I just geeked out on picks...

[FuzzyAce]

It’s great. You can get addicted to it.

Ok, so I've had more time with it last night. May have spoken too soon.
It feels great and there's substance behind the attack.
The one thing it doesn't do as well is when I'm hybrid picking. Since it's thicker, it takes up extra space when I go to use my middle finger to pluck the string. It's subtle, but it's there. Ring finger is fine. But I think the extra pick weight is something to consider with hybrid technique. It's not quite as responsive and something I'd have to adjust to. For alternate or economy picking, doing upstroke picking which I seem to do a lot, it handles them well. Time will tell though because I may find the added weight slows me down too much.

I played the same riffs and lines back and forth with the 2mm and 4.2mm. The tone is very close, probably a tad warmer with the 4.2mm, and not quite as articulate.

Bottom line, it hasn't replaced the 2mm. I'll give it more time and can make adjustments here and there, but I also don't want to feel it's hindering me either. We'll see how it shakes out over time!

 

[Eagle]

Ok, so I've had more time with it last night. May have spoken too soon.
It feels great and there's substance behind the attack.
The one thing it doesn't do as well is when I'm hybrid picking. Since it's thicker, it takes up extra space when I go to use my middle finger to pluck the string. It's subtle, but it's there. Ring finger is fine. But I think the extra pick weight is something to consider with hybrid technique. It's not quite as responsive and something I'd have to adjust to. For alternate or economy picking, doing upstroke picking which I seem to do a lot, it handles them well. Time will tell though because I may find the added weight slows me down too much.

I played the same riffs and lines back and forth with the 2mm and 4.2mm. The tone is very close, probably a tad warmer with the 4.2mm, and not quite as articulate.

Bottom line, it hasn't replaced the 2mm. I'll give it more time and can make adjustments here and there, but I also don't want to feel it's hindering me either. We'll see how it shakes out over time!

For out and out single note fluidity I find it better but there is more to playing than that ( I think ) .
I’m liking the I.25 nylon atm because it shares the flow features with a jazz3 red tone and attack on the strings.

 

[FuzzyAce]

For out and out single note fluidity I find it better but there is more to playing than that ( I think ) .
I’m liking the I.25 nylon atm because it shares the flow features with a jazz3 red tone and attack on the strings.

The 1.25 nylon is nice, I do like that one too.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Geeked squad checking in!

Dunlop Primetone Flow in .73 and .88
Nylon versions in .88 and 1.0
Sculpted versions in .88 and .73
Fred Kelly Medium and Heavy
Pickboy Ceramic/Nylon in .50
Graphtech TUSQ .88 in warm (vintage) and bright (white)

And my usual standbys, the Pickboy Reefer .60 in Carbon Nylon and Nylon 66 in my handmade pick dish.

I only really have the wherewithal to test them out unplugged rn as my oldest daughter is sick and asleep in the next room. So far the Flow Nylon 1.0mm and the standard Flow .73 are my favorites.

I'm having a difficult time differentiating between the Flow from the Sculpted picks besides the slight shape difference but it seems like the Sculpted are wearing a little faster? I'll need more time with them because materials change feel when warmed up in my hand during a set.

The grip on these Primetone picks are amazing!

I'm not into the Fred Kelly picks. The ceramic pickboy one is crazy because it's thin and rigid at the tip but the grip section is thick AF and is throwing me off! I really like it for strumming but it's wearing pretty quickly.

The TUSQ picks surprised me because I didn't expect them to be so small, not completely unusable but smaller than I'd like. I'd like to try these on an acoustic.

Further geeking required..

 

[Eagle]

Geeked squad checking in!

View attachment 62028


Dunlop Primetone Flow in .73 and .88
Nylon versions in .88 and 1.0
Sculpted versions in .88 and .73
Fred Kelly Medium and Heavy
Pickboy Ceramic/Nylon in .50
Graphtech TUSQ .88 in warm (vintage) and bright (white)

And my usual standbys, the Pickboy Reefer .60 in Carbon Nylon and Nylon 66 in my handmade pick dish.

I only really have the wherewithal to test them out unplugged rn as my oldest daughter is sick and asleep in the next room. So far the Flow Nylon 1.0mm and the standard Flow .73 are my favorites.

I'm having a difficult time differentiating between the Flow from the Sculpted picks besides the slight shape difference but it seems like the Sculpted are wearing a little faster? I'll need more time with them because materials change feel when warmed up in my hand during a set.

The grip on these Primetone picks are amazing!

I'm not into the Fred Kelly picks. The ceramic pickboy one is crazy because it's thin and rigid at the tip but the grip section is thick AF and is throwing me off! I really like it for strumming but it's wearing pretty quickly.

The TUSQ picks surprised me because I didn't expect them to be so small, not completely unusable but smaller than I'd like. I'd like to try these on an acoustic.

Further geeking required..

Do you never use thicker picks? Try some 1.25 mm ~2mm I think they sound better personally.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Do you never use thicker picks? Try some 1.25 mm ~2mm I think they sound better personally.

I have a few, and while I do find them useful for certain playing styles, tones and techniques on electric guitar, I can't seem to jive with them as all-around everyday players so I've given most of them to my son because he likes and uses them more than I do. We trade back and forth every so often and I pull some thicker ones to give them a shot and usually give them right back. I've had the same Big Stubby pick since I was 17!

I have a 2mm Gravity Gold pick and a couple of, erhm... "natural" picks that I've discovered play really well for certain single note applications. The pink polished one is especially good at making alternate picked riffs sound down picked

Bass playing is a different story, when I want a picked bass sound I'll generally go for heavier and thicker picks but on guitar thicker picks tend to naturally give me a duller sound, and I like to have a nice bright pick attack and be able to dull it down with my picking technique as needed.

It could be the way I learned to attack the instrument, but I can easily be more expressive with a thinner pick. Not too thin, Tortex .60mm is as light as I can comfortably go but they're way too slippery and either deform or wear away after a session.

 

[FuzzyAce]

After even more time, the 4.2 Flow (420) is really great and growing on me.

It's still not perfect for hybrid picking, although it's not bad either -- it's very workable. But for alternate and economy it's awesome in that I can keep my hand more relaxed and let the pick do what it does best. Notes are coming out faster and cleaner as a result. It doesn't take too much to get volume and attack out of this pick, so when I do dig in -- it's powerful.
Thanks for mentioning it @Eagle . It's become a useful tool. Still love my 2.0, but it's nice to have an option that excels in other ways.

 

[FuzzyAce]

I have a few, and while I do find them useful for certain playing styles, tones and techniques on electric guitar, I can't seem to jive with them as all-around everyday players so I've given most of them to my son because he likes and uses them more than I do. We trade back and forth every so often and I pull some thicker ones to give them a shot and usually give them right back. I've had the same Big Stubby pick since I was 17!

I have a 2mm Gravity Gold pick and a couple of, erhm... "natural" picks that I've discovered play really well for certain single note applications. The pink polished one is especially good at making alternate picked riffs sound down picked
View attachment 62029

Bass playing is a different story, when I want a picked bass sound I'll generally go for heavier and thicker picks but on guitar thicker picks tend to naturally give me a duller sound, and I like to have a nice bright pick attack and be able to dull it down with my picking technique as needed.

It could be the way I learned to attack the instrument, but I can easily be more expressive with a thinner pick. Not too thin, Tortex .60mm is as light as I can comfortably go but they're way too slippery and either deform or wear away after a session.

I can honestly say, don't think I've ever used a rock as a pick.
Have you tried coins? I really like a quarter as a pick. It can get an interesting, crispy attack. Half dollar is cool too.

 

[la szum]

Nothing has unseated my Flow 2.0 yet. Many have tried but failed ultimately.
Superior grip, very long lasting, precise control attacking the strings, and able to keep up with faster playing. The edgier tone I've grown accustomed to, so they're not going anywhere soon.

I love big picks and I cannot lie.


It was the whole DiMeola phase I went through where I
was trying every pick imaginable. I realized that for me
the control and feel I needed was in the thicc-ness!

 

[la szum]

You should try carbon nylon.

Most picks (including dunlop) that call themselves carbon whatever are a blend of carbon fibres and nylon, and most picks that imply theyre carbon fibre, aren't.

I think I have some of those in a Jazz shape and they are Petrucci Signatures?? Sound familiar?

 

[la szum]

I can honestly say, don't think I've ever used a rock as a pick.
Have you tried coins? I really like a quarter as a pick. It can get an interesting, crispy attack. Half dollar is cool too.

Was that the Billy Gibbons trick from way back? I recall reading about him doing that in the 1980s
and then trying it.

Hello abrasive chirp.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Was that the Billy Gibbons trick from way back? I recall reading about him doing that in the 1980s
and then trying it.

Hello abrasive chirp.

It's possible Billy used one, wouldn't be surprised at all! I only remember hearing about Brian May using a coin when I had tried it. IIRC, I was at a jam situation where I needed a pick, didn't have one and neither did the other musicians, but I had same change in my pocket. So grabbed a quarter and went to it. Worked out well I'd thought.

 

[FuzzyAce]

I love big picks and I cannot lie.


It was the whole DiMeola phase I went through where I
was trying every pick imaginable. I realized that for me
the control and feel I needed was in the thicc-ness!

Right there with ya. They're surprisingly versatile, and I don't find it hard to finesse the note attack when necessary. Thicker picks leave more room for dynamics imo.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I needed a pick, didn't have one and neither did the other musicians, but I had same change in my pocket. So grabbed a quarter and went to it. Worked out well I'd thought.

I've done this several times in a pinch. Not my favorite but it's better than nothing.

 

[Eagle]

I would use my fingers in that situation. A coin sounds terrible. Brian May smoothed out the edges to reduce the scrape and used older actually silver sixpences , softer metal and sounds less harsh.

 

[FuzzyAce]

I've done this several times in a pinch. Not my favorite but it's better than nothing.

It has its drawbacks for sure. I do like metal picks better for that type of thing. I have some brass and stainless steels ones that are pretty cool.

 

[Eagle]

It has its drawbacks for sure. I do like metal picks better for that type of thing. I have some brass and stainless steels ones that are pretty cool.

I hate the way they drag on the string myself.

 

[FuzzyAce]

I would use my fingers in that situation. A coin sounds terrible. Brian May smoothed out the edges to reduce the scrape and used older actually silver sixpences , softer metal and sounds less harsh.

An American nickel sounds good, and is smoother. The quarter works if you need a bigger grip and want some sass on the notes.

 

[metropolis_4]

I just can’t do thick picks. The attack is too fat and round for my taste. Especially with acoustics. 0.70-0.88 seems to be the sweet spot for me.

I do like 3.0 casein picks on mandolin, and I’ll use 1.14-1.5 Jazz III’s for gigs that demand a lot of speed and precision on electric.

For electric with lots of distortion I’ll go as thick as 3.0 sometimes, but I don’t like those sounds for anything short of full out rock/metal.

For general use I just always seem to gravitate back to 351 medium celluloid no matter what I try. They just sound the best to me for the most situations.

 

[Eagle]

An American nickel sounds good, and is smoother. The quarter works if you need a bigger grip and want some sass on the notes.

They are plastic aren’t they?