Advice for a new pick

[Budman93]

Hey guys, I just officially joined the forum. I have been playing for nearly 8 years now with my first and still only mandolin, an Eastman 605. For the last several years I have been playing with a Dunlop ultex 1.0mm guitar pick but I play with the more rounded shoulder of the pick and not the point. It works pretty well but I am thinking I would like to see if I can find something I like better. I don't really want to buy a blue chip or something without knowing what might be somewhat similar to what I'm used to....so recommendations?

[yankees1]

I tried a bunch of picks and BC is the best to "my" ears !

[Randy Linam]

WELCOME! Great to have you. I will be happy to share some pick advise with you. Not from a pick expert point of view but from a pickaholic point of view. I have no idea how many picks I have and no idea how much money i have wasted on them but you can be sure it's a LOT!

The best advise I can offer is; go to you local music store and buy several different shapes and thicknesses of CHEAP picks, take them home and spend several days/weeks playing with each of them until you decide which pick is best for you. You must also remember that different thickness and styles produce different tones. To prevent confusion, I would suggest that once you eliminate a pick you stow it away somewhere until you work your way down to two or three picks. Then you have your picks. At that time (if you see fit) you can purchase those picks in a more well-made brand such as Wegen. I recommend Wegen as they are very well made, produce excellent tones, easy to hold and you don't have to take out a loan to buy them. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Hope this helps, and WELCOME again,

Randy

[kkmm]

Picks for mandolin !!! For me, the choice varies based on my skills as I progress.
I started with a thick pick as it's easy to tremolo with, then a pretty thin pick for more clarity.
Now I progress to the Clayton 0.8 mm. That is my main choice for now as it produces the most pleasant sound to my ears.
Every so often I play with the 3mm thick (at the center) Dunlop and it sounds sweet to my ears.

[Ron McMillan]

If you're fond of a more rounded playing edge, then the Pro Plec 346 1.5mm on this page is a pick that I'm sure you can enjoy. It's inexpensive, too.

Another relatively inexpensive one is the Jim Dunlop Primetone 1.4mm. That's my current favourite.

[Budman93]

Thanks, I got a 12 pack of the pro plec 346 to try for 3 bucks. Also looking at the primetone after I try these

[Budman93]

I'm sure they're good and I'll get one eventually, I just don't know which ones I might like and I don't want to find out at $35 a piece.

[zedmando]

I've been playing guitar for many years & have amassed a wide selection of different picks--some were actually mandolin picks.
While I like most of the guitar picks on my Mandolin, the ones I've been liking the best are a normal guitar shape (Although I do sometimes flip it around and use the less pointy corner) and they're made of horn.

I like the sound & feel.
They don't slip easily and I like how they attack the strings.

[Dave Hanson]

You really have to try out as many as you can until you find one you like and can play with.

Dave H

[Terry Sebastian]

I'm sure they're good and I'll get one eventually, I just don't know which ones I might like and I don't want to find out at $35 a piece.

I can only assume you are talking about the BC pick here.

I was in the same boat as you on this one. I just couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of coin to find out if I liked it or not. Just a month ago, I finally decided I had heard enough and that I just had to see what all the hype was about. I ordered one each of the TP60 and the TPR60. Let me tell you...I fell in love with the TPR60. I feel like it is worth the money. The TP60, on the other hand, I didn't care for (which I thought might be the case, since I like a rounder point), but wanted to give it a shot. My fix, so that I didn't waste the $35 on a pick I didn't care for, was to trade it here for another style (TAD-3R) which is closer to the shape I like. The good thing is, albeit I didn't go this route, with BC's policy, you can buy a few, try them to find the one you like, and return the rest for a full refund.

[Budman93]

I can only assume you are talking about the BC pick here.

I was in the same boat as you on this one. I just couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of coin to find out if I liked it or not. Just a month ago, I finally decided I had heard enough and that I just had to see what all the hype was about. I ordered one each of the TP60 and the TPR60. Let me tell you...I fell in love with the TPR60. I feel like it is worth the money. The TP60, on the other hand, I didn't care for (which I thought might be the case, since I like a rounder point), but wanted to give it a shot. My fix, so that I didn't waste the $35 on a pick I didn't care for, was to trade it here for another style (TAD-3R) which is closer to the shape I like. The good thing is, albeit I didn't go this route, with BC's policy, you can buy a few, try them to find the one you like, and return the rest for a full refund.

Yes I was talking about the Blue chips. I want to get one but I would like to try some different shapes in the cheaper picks before I shell out $35 for one. That's interesting that they let you return them after trying them. I'll have to look into that.

[nickster60]

I use Goldengates Wegans Fender Heavys(the large triangle shaped ones) and Dunlop Jazz tone 207's my favorite

[Jackgaryk]

I really like the Dunlop primetone 1.4 it's one of my favorites. I been pickin mandolins just over a year and have tried quite a few picks. v-picks have a bunch of good picks to choose from, so does wegen. at the end of the day I keep going back to my bc tad 40. picks are fun to experiment with.

[Mandobart]

One thing I've found is my "favorite" pick changes over time. Currently it's the Wegen M200. Previously it was the Papa's medium. I also was just using the Clayton bone picks for a while. I have 2 blue chips but they've never been my hands down favorite. I've found that overall I prefer a rounded shape, 2 mm beveled pick for mandolin, OM, mandocello and guitar.

[Kowboy]

Something to consider, w/ a BC you can get a pick w/ a combination of rounded and pointed corners. Eight years of playing you should be in a position to make the move up. BC will give you a 30 day trial, can't beat that. Most people here, IMO, use the CT55. These picks simply do not wear out. I have one that I bought back last August and just compared it to a new unused BC and you can not decide which one is the new one. I am sending them both back for engraving. Makes them even more special, again IMHO. I gave one of these to my son who now is a believer as well. I've got a pretty good size collection of picks I've tried. They now reside in a bowl on the coffee table. I could have been perfectly happy w/ the V picks until I tried BC's.

[Budman93]

The pro plec 346's came today. Not bad so far. They're a larger pick than what I'm used to but I think I like them. I need to play with them some more to find out. I'm thinking of getting these next. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JB4WAU4/...I3AT3MWEPGAVRE
Any opinions on with or without the grip?

[JeffD]

You don't have to decide on one pick.

I have about four types that I use, giving me a range of effects for a range of situations, venues, tunes, or instruments. I use one pick for playing at home, practice, and noodling, and intimate small venues, where tone is important, and can be heard. I use another for loud or large venues, jams, and the like where a bit more punchy sound is required to cut through, and subtle tone qualities cannot be appreciated. I use one kind of pick for fast playing of lots of little notes, and another for slow mournful tunes, aires and slow waltzes. I use this pick on this mandolin, and that pick on that mandolin.

Some folks look for "the pick" or "the best pick" or whatever, and you only play one kind of music on one kind of mandolin at one kind of venue, I think that kind of "best pick" idea limits your options.

[Beanzy]

Scary pic of friends' pick alert (stuck it under the strings to put the guitar way and it went snap).
Only posting because it's the first failed one I've ever seen so I'm a bit spooked by it.

It's been a bit weird but my BC CT55 and the Wegen T140 picks have been sitting unused in my pick pouch for about 6 months since I took to making my own.
Not something I intended and I take them out every now and then in case I may prefer the sound to what I've got.
I'll keep them just in case things change.

[stevedenver]

I use Goldengates Wegans Fender Heavys(the large triangle shaped ones) and Dunlop Jazz tone 207's my favorite

yup, for me too, cept thos e big triangles-never liked em

and Primetones-1.4 both textured and smooth-these ya gotta try, imho

and the one I started with and still use almost as much as my blue chips tad 601r and my Wegens

proplec 346-these ya gotta try too

and my own rather esoteric favorites, PickBoy PEI 351s in 1.00mm with the embossed pot leaf for extra grip-a superb pick for not only mando when you want lots of attack and accuracy, but for flatpicking guitar too-Pick Boy picks seem to have a nicer finish/bevel and are only slightly more than run of the mill domestic made picks.

honestly, to the OP, splurge and spend 25-35 bucks on a variety and make up your own mind, and have
1 fun while you test
2 gain sensitivity to pick differences-
3 have a few spares and give aways
4 gain insight into how to use the differing shapes, points and thicknesses to change your sound and to compliment your technique

this is simply the least expensive thing you can be involved with regarding mando

and
like tone, only you know what you like

a good source, imho, for one stop shopping, is strings and beyond, which has most of these discounted on line and has a more or less flat shipping rate, or, amazon, where you can find most anything but shipping almost doubles the cost of your selections.

I never gave much thought to picks until about ten years ago, despite playing guitar for about 40. I simply used increasingly heavier picks as I got better control. While I think, from objectively listening to my own recordings that picks make a all too subtle difference in recorded tunes, they do seem to make a very big difference to me at the time. I guess, like spices in cooking, you really need to experiment to know what you are missing.

I first learned about the proplecs, my very first mando specific pick via Ted, when I purchased strings via jazzmando.com. He threw in some complimentary picks, proplecs, with my tomastic flats order, and I was so pleased. (ah those were the good old days price-wise for those strings)

The rounded points made a huge difference in my then newbie ability to tremolo smoothly, as well as a bit darker sound from my fern. point being, I would never have known had I not given it a go.......

[Atlanta Mando Mike]

I just don't like the blue chips. I've tried a ton of variations and just don't get a tone I like. I love the Wegen Dipper 1.8's (started with the 1.4's, first then moved up). Its a huge pic but the tone is amazing to me. It also has 2 different distinct edges and a great bevel that really catches the string. Very little pic noise and really warm. One edge is rounder-good for tremelo, one is pointier, better for single note stuff. Fair warning-I don't know other people who use the shape.

[Budman93]

I've been trying out the pro plec 346 for a few days now. I think I like the shape. I like that it is larger than the dunlop ultex. I am not sure about the thickness. It has a good tone but it is nowhere near as bright as the ultex. I am thinking that may be partially due to the thickness. The dunlop ultex picks I have been using are 1mm and the pro plecs are 1.5. A 1.2 or 1.3 might be better.

[Lou]

Go over to Jazzmando.com and check out the V-pick. When I'm at a hotel and want to play quietly I use a Golden Gate.

[Jackgaryk]

Go over to Jazzmando.com and check out the V-pick. When I'm at a hotel and want to play quietly I use a Golden Gate.

v-pick has a website you can order from also. done business with them several times and each time they threw in a different pick for me to try. good people.

[Joey Anchors]

My current favorite is a Papa's ivoriod in 2.2mm thickness.

[fatt-dad]

Very happy with the BC CT-55!

f-d