Kevin Dean Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 (edited) Up until this weekend I had always used JD 1mm nylon , during band rehearsal I noticed a horrible clicking sound , I spent a lot of time trying to eq it out .It wasn't until some time later I realised it was a JD Ultex.73 pick that some one must have given me & it was in my pocket .I didn't appreciate how much different plectrums & gauges could effect the tone .I'm off to order a selection . Edited March 5, 2018 by Cat Burrito Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 I find Dunlop Gels are good for subduing that clicking noise 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 I`ve found that picks really make a difference. I`m trying to go lighter as I have a tendency to dig in a lot, and hopefully this will reduce this a bit. Plus the thicker the pick the bassier the sound, so I`m also hoping to be able to add some lows in on my pre-amp and start letting my equipment generate the sound, rather than my hard-hitting, and let the thinner pick generate the top-end that I need. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 (edited) @Lozz196 Lozz, try Herco Gold Flex .50 - I've been using them for decades - could be just the pick you're looking for. Edited February 28, 2018 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Dean Posted February 28, 2018 Author Share Posted February 28, 2018 16 minutes ago, discreet said: @Lozz196 Lozz, try Herco Gold Flex .50 - I've been using them for decades - could be just the pick you're looking for. crumbs .50 , The plectrums that gave me the very clicky noise were Dunlop .73 ...Mind you my Shuker 36" has a very piano like tone in the fist place . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Ive been using Dunlop or delrin 1.14 for many years. It gives me the hard front end I need without sacrificing any of my low end. I have found that even within that size and material, they do vary, which I find a little strange. But for recording I use the Dunlop John petrucci picks. Lovely! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 (edited) Mainly Dunlop 1.14mm (fuschia colour) for me, but also partial to a Pure Tone 1.50mm. EDIT: I like even a thick plectrum to have some flexibility, I hate those hard plastic ones that look a bit like a sucked-flat boiled sweet! Edited February 28, 2018 by JapanAxe 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Wow, I can't imagine using a pick thicker than .50! I like to be fairly relaxed about it and let the amp do the work. But when I play fingerstyle I tend to dig in a little bit more... I suppose it's down to what you're used to. Been a pick player since the late 70s and a fingerstyle player for about five years, so... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Yep I`ve been using the triangular Dunlop 1.14mm ones, but have 073, .88 & 1.0 so am gonna try them all. I`m hoping that this will work as, in conjunction with another thread, I want to stop playing so hard all the time, just bring it in for when the guitar is soloing maybe, whereas at present I`m flat out all the time. Sounds great but these hands ain`t getting any younger. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Dean Posted February 28, 2018 Author Share Posted February 28, 2018 3 hours ago, Lozz196 said: Yep I`ve been using the triangular Dunlop 1.14mm ones, but have 073, .88 & 1.0 so am gonna try them all. I`m hoping that this will work as, in conjunction with another thread, I want to stop playing so hard all the time, just bring it in for when the guitar is soloing maybe, whereas at present I`m flat out all the time. Sounds great but these hands ain`t getting any younger. I think JJB used .73 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Addario UK Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Picks / Plectrums make a very audible difference to tone. Once you have found the right size and gauge of pick, the next test is the tone of the pick. How far down the nerd rabbit hole should we go... Take a few picks of the same size and gauge (or different for even more audible results) and drop them one at a time on a table top. Listen for the initial pitch of the first transient. I call this the 'ping.' You will hear how different materials have different 'pings' and part of this forms the initial attack against the string. Listen for that pitch when you pick a string. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 1 minute ago, D'Addario UK said: How far down the nerd rabbit hole should we go... As far as you like. It also makes a big difference how you hold a pick. Some people hold it by the 'grip' part but for me that allows too much leverage and movement at the business end. I palm mute and hold the pick close to the pointed end allowing a millimetre or two to protrude for plucking the strings (up and down stroke). This allows much more control, consistency and speed (if necessary) and makes it almost impossible to drop the thing. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
only4 Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 As a non pick player I’ve recently given these a try and find them really great to use as a different option. https://www.wedgie.com/rubbers.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 On 28/02/2018 at 10:26, discreet said: @Lozz196 Lozz, try Herco Gold Flex .50 - I've been using them for decades - could be just the pick you're looking for. I tried those but found them too thin. I normally use Herco Heavy ones which are the silver/grey coloured plectrums Apparently Chris Squire used them and so does Jimmy Page so I tried them and haven't used anything else since. I have tried hundreds over the years from the smallest thinnest ones to the big thick triangular Gibson ones but the problem was the grip. The Hercos are textured so you can concentrate on playing rather than holding it and ending up with cramp mid song. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Dunlop .73mm for me, the yellow ones. Perfect for my needs..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Dunlop 1mm for me. Love the feel of black nylons... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Astonished at the thickness of plectra people seem ro be using! I can't be doing with anything thicker than .50... Horses for courses, YMMV, imho, etc... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 6 minutes ago, discreet said: Astonished at the thickness of plectra people seem ro be using! I can't be doing with anything thicker than .50... Horses for courses, YMMV, imho, etc... Plectra? We aren't ancient Romans, the word has been assimilated into the English language and therefore takes English grammatical forms. Plectrums! Mind you, most people people only use one plectrum at a time. I rarely use them now I've got enough use of my hand to play with a modified finger style, but when I was using them, 2mm was my weapon of choice, couldn't stand the flexing of anything thinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 3 minutes ago, FinnDave said: Plectra? We aren't ancient Romans, the word has been assimilated into the English language and therefore takes English grammatical forms. Plectrums! You say capsicum annuum, I say capsicum annuum... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 5 minutes ago, discreet said: You say capsicum annuum, I say capsicum annuum... I don't think I've ever caught myself saying that. Possibly it has escaped my lips when over stimulated by the thought of playing above the 7th fret, but that's unlikely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Plectrums, plectra - take your pick. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Just trying to develop the use of a plectrum as a solely finger player, I have some cheapy Alice 1.5mm ones for eBay that work well. Got a range of others but found the skinny flexible ones very strange to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 1 minute ago, T-Bay said: Just trying to develop the use of a plectrum as a solely finger player, I have some cheapy Alice 1.5mm ones for eBay that work well. Got a range of others but found the skinny flexible ones very strange to use. Try the 2mm Dunlops, no flex at all. I can't use anything flexible, it throws my timing off. I have some 1.5mm Dunlops and even they are too flexible for me. Like you, I am primarily a finger player. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy 5 Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 I find Jim Dunlop jazz III the best picks, I've used them on bass, guitar, and mandolin. I get a good degree of control from them compared to bigger or thinner picks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 I used the Jazz 3 for a while, before discovering the petrucci picks. They're slightly larger, but the feel is better for me 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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