Blue Chip oddity.

[fscotte]

Ok maybe I'm imagining this but there's something weird going on with my BC TP50. When I first start playing, you know cold mandolin, everything sounds great. After about 15 minutes of solid play time the mandolin begins to sound a little dead, and that nice little punchy tone I get with the BC pick goes away and doesn't come back until after I put the mandolin down for a while. This doesn't happen with any other picks I have.

I read that the BC picks are self-lubricating. Ok first, what the heck does that even mean? Does that mean as you play something is secreted? Is that why they last so looong without any signs of wear?

It's not my mandolin either. When this oddity happens, I put the BC down and pick up one of my other pick and it sounds good again.

Anyone else notice this oddity?

[Chris Biorkman]

Nope.

[Cheryl Watson]

This is truly odd. The good news is that you can play the mandolin with other picks and that the mandolin is not yours. Yeah, play it with a Red Bear, my favorite pick.

[Kevin K]

That is odd. Wonder if you are rotating the wrist some and striking the strings at a different point on the bevel?

[AlanN]

Apols for the side-track:

Kevin, PMs to you bounce back, may want to check it out.

Back to blue chip banter...

[Kevin K]

Alan,
Try it again.

[mandotrout777]

Ok maybe I'm imagining this but there's something weird going on with my BC TP50. When I first start playing, you know cold mandolin, everything sounds great. After about 15 minutes of solid play time the mandolin begins to sound a little dead, and that nice little punchy tone I get with the BC pick goes away and doesn't come back until after I put the mandolin down for a while. This doesn't happen with any other picks I have.

I read that the BC picks are self-lubricating. Ok first, what the heck does that even mean? Does that mean as you play something is secreted? Is that why they last so looong without any signs of wear?

It's not my mandolin either. When this oddity happens, I put the BC down and pick up one of my other pick and it sounds good again.

Anyone else notice this oddity?

Nope, nothing like that has ever happened to me. My guess is you're imagining it, or you have a technique issue with the bevel. You better go back to your gators or red bears or whatever. You could send the Blue Chip to me.:grin:

[fscotte]

Does anyone know how "self lubricating" applies to a pick? I guess if its "lubricating" something maybe the oil from my fingers is messing with it... Who knows, perhaps it is an imagination.

[mandotrout777]

Does anyone know how "self lubricating" applies to a pick? I guess if its "lubricating" something maybe the oil from my fingers is messing with it... Who knows, perhaps it is an imagination.

My guess is that it's a property of the material that applies to it's original purpose, which I think was as a high heat industrial bearing material. Whether that property is really applicable to a flat picking situation, I have no clue (maybe if you play fast enough). They do seem to glide over the strings nicely and I have to wash mine in soapy water once in a while to keep it "sticky". But I always assumed it was just accumulating skin oils. I've not noticed any change in tone when I do this though.

[woodwizard]

Got 2 TPR60's and have had them for quite a while. One for each mando. Don't even think about using any other pick. And during my experiences picking with both I have never noticed anything like what you have discribed. Lovem ! :confused:

[jim_n_virginia]

oh yea there is a simple explanation. Your BC pick is asleep and it takes a little playing to wake it up..... :grin:

self lube is just another fancy word for slick plastic. Nothing oozes from the material! LOL!

One trick Bucket showed me was that if the BC gets hard to hang on to just wash it with a little dish detergent and it gets tacky again. It really works. :mandosmiley:

[Murphy Slaw]

Great. Now that I order one, and DON'T HAVE IT YET.......

I find out about an oddity.......

Sheeze...... (where are the smileys?)

[fscotte]

I'm not laughing.

[JEStanek]

Smileys can be found when you go advanced with your reply.

Jamie

[bratsche]

My "Blue Chip oddity" is that I've discovered it sounds different on the same instrument, when played in different rooms! And here I thought I had everything figured out about which instrument it sounds best with.... then I go and move into a different room to play, and now I'm second guessing it all... LOL

bratsche

[pjlama]

Well, sell it then or send it back. It's a pick not a marriage. Heck I'll buy it off you, just pm me.

[45ACP-GDLF5]

Th BC picks are not self-lubricating. They do "stick" to your fingers better if they are washed often. Try washing one in your hands with regular anti-bacterial hand soap. Dry it off good, (water beads on it anyway) and that should take care of the problem. It sounds like the oil from your hands and fingers are the cause of it.

[mandolirius]

Got 2 TPR60's and have had them for quite a while. One for each mando. Don't even think about using any other pick. And during my experiences picking with both I have never noticed anything like what you have discribed. Lovem ! :confused:

I agree totally. I've got three BC's, one TAD60 for each mando and a TP60 for the rare occasions the TAD feels too big in my fingers. Also, the TD is a bit quieter and more mellow-sounding. It's better for recording.

[fscotte]

Th BC picks are not self-lubricating. They do "stick" to your fingers better if they are washed often. Try washing one in your hands with regular anti-bacterial hand soap. Dry it off good, (water beads on it anyway) and that should take care of the problem. It sounds like the oil from your hands and fingers are the cause of it.

According to the website they are self lubricating. You may be right that the oils from my fingers somehow get on the point. I do hold the pick very very close to the point so there's just a smidgen of point there to pick with.

[jim_n_virginia]

I think the self lubricating reffered to on the web site just means the picks glide across the strings easier becuase of the type of material used. I don't think finger oil can get on the tip or if it did it wouldn't stay on long scraping them across metal. The oils from your finger just seem to make the picks natural tackiness not work as well and when you wash the pick it restores the tackiness.

Good tip on the antibacterial soap 45ACP lot easier to find that out publically than dish detergent.

[Kevin K]

I have heard about a professional who know I don't remember who, that used rosin on his picks for a little finger tackiness and to pull that extra tone and volume.... It does help a great deal on those hot humid days