Picks for newbie

[bigbike4]

Or do I need to get a "mandolin only" guitar type pick. I currently play banjo and have Pro Pic thumb (metal thumb with plastic pick attached) which I would assume could be used. BUT since I do not really know anything about this great instrument, I am looking for all the help I can get. When I played a little bit last night with my banjo thumb pick IT sounded good. But I found that I had a natural tendancy to want to hold it like one would normally hold a guitar pick (closing index finger onto the plastic pick surface). I know picks are inexpensive, but really I would like opinions (please keep it simple and not technical) as to what kinda pick to get. I did a search but the messages went into tech specs and all that stuff. I just wanna play and decide if the mando is for me or not. I only have a cheapie instrument (that sounds good though). Thanks http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

[glauber]

I've seen a book about playing mandolin with fingerpicks. It should work, but the standard technique is flatpick.

My fav is the Dunlop Ultex 1.14mm in triangle shape (yellow, with a picture of a rhino). Jazzmando.com should have them, Elderly probably has them too.

Runner ups: Dunlop 207 and 208 nylon "jazzpicks", and Dunlop Gator Grip 1.14.

I prefer heavy, basically inflexible picks, but other people have good results with slighter thinner picks, 0.8 to 1mm thick. Most people buy a lot of different picks until they figure out one that works for them, and then stick to it.

[keymandoguy]

How are you gonna do tremalos with a thumbpick? Mandolin picks need to be so loose they almost fall out of your hands !Just the facts. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[bjc]

I use Pro Plec 1.5 guitar shaped pick and enjoy them. Though Ted from Jazzmando sent me a Dunlop 1.14 (The one Glauber uses) and it is nice too. I would find out if you like a stiff pick or a thinner one...and just order/buy a variety to find what suits you...as Glauber suggested. I would definately vote for a heavier pick...at least a 1mm, but that's just me...good luck

[bjc]

and...oh yeah, IMHO drop the thumb pick when you pick up the mandolin...

[musicman]

as Glauber suggested. I would definately vote for a heavier pick...at least a 1mm, but that's just me...good luck
Yup. each to their own. I love the dunlop .88mm picks... but thats my own choice:p .find what you like, and pick with it(pun intended):D

[glauber]

as Glauber suggested. I would definately vote for a heavier pick...at least a 1mm, but that's just me...good luck
Yup. each to their own. I love the dunlop .88mm picks... but thats my own choice:p .find what you like, and pick with it(pun intended):D
I think the range goes from .80 to heavier. The Ultex at 1.14 is basically inflexible; other materials are still a little bendy until you get to 2mm or so. I haven't seen anyone play anything lighter than 0.80, except maybe the Classical music types (but they use lighter strings too). I tried silver and aluminum picks, but didn't like them (they make a metallic ping that i don't like). Same for bone, too clicky for my taste. I actually like wooden picks -- i have a couple that i use from time to time -- but they do wear down, while the modern plastic ones last forever, pretty much.

The only way to find out what you like is to try as many as you can. The main variables are the shape (pointy or rounded), size, thickness and material. The funny thing for me is that the very first 2 that i tried (Ultex and Gator Grip) are still my favourites.

Another good one i forgot to mention before: D'Andrea Pro-plec.

[bigbike4]

Thanks folks-I was not planning on using my metal fingerpicks, just the thumb pick which has a metal bendable anchor to hold it on my thumb but has a thick plastic "pick" area.

[mandroid]

Herco makes a flatpick with a loop , sort of thumb pick. I use it when my index finger's knuckles feel overused, gripping .
heavy/or extra heavy guage better.
pointy thumbpicks are not going to upstroke just like they downstroke,evenly, timingwise, #which is a core skill.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

I see Elderly has a <Fred Kelly 'bumblebee' thumb / flatpick> too, spinable to different point,or not. PKBB, $3 ea.

[earthsave]

I suppose you could just grip the thumbpick with your index finger and it would be much different than a flatpick. Wouldnt have to worry about dropping it or having it spin on ya.

[otterly2k]

bigbike-
I'll echo what mandroid said... I have been a guitarist for many years, mostly fingerpicking and fingerstyle... long ago I got into the habit of using the Herco thumbpicks... which are essentially flatpick shaped on the flat part, with a plastic loop around the thumb. I found these allowed me the most flexibility on guitar going back and forth between fingerpicking and strumming. I like the heavy ones. Mediums are too light for me.

Now that I'm playing mando-family instruments, I've been experimenting with different shapes and thicknesses of picks, and have found some I like just fine (truly a personal preference issue)... but I also find that these Herco heavy thumbpicks are as good as any... gripped with the index finger like a flatpick... really I find no disadvantage.

However, I find other guitar thumbpicks to be the wrong shape (too pointy)... I'm not familiar with the banjo pick that you mention. Bottom line... whatever works!

KE

[darthstar]

I've got a Gibson Hard pick I like, and a few smaller hard picks I don't like. But I haven't made the time to stop by the ole guitar shop to look at other hard picks that are about. I kind of want to play around with different pick shapes and styles until I find one that works best for me. For the record, my hard gibson pick came with the mando when I got it from another on this board--fatt-dad. But it works best for me and is the one I use most.

[mandomadman]

Dunlop Gator Grip 1.5 or 2.0 use the rounded edge.For diggin in hard bluesrass they will make your mando louder and more robust and stable picking at higher speeds while still getting sweet tones. I just wish they lasted longer,because a new one sounds amazing.I use a new one every couple days. These picks really make any mando sound better!

[meskalito]

Make sure you try a "Dawg" style mandolin pick before you use a guitar pick. #I'm a guitar player first and foremost, but because the mandolin has two strings to pick at once instead of one for single-note lead, I find the normal guitar pick difficult. #Dawg picks are equilateral triangles (all sides are the same length). #I use a 1.5, and I could go even thicker. #Most great players use a thick pick, though Jesse McReynolds uses a thin pick in the studio, but he also tunes his strings down several steps!

I use a Wegen (http://www.wegenpicks.com/) pick. #They are a bit expensive, but they're the best picks I've ever used and even better than the stellar Ultexes. #Scroll down and check out the M100 & M150. #This is not an ad for Wegen, as I have no association with them. #I just love their handmade picks. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif

[mandolinplucker]

I fingerpick guitar with a thumbpick and two finger nails. When I put the guitar down to pick up the mando I hang the fingerpick on a tuning key and get a flat pick for the mando. I like the golden gate triangle picks and Dawg picks. The rounded corners make trimello easier and thicker picks seem quiter,as in no pick noise). I find that if you turn the pick at a slight angle to the string it makes picks slide over the strings smoother while playing tremilo ( wish I could spell it) If you can play mando with a fingerpick, your a better man than me.

[Hondo]

You could do the Radim Zenkl thing, and use a thumb pick and one on the index finger and tremolo two courses simultaneously. Well, Radim can, and maybe you could, but I sure can't...