mKwatra427 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Hey guys, I'm looking for a pick that gives a more tactile feel than my current celluloid ones. I want something that both sounds and feels like it's being played finger style and moves across the strings more fluidly. Not a thinner gauge as that makes my picking style more clumsy. So ideally, something with a softer material and a bit thicker as well (currently at 0.70 mm). Hopefully some brand that is common enough as I don't quite live in a first-world country with easy access to music equipment. Help appreciated. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I'm sure everyone is going to chime in with their favorite pick. I've tried a lot, and the one I have gravitated toward for the very reasons you have stated is the Dunlop JD Jazztone 204. It is small (the same size as a Jazz III), thick (2mm), and it has a smooth release because of its rounded edge and material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan H Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 If you're looking for something in the "standard" pick size, I would highly suggest the Planet Waves Duralin X-Heavy. They're 1.5mm but don't quite Feel like a super thick pick. The material has more grip than a standard plastic or celluloid imo, and it's the closest thing i've found to replicating the sound of fingers, which is what I prefer. They have a certain round, "glassiness" to the attack. My current #1. -Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I'm sure everyone is going to chime in with their favorite pick. I've tried a lot, and the one I have gravitated toward for the very reasons you have stated is the Dunlop JD Jazztone 204. It is small (the same size as a Jazz III), thick (2mm), and it has a smooth release because of its rounded edge and material. Yup, I think one of the jazz style picks should be able to fit the description. Dunlop has loads of different shapes, thicknesses, materials so I think the best option would be to just pop into a local music shop and try them out. Jim Dunlop free of charge sent me one of each of their jazz III picks because my local store didnt stock many and I ended up liking the Eric Johnson signature one the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quapman Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Oh man,, This subject couldn't be more subjective. For what it's worth I have used Tortex for years. I always come back to them. Gave the V picks a try because people were raving about those once. The acrylic does grip when it warms up but what Einstein ever thought clear was a good color for picks??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Oh man,, This subject couldn't be more subjective. For what it's worth I have used Tortex for years. I always come back to them. Gave the V picks a try because people were raving about those once. The acrylic does grip when it warms up but what Einstein ever thought clear was a good color for picks??? Totally agree about it being subjective. What you said about acrylic reminds me of when I first started playing and had these crappy nylon picks that would never grip well. I ended up putting tipex on them to increase friction a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Indeed similar subjective and personal as guitars and strings My current pick choices are Dunlop MAXX Grip .73 mm, .88 mm, and MAXX Grip Jazz III. They all seem to be rather common and should be available in The Middle Of Nowhere, too. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar God Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I use the Dunlop .88mm Tortex's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Hmm well the only thing I can add is maybe try a metal pick... I was bought this recently for my 40th birthday pressie And im not suggesting you buy one of those necessarily as that one is silver.. BUT playing with a metal pick certainly gives you more attack.. Its so different from the plastic ones that its taking me some time to get used to, but I love it :).. Just something you may want to consider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 If you want to sound "fingerstyle," how about bare fingers? That's what I do 98 to 99 percent of the time, and probably have done more than 90 percent over the past 50 years. A combination of bare finger/thumb and a bit of nail finger/thumb gives a huge variety, especially when used with roughly "classical guitarist" knowledge of changing tone. Or... as for metal picks, how about a coin from your country? Many folks do that now. The rounded edge softens the hardness of the sound if played at an angle to the strings, or it can add to the hardness of the sound played "straight on." For what it's worth, when I do flatpick, either strumming or acoustic guitar "fancy flatpickin'," I tend to use a medium pick of some brand that has a bit of added "grip" to it so it doesn't get slippery in my fingers and go flying across the room. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 These are all I use anymore and I use my middle and ring fingers a lot. They are stiff if you choke down on them, but a little more flexible as you back off. That said, if you really want to mix pick and fingerstyle, you might try a thumbpick instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimi Mac Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 The only advice I can give you is to try many many of them until you find something that you like! There are so many of so many materials out there that it is hard to get an idea of what will be good... I'm still on a pick quest, much like my string quest, that appears to be a life-long and eternally changing dynamic... I have at least 3 or 4 different brands, materials, and thicknesses that I rotate constantly depending on my mood and sometimes even the song I'm playing... Then I'll retry one I gave up on years ago and find I like it again and it keeps shifting as I think my playing eternally evolves and adapts... Summer sweaty hands vs winter cold hands, indoors, outdoors, situations change how my hands react to my technique and my guitars given the environmental conditions I'm playing-in too and it can all make a difference... What works for me one day could fly out of my hand mid-song on another day leaving me to struggle to finger pick my way thru a piece until I get a moment to make a grab for either another pick or the dropped one... Too many variable for anyone to know what will be good for you... Only you can make that call and the only way to do it is to try several different brands, materials, and thicknesses until you find what works best for you and what you like best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mKwatra427 Posted March 15, 2014 Author Share Posted March 15, 2014 zigzag and krock… looks good, i'll try and find some. Could you tell me how the different thicknesses compare? I believe they come in 1, 2, and 3mm gauges and I've never played with more than 1mm :P milod I do play finger style sometimes but some songs have me switching between lead lines and strumming, which makes fingerpicking somewhat difficult (sometimes i use a pick along with fingers but it often ends up clumsy… surfpup i think that's sort of what you're describing) everyone else thanks for your input and i have to do some research… and try out all these picks of course... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mKwatra427 Posted March 15, 2014 Author Share Posted March 15, 2014 Oh and i'm also looking to try out some metal picks :D as soon as i can locate some coins in my country are quite thick and unwieldy for the most part… i have attempted playing with them and do not intend to continue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 zigzag and krock… looks good, i'll try and find some. Could you tell me how the different thicknesses compare? I believe they come in 1, 2, and 3mm gauges and I've never played with more than 1mm :P milod I do play finger style sometimes but some songs have me switching between lead lines and strumming, which makes fingerpicking somewhat difficult (sometimes i use a pick along with fingers but it often ends up clumsy… surfpup i think that's sort of what you're describing) everyone else thanks for your input and i have to do some research… and try out all these picks of course... In regards to the thickness, I find that when they're small picks I dont ever notice how thick they are. I think its to do with your finger positioning on them compared to where they would be if you were using a full size pick. I also find them to be more precise than full size picks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 (sometimes i use a pick along with fingers but it often ends up clumsy… surfpup i think that's sort of what you're describing) Yes, it's generally called hybrid or Travis picking (named for the great Merle Travis). I use my fingers often - even in rock and roll songs. It takes some practice at first, but after a while it becomes second nature. You have more than a thumb and index finger on your picking hand, so why not use them? For pure finger picking, however, I put the pick down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krock Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 You have more than a thumb and index finger on your picking hand, so why not use them? Toni Iommi used fairy washing up liquid bottle caps even, as a replacement for his finger tip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Go into this around 2 minutes and you'll see Buchanan playing flatpick and bare finger pickin'. BTW, Mundell Lowe is a picker who had conceptual influence on my pickin', although not the specific technique or whatever, but a true music guy, musician and guitarist. Figure I was listening to him more than 50 years ago and he's still pickin' last I heard. m http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Edld2Yo4ebc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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