Bevelled Edge Picks?

[G7MOF]

Does the bevelled edge work on the down stroke or the up. I ask as I am left handed and would like to try/borrow a Blue Chip but don't want to buy, then find out it's not right for me?
Second hand left handed picks wouldn't sell that easily!

[JH Murray]

You can order a BlueChip for a lefty directly from their website.

[Bertram Henze]

Does the bevelled edge work on the down stroke or the up.

The bevel works on down and up. But that does not make it symmetrical regarding handedness. The bevel typically has a rotational asymmetry, like a propeller or a screw, so it does not help either to turn the pick around. Left-handed playing requires a left-handed bevel.

The much cheaper alternative is always to use picks without bevels, made from material that wears down, like Ultem/Ultex. They develop their own dynamic bevels after a short time of playing.

[bingoccc]

Whichever hand you use and whether or not your wrist is higher or lower than the strings the idea is that the leading edge is the one with the bevel. So a left-handed person, who hits the strings with the forward edge first, would have the forward edge beveled for the down stroke and the back edge beveled for the up stroke.

I hope that made some sense. It's kind of hard to explain when not actually able to demonstrate.

[bingoccc]

This Hawk pick vid may help a bit. It shows picking hand position relative to bevel.

[lenf12]

The bevel works on down and up. But that does not make it symmetrical regarding handedness. The bevel typically has a rotational asymmetry, like a propeller or a screw, so it does not help either to turn the pick around. Left-handed playing requires a left-handed bevel.

The much cheaper alternative is always to use picks without bevels, made from material that wears down, like Ultem/Ultex. They develop their own dynamic bevels after a short time of playing.

Bertram is spot on with his example of rotational asymmetry. Handedness however is just one of the variables used to determine the direction of the bevel. Do you strike the strings with the leading edge or the trailing edge of the pick? This will come from the rotation of your wrist when playing. Take a look at your current favorite pick to see which edge has developed the bevel from your particular playing style. His recommendation of the unbeveled Ultex/Ultem picks can be taken a step further with the judicious use of some sandpaper to create your own bevels based on the bevels of your current favorite pick. It's a cheap experiment to try before dropping the big bucks (pounds?) on a Blue Chip. At least you'll know which bevels are suitable for your lefty playing style. (Looks like bingocc beat me to this point)

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[pops1]

I have a friend who plays left handed, but the way he holds the pick in his fingers requires him to use a right handed pick. Do you hold the pick with the front edge facing down or up? Facing down left handed, facing up right handed.

[mandroid]

Does the bevelled edge work on the down stroke or the up

Yes . if you maintain the same angle, the down and up edges, all 6, are beveled equally.

Seems that if you hold the mandolin up with your arm, so slightly below the tail piece

that too is where a left hand , or double edge bevel will come in Handy.

Get cheap plastic Picks .. file them with fingernail files to make your own experimental bevels,
find one that works, mail it and a check to BC & say "make it like this out of your stuff".

[dschonbrun]

Hi G7, there is a difference between a left hand speed bevel and right. Beveled picks, if used by a consistent player, provide the same sound and benefit on both the down and upstroke.

The easiest way to figure out if you like a bevel, is to take an inexpensive non-beveled pick of about 1.4-1.5mm and bevel it using a wet-stone. I've done this with D'Andrea's and Dunlops.

A 45 degree angle is a reasonable place to start. The difficulty comes in not changing the outer edge shape of the pick, and in the position where two bevels meet on opposing sides of a point. PM me and I can provide some more detailed photographs.

[G7MOF]

Ok, Got ya! If the pick was bevelled on both edges front and back on only one side, would swapping it from the left to the right hand keeping the edge to the front not make it ambidextrous?

[Bertram Henze]

Ok, Got ya! If the pick was bevelled on both edges front and back on only one side, would swapping it from the left to the right hand keeping the edge to the front not make it ambidextrous?

Yes, but I have never seen one like that. DIY is the key, I guess.

[mandobassman]

Ok, Got ya! If the pick was bevelled on both edges front and back on only one side, would swapping it from the left to the right hand keeping the edge to the front not make it ambidextrous?

Yes you could do that but you would end up with a much thinner pick that would significantly change the sound of the pick. it would kind of defeat the purpose.
If you are wanting to try a beveled Blue Chip, they offer a 30 return/exchange if you don't like it.
Personally, I don't like what the bevel does to the tone. The bevel makes the pick thinner at the edge and makes the tone brighter.

[Denny Gies]

Man, we get so much info from the Café members. I'm always amazed at the extent of the knowledge contained within the membership. No better site on the web. Thanks Scott.

[pops1]

While the bevel on the BC makes the sound brighter, I believe they are darker sounding picks to begin with. I was using aBC35, but went to a Wegen because it gave me more highs on the G string. I guess it depends on your mandolin being a darker sounding or brighter sounding and what sound you want to end up with. I do like the speed a beveled pick gives, it also makes for much less drag when playing fast.

[Bill Clements]

My favorite BC is the TD40 with a Jazz tip. I wrote Matthew Goins earlier this year inquiring about this combination and he replied I was not the first to make this request. So this hybrid pick is called a TDJ40. It is thin enough that you don't need any bevel at all. The Jazz tip provides a brighter sound but not too bright due to the round bevel. For those who find the Jazz picks smallish, the TDJ40 is just the answer.

Simply request the Jazz tip in the order instructions/comments box at checkout.

[dschonbrun]

Yes you could do that but you would end up with a much thinner pick that would significantly change the sound of the pick. it would kind of defeat the purpose.
If you are wanting to try a beveled Blue Chip, they offer a 30 return/exchange if you don't like it.
Personally, I don't like what the bevel does to the tone. The bevel makes the pick thinner at the edge and makes the tone brighter.

Larry, your comment on the "thinness" at the edge needs qualification: it depends on the angle of the bevel. Typically, a well designed bevel actually increases the surface area that contacts the string, but does it at a lower angle. The result comes in several ways: improved attack/string engagement, with a reduced and softened release as the pick disengages.

More than that though, what the poster is describing would be a neutral "V" edge bevel, which most often is not called a bevel at all.

Happy to discuss this in more detail if needed.

Best,
D

[Emmett Marshall]

While the bevel on the BC makes the sound brighter, I believe they are darker sounding picks to begin with. I was using aBC35, but went to a Wegen because it gave me more highs on the G string. I guess it depends on your mandolin being a darker sounding or brighter sounding and what sound you want to end up with. I do like the speed a beveled pick gives, it also makes for much less drag when playing fast.

My BC CT55 (beveled) is brighter than my DAWG but really darn close to a Primetone. I use the BC 95% of the time.

[G7MOF]

Larry, your comment on the "thinness" at the edge needs qualification: it depends on the angle of the bevel. Typically, a well designed bevel actually increases the surface area that contacts the string, but does it at a lower angle. The result comes in several ways: improved attack/string engagement, with a reduced and softened release as the pick disengages.

More than that though, what the poster is describing would be a neutral "V" edge bevel, which most often is not called a bevel at all.

Happy to discuss this in more detail if needed.

Best,
D

Yes D, I wanted to know if you needed the same amount of bevel for the up stroke as you do for the down!

[dschonbrun]

Simply put, yes. otherwise you will be using two different picks... one for up, and one for down, resulting in slightly different tone.