Buc McMaster Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YZLOBPZm28&context=C3152385ADOEgsToPDskJuVz5aQjoR6L15dNZRNp-a Indeed the differences are subtle, and in any setting other than the quiet of your room they are negligible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdd707 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Good Stuff!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Thanks for that...that actually gives a good idea of the differences between picks, and I can hear it. I wonder, noticing how the tortoise was worn if the different shape has anything to do with the attack it has over the others. The other thing I noticed, was the tortoise had a more loud and even tone across all strings, almost like it seemed to make the string "take off" just by hitting them. The other 2, seemed more dynamic, in that you could control volume levels more depending how you choose to hit the strings. I realize there are things you CAN'T get from a vid, like what it feels like to play them. But, I preferred your playing with the Blue Chip, but also thought I might prefer the Red Bear. I could also hear why the tortoise is "the" pick, as I could hear what it does. I wonder, how do they sound compared to your average, celluloid picks that we all can usually get anywhere? And also, what are these other 2 picks made from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 I must say, the blue chip and tortise "sound" the same.....I'v only played a tortise once before....and it really "felt" good going across the strings. Red bear was noticibly quieter...lacked the brightness...so Buck...how did the blue chip "feel" compared to the tortise??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Buc, Thanks for this. I am in the throes of venturing out beyond the "fender medium" pick world after all these years, but I have to admit the thought of paying 30 bucks for a pick has me a bit concerned. I'm hoping it's not a case of the "emperor's new clothes", where I will find a difference in tone just because I paid 30 bucks rather than 30 cents for a pick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted December 17, 2011 Author Share Posted December 17, 2011 Both the Red Bear and the Blue Chip picks are made from top secret, proprietary materials. The Red bear is, if I recall, some kind of animal protein product while the Blue Chip is something synthetic. Both makers offer edge beveling as an option when you order picks. As we know, most picks will develop wear on the edge.......they kind of get "sharpened" from scrubbing over the strings. Not so with either of these picks - they just do not wear on the leading edge. I opt for no bevel when I order picks and the edge comes rounded, and it stays rounded no matter how much they are used. (This is speaking of a cross sectional shape of the edge, not the profile of the tip.) Tortoise does wear on the edge, and rather quickly I might add. The t-pick in the video I've owned for about 15 years or so and it's edge does get sharpened with use. A scrub on some 400 grit sandpaper rounds the edge nicely again, but it is this edge maintenance that makes t-shell picks disappear with time.......they just get used up. But lordy they have a sound and feel like nothing else. The Blue Chip feels much like t-shell, more than the Red Bear, but both sound quite close to shell, as you can hear in the video. The Blue Chip pick has a good tack to it - stays in your grip good - yet it is very quick through the strings. Much like t-shell, the Blue Chip will curve in your grip, responding to the warmth and pressure just like shell does. The Red Bear feels good too, but there's something different in the material that can add a glassy tone if not gripped firmly and pushed through the strings with authority. I did not demo a Red Bear Ex-Hvy in the above: this pick is noticeably louder than any other pick I've used - it would make any guitar a banjo killer! Between the two, I cannot pick one over the other. I move from one to the other from time to time. Right now the Blue Chip TPR50 is stuck under the strings at the nut; a month ago the Red Bear medium was in that spot. From time to time I'll pull out the pick box and rummage through it like I did this morning...... For my ear, for the differences I hear on my guitar, the Red Bear and the Blue Chip are absolutely worth the $20 and $35 each, respectively. Heck, I've spent a lot more for a lot less more then once in my life! But if you are prone to losing things (can't hang on to a pen, misplace your keys frequently, etc) you might not want to invest in a $20+ guitar pick. NICK: If you are used to a Fender medium, you'd probably want to try a Blue Chip 35 for close to the same flex. The 50 I use does not flex at all, nor does the Red Bear medium. I don't think Red Bear picks get light enough to flex; it's a strange material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe M Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 I also frequent the UMGF and signed up for their traveling "Super Pick Pack", which is a whole bunch of picks that one of the members put together that travels from one player to the next. The only cost is what it takes to send to the next guy on the list. I just got a notice that I should be receiving the pack sometime within the next week or 10 days. Apparently there are all kinds of picks, ranging from plastic Fender ones to Blue Chips, including Red Bear, Wegen, Dunlop, plus others I can't remember. I get to keep the pack for several days before I send it to the next guy (or gal) on the list. Sure is a cheap way to experiment with all these picks....can't wait.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Nice one Buc, I thought bluechip sounded best also. The redbear I thought didnt do much for this guitar and the Turtle thingie one also sonded good, a bit more brighter than bluechip. I use Gibson medium picks now on all my guitars after getting a tip, very happy with both clarity and warmth i get from them. Interestingly my Bird' also didnt like the Sunbeams too much, they sounded a bit too flat on the Bird, Im now trying EXP PB's and they sound good, project well, keeping their zing and staying fresh. Thanks for hte vid, always enjoy these little shoot outs ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyecon Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 I play with the Blue Chip Pick TP-40, which I believe is one of their thinnest picks. If memory serves is 1.0mm thick. I gotta say, love the way it sounds. The "pick" sound is barely audible, and another thing I really love about it is, the darn thing is so easy to grip. It's a smooth surface, but just stays put no matter how I attack the strings. The company claims that they will not wear, and after 6 months of using it, I cannot see signs of any. Surprised the color is brown instead of blue. Pretty cool little product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guth Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Dang Buc, I even enjoy listening to your pick comparisons when it comes to that Hummingbird! It sure is sounding good to my ears and responds very nicely to your playing style. I didn't care as much for the sound of the Red Bear pick when compared to the other two, but on it's own I probably wouldn't have thought about it. The reality is that your guitar sounded good with any of them, although there were actually noticeable differences. I find it interesting that as I've been experimenting more with a flatpick over the past couple of years (almost never even picked one up before that) I've come to prefer thicker picks. I'm just using plain old Fender branded picks and while I started with a medium pick, I've now come to prefer the Heavy or Extra Heavy picks instead. I feel like I actually hear less of the pick using the thicker ones. It seems like the thicker the pick is, the less it slaps around when moving to one string to the next. It might be purely a mental thing, but I feel more like I'm pushing the strings around with a thicker pick as compared to bending the pick with the strings with the thinner pick. Jeez, I'm definitely a guitar geek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted December 19, 2011 Author Share Posted December 19, 2011 As Guth notes, an inflexible pick makes the string do the moving........this translates directly to more control. The three picks in the video are all inflexible. In the case of Red Bear, the "medium" designation refers only to it's thickness - it has zero flex. And yes, a heavier pick generates less string noise, unless it is held in a loose grip. The Red Bear ex-hvy pick can be quite glassy sounding if played "sloppy". An inflexible pick will change the way you play, for sure. Eyecon: yes, the Blue Chip sticks to the grip very well. What were you using before the BC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanCarlosVejar Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Buck , the hummingbird sounds so awesome !!! I couldn't believe it when I heard it :) glad you have a fantastic lefty with you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Well, I bit the bullet and ordered a couple of Red Bear picks, identical except for one with grip holes, and one without. I guess in the grand scheme of things, it's a cheap way to chase tone. Time to crawl out of my rut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted December 19, 2011 Author Share Posted December 19, 2011 Thanks, Juan! Yes, I think the H'Bird sounds as good or better than any other 6-string acoustic I've ever owned. This one is indeed a gem! And yes, Nick, a Red Bear pick is a cheap way to chase tone! I have some more ordered myself (8 weeks?!?!).......give us a report after you've tried them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyecon Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Eyecon: yes, the Blue Chip sticks to the grip very well. What were you using before the BC? Before the BCP, I used Gibson medium, Dunlop .73mm tortex. Without a doubt, it's a comfy super sounding pick. Now I need to get a H'Bird and a SJ200 to go with the pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Now I need to get a H'Bird and a SJ200 to go with the pick. That's a slippery slope for you! Or as Macca famously said: "I've got no car and it's breaking my heart, but I've found a driver, and that's a start." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.