new fave pick!

[jim simpson]

I received a few bonus items from Scott Tichenor along with the CD giveaway from Acoustic Disc. Scott was kind enough to include Cafe stickers, magnet, business card with original mando art by his daughter, a refrigerator door magnet, AND a Dunlop Ultex tri-corner pick, 1.14!! I didn't think I could play with anything that I would like better than the Pro-plec pick by D'Andrea but this Dunlop pick is the Bomb! I compared it for fellow pickers who voted for it too! Thanks Scott!!

[sweetmusic]

If you like the Dunlop, maybe you'd like the DavaControl Picks. They're flexible in the middle with varying tip materials for different playing styles and tonality. http://www.davapick.com/. I use the celluloid version, but I've tried the others. The nickel-silver sounds kind of strange on the mando...

[jim simpson]

Hi sweetmusic,
And a belated welcome! The DavaControl picks look interesting. I haven't tried them yet. I am amazed at what a difference a pick can make. I have had fun passing a pick on to newbies when I see them playing with real thin picks. Once they hear the difference, they are usually ready to go thicker. I guess it's not just thicker that can make the difference. I'll have to take a closer look at these.
Jim

[sweetmusic]

thanks, jim!

i think you'll be surprised. Dave's intention was to create a pick for rock'n'roll. the result is a pick for any style of music I think. the best feature is the flexible middle - I have yet to drop one, even during a Rawhide break! - a sure pick looser if I ever saw one!

jim you know you gotta show up at the jam with that so i can check it out... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[John Flynn]

If you like the Dunlop, maybe you'd like the DavaControl Pick
With all due respect, this is a really strange suggestion. I have tried both the Dunlop Ultex and the Dava and cannot imagine two more different picks. They are both fine designs and I think picks are purely personal preference and people should use whatever they like. But I think it's strange to suggest that because someone likes one thing, therefore it follows that they might like something totally different.

[Eric F.]

I think Scott's going to try to drive up the price on Dunlop Ultex picks now that he's driven up the price of mandolins. All part of his fiendish plot.

[Lee]

So tell me John, do you walk to work or bring your lunch?
I too discovered the Ultex 1.14. The next heavier 1.4 is worth checking out too. The matte finish on these is a nice feature.

[Ted Eschliman]

More information on the Ultex here (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=8;t=21049;hl=ultex). I'm not familiar with anything heavier than the 1.14, though.
'Fraid I'm with Johnny on the Dava; I need a stable, rigid pick and the Dava pick is anything but that. (To each his/her own..)

[markdavenport]

does anyone notice any difference
in volume in thin vs. thick pics??

[RobP]

I, too, have a new favorite pick after winning a CD from Scott. I might even be more exited by the new pick!

I gotta go and buy some more now -- my 1-yr old daughter likes to grab my pick from me and run with it and I am afraid I am going to lose the 1 I have! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Cheers,

Rob

[sweetmusic]

I guess I said that because I like the Dunlop picks...the texture, the sound they produce - and I like the Dava picks. The prob I was having with the Dunlop (and a lot of other rigid picks) was losing the pick when I played too fast. Don't have that problem with the Dava.

[kyblue]

I picked up a bag of these picks at First Quality this past weekend to try, after reading all the positive comments. I'm with the rest of you, great pick!

[acousticphd]

Lee957,


I too discovered the Ultex 1.14. #The next heavier 1.4 is worth checking out too. #The matte finish on these is a nice feature.

Have you found a 1.4 triangular ultex, or just wishing one was available?

[drelb]

Hey Eric F. : Don't forget that Dr. Evil's son was named Scott. Coincidence, I think not! Must be a plot.

[Lee]

Ooops; apparently I have not seen the Ultex picks with the Rhino on them. When I read the 1.14mm size I assumed we were talking about the picks with the Alligator head on them. These come in 1.14mm too; and 1.5mm, and have a matte finish. These are also nice picks.
So now I'm on a rhino safari.

[glauber]

I like the "Gator" picks too, but i think the Ultex (Rhino) is superior.

Yesterday i got a few Dunlop 207 and 208, as well as "Dava control pick". Results: 207 and 208 are very good. Right now i'm not sure if i prefer the Ultexes or the 207/208. The difference is in the pick click sound; i think the Ultex's click is a little bit more high frequency than the 207/208.

I didn't like the Dava, at least not for Mandolin; not rigid enough.

I also got a couple of hard felt ukulele picks, thinking maybe they'd be good for practcing at low volume, but nope, useless (too thick for mandolin). And i got a delrin pick too, just to check, and i thought it's ok, glides nicely over the strings, but also a little too slippery to hold, and in the end not as good as the Ultex or the 207 and 208.

So right now, my favourite picks are the 2 shapes of Ultex 1.14 and the Dunlop 207 and 208. I still like the Dawgs very much, but they lend themselves to a right-hand style that's different from what i'm currently trying to learn.

[Ken Sager]

Ted sent some of the Ultex picks with some TI strings I ordered last fall. I really like them, especially the guitar shaped Ultex which I use exclusively for my octave mando. I've tried all sorts of pick/string combinations on the F5 mando and J74s with Dunlop 207s are where I keep returning. On the old Gibson A I like TI Starks with the Ultex 1.14 or Dunlop 208. They both put a brighter edge on the rich depth of the old round hole smoothness (which I also attribute to the TIs).

Scott T introduced me to the 207, and Ted introduced me to the Ultex. They're the only picks I'm buying right now.

Enjoy the adventure,
Ken