Picks, what gauge do you use?

[f.sciarrillo]

On the advice of my guitar teacher, I recently switched to medium gauge picks after using thin gauge for close to 20 years. I am finding them to be a bit hard to use. As for the attack, they seem to be better, but with alternate picking, no such luck because they keep getting stuck on the up pick.

What all do you guys use and how are they working out for you? If they work well, what suggestions do you have? Choke them more? Angle them more? Use the butt instead of the head?

[goatropinbastards]

I use the blue dunlop tortexes (1mm) for electric and the green one that are then next size thinner for acoustic.

I used the dunlop yellow (.73mm I think) for about 7 years before that. I think I'm way better off now. The nice thing is that it gives you more control. The bad thing is that it provides less room for error, at least I think so.

One last thing - I use 11 gauge guitar strings for electric. I think most folks use 10, so that might throw it off abit.

[goatropinbastards]

And another thing, sometimes I'll use weird shit like coins and the plastic tag that holds a bread bag shut, and other weird stuff just for kicks.

I only do that on my shit beater guitar.

Oh, and the back of a lock back pocket knife or a lighter for a slide.
It hard as hell to do anything right with that stuff, but it makes me appreciate the stuff I got when I go switch back to normal picks and fingers.

[riksylvania]

i try to get everyone i know to use heavier picks. i use tortex green dunlop picks. firm but a little give. i use em for bass, and electric and acoustic guitar. heavy strings and heavy picks make for nicer tone and control.

[felix'apprentice]

i have no idea what gauge mine are but i use dava control picks (thanks for that advice colton!)

best picks ever imo.

-kayla.

[goatropinbastards]

Just looked this up for the dunlop standard tortex gauges:

Red: .50mm
Orange: .60mm
Yellow: .73mm
Green: .88mm
Blue: 1.0mm
Purple: 1.14mm

[goatropinbastards]

Just looked this up for the dunlop standard tortex gauges:

Red: .50mm
Orange: .60mm
Yellow: .73mm
Green: .88mm
Blue: 1.0mm
Purple: 1.14mm

[f.sciarrillo]

The Jim Dunlap cortex colors are the ones I got.

[songsmith]

I used to be a pick-Nazi, but after working in so many guitar shops, I use whatever's lying on a countertop. I generally use the confetti- flavored Fenders, because I like brightly colored picks, in case I drop one.
I also have a lucky pick from Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Nashville (lots of nice memories) and one from J&S Music Express, a shop once owned by a good friend.
On mandolin, the pick can really affect the tone, though I'm not sure why. For that, many use antique tortoise-shell picks that can cost $200, but I use one that comes from bison horn, for around $10. That sounds outrageous, too, but you'd really be amazed at the difference, and again, I don't understand why that difference is so profound, when there's little difference on guitar. I think it's because of the double-strings. It makes each note punchier, with more click/attack.
For dobro, I've discussed this before, I use home-crafted fingerpicks similar to the Alaska-Pik, that basically function like a long fingernail.
On bass, I like felt picks because the sound is sort of similar to fingertips.

[lynch1]

I use metal picks, always have. If I do use a nylon it is a yellow dunlop. a lot of people said they break strings with metal picks, but I have never had an issue. pick slides are killer with metal picks.

[f.sciarrillo]

Johnny, it is funny that you should metion lucky guitar picks. I always carry one or two in my pocket with at all times, as they are my lucky picks. I also remember J&S, Jim was a good guy. That last time I spoke to him was when he was working for Ford music in the mall. I wonder what happen with him?

Lynch, I wouldn't use metal picks. If I m having trouble getting around the medium ones, I can just imagine what a metal would be like.

On a side note: I thought about trying a small tear drop pick. Would that be any better?

[lynch1]

are you talking about Jim Mosey? he is still around, I'm friends with him on Facebook. I used to work at Fords with him.

[f.sciarrillo]

Yeah, Jim Mosey. My dad and I used to go see him all the time. His shop is where I started playing with guitars. Man, I must have been 13, 14? That was a long time ago.

[Colton]

whatever i happen to have in my pocket, or bum from someone in the bar. i prefer the red tortex, whatever size that might be

[bassist_25]

It's really cool to see all of the different "pick philosophy." I definitely differ with my pick philososphy with some of you cats.

i try to get everyone i know to use heavier picks. i use tortex green dunlop picks. firm but a little give. i use em for bass, and electric and acoustic guitar. heavy strings and heavy picks make for nicer tone and control.

I definitely agree that thicker picks have better tone and control. However, I've learned that 16th and 32nd notes being alternate picked with a heavy gauge plectrum on a bass doesn't work too well for me. I always feel like I'm trying to run with that really clay-like mud caked on my shoes.

On bass, I like felt picks because the sound is sort of similar to fingertips.

The felt picks are really cool, but I personally never use them. When I'm using a pick, it's purely for the timbre that a pick produces (since I wasn't blessed with the abornomally thick finger nail that Geddy Lee has).

For the record, I really like the red Dunlops as well - particuarly the goofy shaped ones, because I have the choices between a really narrow point or a wider point witht he same pick.

[edgecrush2003]

Dunlop Jazz III black ones

[Bassguy1967]

Fender Heavy.

[f.sciarrillo]

So far I see the difference with the brand, but you all seem to use medium gauge or heavier.

[Merge]

I use 1.0mm blue dunlop picks for electric, and either rosewood or ebony wooden picks for acoustic.

[RFBuck]

Planet Waves Black Ice .80mm.
I got turned on to Jazz III's and I loved them for the little point, but I always felt like there needed to be more pick...like I didn't have control. Then I found the large size jazz III's, but they seemed too thick. Then I saw the Black Ice's...they have the point, but in size fall right between a jazz III and a standard size pick. I was floating between a 1.10 & .80, and settled for the .80. And that's what I stand by today.....great picks. they have a nice feel & tone. I always thought tortex deadened the tone a little, and these don't do that but they don't slip like plastic.

[Naga]

Looks like Dunlop is the common brand. Personally, I use Dunlop Glow Standards, .67 gauge. When I use a thinner pick, I feel like I can't grip it right, and when I use a thicker pick, I'd almost swear I'm goin through that high E string with every strum. Plus, the Glow Standards do actually glow in the dark. They're otherwise the exact same to the colored ones that everyone else uses, with the bumped gripping surface

It's pretty interesting. For the first year or 2 in playing guitar, I used Fenders and went from light to heavy and back a couple times. However, one day, my mother found a Glow Standard and brought it home to me. I started using it (even though it was worn away some), and immediately noticed a BIG difference in how it felt when I played! It has some grip on it making it easy for me to hold (as my hands get clammy, and the pick slips, plus my weird angle attack), and it was neither too thick, nor too thin compared to the Fenders I had. Needless to say,... What works works

[f.sciarrillo]

I was looking at the gear some of my favorite guitar players use and not one of them uses a thin pick, they all use heavy. Some say the thicker they are the better they are.

[jai]

i use herco flex 50. excellent grip and (for me) great string dynamics

[witchhunt]

I definitely agree that thicker picks have better tone and control. However, I've learned that 16th and 32nd notes being alternate picked with a heavy gauge plectrum on a bass doesn't work too well for me. I always feel like I'm trying to run with that really clay-like mud caked on my shoes.

The felt picks are really cool, but I personally never use them. When I'm using a pick, it's purely for the timbre that a pick produces (since I wasn't blessed with the abornomally thick finger nail that Geddy Lee has).

.

You never fail to completely slay me.

[bassist_25]

I definitely agree that thicker picks have better tone and control. However, I've learned that 16th and 32nd notes being alternate picked with a heavy gauge plectrum on a bass doesn't work too well for me. I always feel like I'm trying to run with that really clay-like mud caked on my shoes.

The felt picks are really cool, but I personally never use them. When I'm using a pick, it's purely for the timbre that a pick produces (since I wasn't blessed with the abornomally thick finger nail that Geddy Lee has).

.

You never fail to completely slay me.

For some reason, when I saw you had posted to this thread, I knew it was a reply to me.