Mandolin vs Guitar: SAME Pick type and grip??

[scgc.om]

This is a question for those here who play both flatpick Guitar and Mandolin.

Do you use the same, identical pick (same shape, same thickness, same material, etc) for both instruments? Or do you have your favorite Mandolin pick and your favorite Guitar pick?

And do you use the same pick grip for both instruments? Or do you hold the pick differently for Mandolin than you hold the pick when playing Guitar?

Just seems to me that Guitar and Mandolin are so different that different pick style &/or grip would be called for. Conversely, if maximum tone for minimum pick travel is the goal for each, what the right hand is holding (and how it is held) should remain the same . . . .

Anyone here able to shed some light?

[Dfyngravity]

Definitely the same grip for me. Same pick for the most part too. I typically use a large triangle pick, though now I am trying out my new surfpick (dawg shaped).

Really truly it is personal preference.....

[EdSherry]

I used to use the same pick for both (a Dunlop red [stiff] nylon 1mm -- no longer made), but a couple of years ago discovered the Wegen bluegrass picks (1.4mm) which I now use for mando.

I find I prefer a slightly heavier pick for mando than for guitar.

For OM and 'zouk, I'm still experimenting. Right now I'm using a 1.2mm Wegen bluegrass pick on them.

Same grip.

[Ken_P]

I aim to keep my right hand technique the same for both instruments. I use very similar picks on both. My main pick for mandolin is a Red Bear C (Large Triangle) Medium, with dulled, but not very rounded points and as smooth an edge as I can make it, no bevel. For guitar I have a Red Bear C Heavy, similar points and edges. I carry a Blue Chip in my wallet for when I encounter instruments in my travels, and I use one slightly rounded edge on mandolins, and the pointy ends for guitars.

[John Flynn]

I just attended a Radim Zenkel workshop for both guitar and mandolin. He was a guitar player first, BTW. He said he uses the same grip (the classic "loose fist"), the same pick (Wegen rounded triangle) and variations of the same four picking techniques for both guitar and mandolin. FWIW, I do the same for both also.

[GRW3]

I use the same on both. It's experience and inertia. I found a variety of synthetic tortise I like and it's the only pick type I use now (experience). I bought the dealers remaining supply at about $5/pick. I keep thinking I might like a little different shape for the guitar but I just keep putting it off (inertia).

I just attended an Orrin Star bluegrass rhythm workshop. His main input to me was to relax my grip, that I'm holding on too tight. I'd already been working on relaxing my left hand as I have found I can play better and faster when it is relaxed. That it would be true for the right hand too makes sense.

[Dave Wrede]

For guitar i use a standard large triangle Fender medium, it's not the perfect triangle, it's the kinda rounded one. Been using them for years and they work for me. For F-hole mandolin i use the Dawg picks. For my new oval hole i use the shoulder of a standard heavy Fender. The sound wasn't "right" using a Dawg on it. i really haven't paid much attention to my pick holding, but looking at it i keep my hand more open when playing mando and more closed when playing guitar.

[CES]

When primarily flatpicking guitar I use a Fender large triangle Heavy, and if given one pick choice that'd be my go to. If I'm mostly strumming rhythm I'll use the same pick in medium, and when I play electric I almost always use the medium. I'm much less picky in general on guitar, though, and will use almost anything as long as it's not too light.

On acoustic Mando I use the Fender Heavy almost exclusively, though I think a large triangular Gibson H is in the strings of my mandobird now. I recently picked up some regular shaped Fender Heavies and like them OK for guitar but am still getting used to tremoloing with them on mando...have tried both the point and rounded edges and still like the larger triangles better.

I try to keep technique the same on both, but I've really been trying to float on mando...don't worry so much about it on guitar (though I should, I guess, what with perfect practice and all that), and when fingerpicking I always keep pinky contact (banjo habits die hard).

[JGWoods]

Same grip different pick. I use .073 teardrop on guitar, 1.14 on mando. In a pinch I'll turn the .073 teardrop and use the back corner for mando.
I like Wegens too, but usually use a D'Andrea

[Chuck Naill]

Do you use the same, identical pick (same shape, same thickness, same material, etc) for both instruments? Or do you have your favorite Mandolin pick and your favorite Guitar pick?


I have used a Fender Triangle Pick (http://gregboyd.com/accessory_detail.html?accessory_key=881)for the past 20 years and round off one of the corners. If I want a bright tone I use a medium or a heavy/extra heavy for thicker tone. I use the same pick on mandolin or guitar.

chuck naill

[Mando_Lynn]

I'm not sure I've got enough experience to be posting in this thread. I'm quite average at both mando and guitar. But FWIW, I use the same pick (a Dunlop Tortex 1.14 ... it's purple) for both and the same grip (the classic Senor Wences grip) for both.

[Alex Orr]

No and yes.

Guitar I use a yellow tortis teardrop. Same kind Steve Kaufman uses.

Mandolin I use Wegen 1.15 mandolin picks.

The grips are basically the same. Loose fist, minimal contact with the top of the instrument other than lightly brushing/touching against the pins/strings-behind-the-bridge in order to keep a feel of where my hand is at.

[M Hollen]

Well, I'm a big Wegan fan. So, I use a bluegrass pick for guitar and a mando pick for mandolin. I try to maintain the same grip for both instruments. I find when I have been playing mando exclusively and go to guitar, my picking is much cleaner. ymmv.

[Jonmiller]

Dunlop Orange for guitar and plectrum banjo
Dunlop Blue for mando

[TEE]

Golden Gate for both.

[Bob DeVellis]

Guitar: Ultex .73
Mando: Ultex 1.0
Same grip on both.

[Jim Broyles]

No and yes.

Guitar I use a yellow tortis teardrop. Same kind Steve Kaufman uses.

Mandolin I use Wegen 1.15 mandolin picks.

The grips are basically the same. Loose fist, minimal contact with the top of the instrument other than lightly brushing/touching against the pins/strings-behind-the-bridge in order to keep a feel of where my hand is at.

Isn't tortis the trade name for Red Bear's pick material? I don't think I've ever seen any yellow tortis picks. Can you post a picture?

[Stephanie Reiser]

I use Wegens, 1.5mm for mandolin, and slightly thinner for guitar. Same grip as far as I can tell.

[mandohymn]

The same - JazzMando's picks. The biggest surprise is how much better my parlor guitar sound (even my wife noticed the difference!)

[Bob Aliano]

Yes. Initially I used a 1.14mm Tortex on the mando and .75mm Dunlop Nylon on the guitar but have recently been using a 0.88mm Tortex on both. I get a good bark from the mando and crisp tones from the guitar and I prefer the consistant feel of the pick. In addition, I round the pointy end to roughly the same curvature as the blunt corners for better speed and tremolo on both guitar and mandolin.

[Alex Orr]

Isn't tortis the trade name for Red Bear's pick material? I don't think I've ever seen any yellow tortis picks. Can you post a picture?
Ooops. Sorry for the confusion. :redface: They're the Dunlops with the tortoise printed on them. Tortex...not tortis. I've never tried the Red Bear's but I've heard good things.

[Troy Mayfield]

I just received a Saga Golden Gate and a Dawg in the case of a mandolin I recently purchased. I had been using the same Jim Dunlop Big Stubby for mando and guitar. I turned it around and used the round shoulder on the mando and the point on the guitar. I have used the GG pick for a couple of days. My grip completely changed and is more like I have wanted it for both the mando and guitar for years. It simply fits my fingers and hand better. I noticed that my extra fingers curled up instead of being splayed out. The Dawg pick is a little bigger and thicker and doesn't fit my fingers as well.

[Eric Platt]

So far, with just getting back to playing mandolin - yes. Finding out that using a Wegen 1.4 flatpick or any of the Red Bear picks seems to work best on the mando. In fact, my guitars seems to be pickier (pardon the pun) about which pick I use than my Mid-Mo.

Keep wanting to be able to use my Dawg or Golden Gate on the mando. But just cannot get it to work. Too many ingrained habits.

There is one difference. On guitar usually play closer to the bridge. My Mid-Mo sounds best to my ears played right at the end of the fingerboard.

So there is one difference.

[TomTyrrell]

Same pick and grip on acoustic mandolin and acoustic guitar. Tone and volume are pretty much controlled by the pick.

Same pick and grip on solid-body electric guitar and solid-body electric mandolin. Tone and volume are pretty much controlled by those little knobs. A much lighter touch works better.

That's two picks and two grips.

[Cheryl Watson]

Mando: Large triangle picks held with a modified Monroe grip (with my pointing finger a little more curled for control. Favorite picks: Thick (1.7-2.0mm) large triangle Red Bear Tortis and Blue Chip picks with slightly rounded points and a speed bevel.

Guitar: Roughly same grip as mando, but my picks are smaller and a bit thinner (about 1.5mm) close to the classic shape teardrop picks that are made or modified to be less pointy with a rolled or speed bevel. Larger picks put too much torque against my hand with guitar. Favorite picks: Custom shaped TS, Red Bear Tortis, Blue Chip, and cheap but closest to real TS sounding Dunlop Delrin 500s.

Interesting thing is that I have a friend who is a monster guitar and mandolin player and his fav picks are just the opposite-large heavy triangle for guitar and smaller thinner picks for mandolin.

Cheryl:mandosmiley:

[stratman62]

I have a favorite non-politically correct pick 3 point that I play mandolin with or will use
a 1.14 1.5 or 2.0 tortex also. The tortex I will use on electric guitar or mandolin. On the
flattops I usually go back to the NPC one. Same grip always. I can't do it any other way.

[Bikewer]

I use the gray .88mm Dunlops for everything. On guitar, I do try to keep my thumb fairly low on the back of the neck, as I have only average-sized hands.

On my mandola, I get away with the thumb much higher on the back.

[250sc]

Guitar I use a yellow tortex teardrop, mandolin I use Blue Chip or Wegan.

[chordbanger]

Don't care what kind of pick it is, as long as it is thick, and will not bend.

[Jill McAuley]

Guitar: Herco .60
Mandolin: Dunlop Ultex 1.0
Tenor Banjo: Clayton .50

Same grip for all three, by and large.

Cheers,
Jill

[walt33]

I use a purple Dunlop 1.14 for mando (it's the heaviest one I could find locally). I prefer a Dunlop nylon .60 for guitar, I think it sounds brighter than when I use a heavier pick. I tend to use the "guitar" grip for both, as do many of the players I like from up north. I've tried the rigid "shelf" grip for mandolin but keep backsliding to the old guitar habits.

Walt

[Caleb]

I use heavy gauge picks for both mando and guitar. For mando I use a "clown barf" Fender heavy, and on the guitar I use an old heavy gauge Larrivee pick. I used to be hooked on those JazzMando picks that Ted sells, but switched to the Fender heavy. Can't remember why. I still get the JazzMando pick out from time to time, but sometimes it feels like a man-hole cover if I haven't used it for a while. It gives great tone though.

[Jim Broyles]

I used Fender Heavy celluloid picks for years before I started to play the mandolin. Early in my mando career I was convinced that there was a "mandolin pick" so I looked for them and found a bunch of different picks which were sold as mandolin picks. I had Golden Gates, Dawgs, buffalo horn, cow hoof and a few other materials and shapes. When I jammed with a cafe member who used the Dunlop Ultex 1.114 rounded triangles, I showed him my Clayton Ultems and he said they were not quite as good, so I got some of the JD's and I have never looked back. I still like Fender heavies for electric guitar, but for acoustic, I'll use the Ultexes, but in 1.00 mm. When I want to mellow out my sound on guitar (I play at church and plug directly into the board, even on electric - the sound guys don't always EQ me the way I like it, so I adjust from my seat) I use one of my various darker sounding mando picks. The ProPlecs work great sometimes for this. Often, the 1.14 Ultex will do the job too. Basically, I switch picks to change tone.

[JeffD]

A lot of guitar players I have read seem to like a heaver pick for the mandolin.

I play a 4 string tenor guitar, tuned like a mandola. I use a Dugain horn pick on that guy. http://www.dugainpicks.com/

I don't like any of the Dugain picks on my mandolin - I use the Red Bear Tortis or a Blue Chip or, if in a large crowd I'll use a Wegen.

[Mulong]

I prefer Dunlop “Big Stubby” 1.0 mm for my mandolin and Puerto Rican cuatro, and a 2.0 mm for my acoustic guitar.

[kudzugypsy]

although i could use the same pick for both, and often do just for ease of shifting back & forth, i tend to use a heavier pick for mando than guitar.

- grip is another story - i dont think the same grip applies well to both - they are different instruments - you have to move a lot more air/surface area on a guitar, so you have to adjust for that - good mandolin technique should have a lighter grip on the pick - why - because you are hitting 2 strings and you let the pick almost 'flop' around loosely in your hand - you can pull a lot more tone that way, and allow the instrument to breath. i say this from using the SAME grip for YEARS on both, and my mandolin tone was always very hard and brittle - it wasnt until i sat down once with Tony Williamson and noticed how his pick just flopped around and the mandolin (same one i played) just took on a breathing quality - he was just pulling all the tone out of it whereas i was compressing it with my 'flatpicking' death grip. i learned A LOT about tone from that guy.

you can also relate this to people who play electric guitar mainly - when they switch to acoustic, they keep the same grip - and you can tell they get a really thin tone from an acoustic.