Has anyone tried the Jazz Mando V-Pick?
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Has anyone tried the Jazz Mando V-Pick?
(changed my mind-ignore)
Yes. Someone gave me a couple of them a while back.
Must say... not really to my taste. Kind of 'raspy' sound. Greatly prefer the regular 'Jazz Mando' (D'Andrea Pro Plec). Now those, I do like. Especially the one I rescued from my dog ('ol Pete, the best (ex)bird dog in the State of Almeria). The teeth marks really help with the grip.
Yes, and as you can see from my avatar photo I'm a fan. I've tried all the most popular mandolin plectra, including Blue Chip, and while each has its own unique feel and vibe, for my own tastes and playing style the Jazz Mando V-Pick is my favorite. I prefer the blue ones - even though they are just slightly thinner than the clear, they seem to give me the best balance of bright, clear, and open tone. The nice thing about the V-Pick is that the entry fee is pretty reasonable (at least as compared to some other boutique picks) so you can try one out without too big of an investment.
Can you still get the blue ones?
It's best to contact Ted Eschliman at JazzMando.com for availability. When I ordered my blue V-picks, they were no longer listed on the web site's order form, but I emailed Ted and he said he still had a few in stock. He's very responsive and processes orders very quickly.
I have a few V-pics and like them quite a lot, although I don't have the Jazz Mando one. I have one of the Freakishly Large Rounded in Pearl (touted as the pick Carlos Santana uses). This is one of my favorite picks. It's exceedingly substantial and feels like a tool for playing the instrument, rather than sort of an afterthought. It does take a bit of getting used to, but I find it gives me a lot of control.
That is what I ultimately don't like about them. The acrylic material seems to be very difficult to get a smooth edge. All of the V-Picks I have tried (about 5 different models, including the JazzMando) are inconsistent and "scratchy" sounding. The potential is there for some great dynamics in the tone. There are a lot of things I really like about V-Picks, not the least of which is the grip. It is really easy to hold onto. But the scratchy or raspy sound is what turns me off to them.
Another one you might want to consider is Gravity Picks. They are also acrylic, but Chris at Gravity Picks seems to be a little better at buffing the edges, although they are still inconsistent IMHO.
http://www.gravitypicks.com/
Oddly enough, I use the blue Jazz Mando V-Pick on my guitar and love it for rhythm.