick Vespel picks outweighs the need for grip. And the Tone Slabs base material's sticky feel gives it a decent amount of grip.
To-do:
-Experiment more with the Blue Chip Kenny Smith 60, which is a very fast pick, and possibly get a custom one in the 100 thickness.
-Research 3D printable materials to find something both high durability and high lubricity and experiment with some of my own pick designs.
Left: Tone Slabs custom 1.4mm Jazz III (not their "Classic Jazz," which is a Jazz XL) - Sticky, grippy, articulate, well-defined, brighter-toned than Vespel. This is the one I play with when my maximum accurate speed isn't being pushed. It remains to be seen how it will hold up to Vespel durability-wise, but the fact that it's survived more than a month of my heavy-handed playing with minimal wear puts it above most materials.
Middle: Blue Chip Jazz 100 round bevel, customized with small holes - This is my go-to when I'm playing something with leads that challenge my speed. The thickness and lubricity of the material make it noticeably faster than the Tone Slabs. The sacrifice is that it's more low-end-focused, where I want more high-mids for leads. But there are tons of ways to EQ a high gain signal. It also has more chirp.
Right: Custom Blue Chip STP 100 (they'll make a STP this thickness if you ask) with round bevel and small holes - This is my go-to for fast rhythm work. Think stuff with a lot of tremolo picking, or fully-downpicked Master of Puppets. The wider grip and more rounded tip make it faster and more stable than the Jazz 100. It works fine for melodic leads in a pinch but I don't prefer it for more "shreddy" leads.
Overall it's the materials that makes these picks special, followed by the edge quality. I previously gravitated toward grippy picks like the Wegen Twins when playing fast stuff. While those are still good, I find the speed boost of thick Vespel picks outweighs the need for grip. And the Tone Slabs base material's sticky feel gives it a decent amount of grip.
To-do:
-Experiment more with the Blue Chip Kenny Smith 60, which is a very fast pick, and possibly get a custom one in the 100 thickness.
-Research 3D printable materials to find something both high durability and high lubricity and experiment with some of my own pick designs.
Pickboy have started selling direct with super low shipping (£3 to the UK) so i ordered a bunch of picks.
The ones on the bottom row, the sent as part of a selection pack and I like the white ceramic ones so much, i put in another order with them, some polyacetels (delrin), resin and extra heavy celluloids.
The ones on the bottom row, the sent as part of a selection pack and I like the white ceramic ones so much, i put in another order with them, some polyacetels (delrin), resin and extra heavy celluloids.
Sascha Franck
Rock Star
- Messages
- 9,570
I've been examining this before (I think I may have even posted it round these parts somewhere), but as I was just struggling with the Dunlop Jazz III JP vs. Carbon Jazz III, here's why.
The main reason why standard sized Jazz IIIs work so well for me, especially for funky rhythm stuff and other strummed things, would be that the pick doesn't stick out too much while the edge is still not touching the middle phalanx (is that the correct word? Seems so...) of my index finger.
Have a look, this is how much the Jazz III tip sticks out:
The pic doesn't exactly do it justice, but still. This is how I like it for very controlled strumming (on acoustics I allow it to stick out some more).
And here's how it's located between thumb and index:
As you can see, it's not touching the middle phalanx. Which is again exactly how I like it. As said, *the* very reason for me to use Jazz IIIs
Now, with the Jazz III JP, the pick's tip will either stick out some more (as much as the pick is larger) or touch the middle phalanx, in case I have it stick out less.
With single lines, it's actually absolutely fine for me when the pick sticks out a bit more, especially with the JP, as the pick glides through things incredibly smoothly. Allows me to pick pretty lightly, too - in fact, it lends to lighter picking automatically, which I like. But with most rhythm things I play, I can't play just *that* light (doesn't sound or feel right) - and that's the moment when the pick sticking out further really starts to annoy me. And it's getting no better when I pull it back a bit, because in that case the tip edge is "overlapping" into the middle phalanx of my index finger.
So, while the JP is fantastic for lines, not just because of the great shape of the tip but especially in combination with it sticking out a bit more, I'm almost sure I won't like it for rhythm guitars, even if I tried to get used to it. Btw., before I switched to Jazz IIIs, I used standard black Dunlop nylons (1mm) for years, so I do know I can get along with picks touching the middle phalanx, but for my personal feel, Jazz IIIs changed pretty much everything, so I won't go back there. And while I like me some effortless noodling, if I had to choose, I'd go for effortless rhythm playing any day (after all, it's what keeps getting me jobs, nobody likes noodlers - and I love it, too).
So, what to do? I will file one JP down to the size of a regular Jazz III and I will as well order some yellow Jazz III Ultex pack. Played them before and found them a little too slippy, but that was a long time ago. Their tip should come with somewhat less resistance than the Carbon things.
I may as well just try to polish the Jazz III a bit more, but I'm afraid that with the JP it's also about the bevel.
Never thought I would ever be geeking out on picks in my life again, but here we are...
The main reason why standard sized Jazz IIIs work so well for me, especially for funky rhythm stuff and other strummed things, would be that the pick doesn't stick out too much while the edge is still not touching the middle phalanx (is that the correct word? Seems so...) of my index finger.
Have a look, this is how much the Jazz III tip sticks out:
The pic doesn't exactly do it justice, but still. This is how I like it for very controlled strumming (on acoustics I allow it to stick out some more).
And here's how it's located between thumb and index:
As you can see, it's not touching the middle phalanx. Which is again exactly how I like it. As said, *the* very reason for me to use Jazz IIIs
Now, with the Jazz III JP, the pick's tip will either stick out some more (as much as the pick is larger) or touch the middle phalanx, in case I have it stick out less.
With single lines, it's actually absolutely fine for me when the pick sticks out a bit more, especially with the JP, as the pick glides through things incredibly smoothly. Allows me to pick pretty lightly, too - in fact, it lends to lighter picking automatically, which I like. But with most rhythm things I play, I can't play just *that* light (doesn't sound or feel right) - and that's the moment when the pick sticking out further really starts to annoy me. And it's getting no better when I pull it back a bit, because in that case the tip edge is "overlapping" into the middle phalanx of my index finger.
So, while the JP is fantastic for lines, not just because of the great shape of the tip but especially in combination with it sticking out a bit more, I'm almost sure I won't like it for rhythm guitars, even if I tried to get used to it. Btw., before I switched to Jazz IIIs, I used standard black Dunlop nylons (1mm) for years, so I do know I can get along with picks touching the middle phalanx, but for my personal feel, Jazz IIIs changed pretty much everything, so I won't go back there. And while I like me some effortless noodling, if I had to choose, I'd go for effortless rhythm playing any day (after all, it's what keeps getting me jobs, nobody likes noodlers - and I love it, too).
So, what to do? I will file one JP down to the size of a regular Jazz III and I will as well order some yellow Jazz III Ultex pack. Played them before and found them a little too slippy, but that was a long time ago. Their tip should come with somewhat less resistance than the Carbon things.
I may as well just try to polish the Jazz III a bit more, but I'm afraid that with the JP it's also about the bevel.
Never thought I would ever be geeking out on picks in my life again, but here we are...
Which black JP JIIIs are you talking about, because theres a couple?
Sascha Franck
Rock Star
- Messages
- 9,570
Dunlop Ultex Jazz III John Petrucci, 1.5mm
I think these were the first real signature ones of him.
Sascha Franck
Rock Star
- Messages
- 9,570
Ffs, I NEED a standard Jazz III with the exact same tip as the JP!!! That tip is just glorious. Zero string "scratching".
Those are the ones I thought.
Have you tried the Jazz III XL in any materials? Might be just wide enough to notend up on the second metatarsal (i think thats the name) but not poke out so much that it annoys you.
Also, in my last post on Pickboy, the edge picks (top row, second left and bottom second from left/far right) are sized between the Dunlop jazz iii XL and regular Jazz iii. Pointier tips like the petrucci, and all pretty low drag.
LCW
Roadie
- Messages
- 658
I’m gone through many picks over the last few years… Gator Grip, Tortex, Ultex, Flow, Max-Grip, Herco 66, Herco Holy Grail, Dunlop Nylon…
My go-tos now, depending on what I play are Tortex blue or green, Herco Holy Grail Medium(? - the silver ones), and Dunlop black nylon (1.0mm).
My go-tos now, depending on what I play are Tortex blue or green, Herco Holy Grail Medium(? - the silver ones), and Dunlop black nylon (1.0mm).
Sascha Franck
Rock Star
- Messages
- 9,570
Yeah, I think so. Might give them another try. Have a Dunlop mixed bag on my Thomann list, there's one in.
Seriously, I thought I'd never think about picks again, what a drama.
Need to watch them for availability over here. No way I'm gonna buy picks that all of a sudden become unobtanium.
I think Thomann have the Carbon nylon version pretty regularly.
The polycarbonate (clear) can be ordered direct from pickboy, and the ultem ones seem to be out of stock a lot.
I misspoke, its this place in the Netherlands
Dave Lewis
Shredder
- Messages
- 2,055
Has anyone tried these Henry’s button picks ?
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metropolis_4
Rock Star
- Messages
- 4,166
I’ve really moved away from Jazz IIIs to almost exclusively using medium celluloid 351s these days.
It’s a trade off because I miss the control and bit of extra speed I feel with the Jazz III, but I like the tone of the medium celluloid so much better for almost everything.
The D’Addario celluloid are my favorite. Something about the material has better grip than most celluloid
It’s a trade off because I miss the control and bit of extra speed I feel with the Jazz III, but I like the tone of the medium celluloid so much better for almost everything.
The D’Addario celluloid are my favorite. Something about the material has better grip than most celluloid
Sascha Franck
Rock Star
- Messages
- 9,570
Fwiw, "honeymoon" with the JO Jazz III seems to be over, it's really the tip responsible for all the joy. So now a standard Jazz III with that kinda tip. First step will be retrying the yellow Ultex ones (I remember them to be rather slippy, though).
Ed DeGenaro
Shredder
- Messages
- 1,851
FWIW, for a while I filed and buffed my picks so the bevel/tip was how I liked it.
Now I just turn the pick to blunt side for a minute and any tip will do after.
The scratchy mess some picks are I realised I can ditch when switching to angling the pick so the trailing edge crosses the string in down strokes.
Sascha Franck
Rock Star
- Messages
- 9,570
Yeah, it might all not be that much of an issue, but still, that JP tip is really making a difference in feel on single notes.
