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View Full Version : Fender classic pick users - old versus new picks?



fscotte
Aug-01-2010, 3:30pm
I just purchased 17 of these extra-heavy Fender classic teardrop picks since someone mentioned I try them. I was also interested to see how they played since hearing that Sam Bush used them. I will just say they are good picks - great in fact.

Looking through and old guitar case of mine, I found a Fender classic pick that must be at least 20 years old. Forgot I had used one a long time ago. And looking at the way it's shaped, I found my preferences haven't changed much in 25+ years of picking as far as pick size and shape goes...

Anyway, this old pick sounds brighter than the new Fender picks. There is a definite difference in how they sound, brighter, harder, sounding - closer in sound to a real ts pick (of course not the same but close). Other things different is that the tortoise coloring is darker than the new ones. The logos are different. And the shape of the pick is slightly different too. The old one is on the right:

http://www.flatpick-l.org/tonytab/pick2.jpg


Bottom line, I think I like the sound of the older one better. So does anyone know if Fender changed formulas?

Secondly, does anyone have some of these old classic teardrop EXTRA-heavy picks? I'd be happy to buy a few off ya.

Charley wild
Aug-01-2010, 3:56pm
I'm a dedicated Fender pick user also. I think I have a few of the older ones but they are heavy not extra heavy. (I may have one or two extra heavies). I've never compared them with new ones to see if I can hear and difference. I'll have to try one. I have some old white ones and they are a different composition from the ones now. They are duller and milkier looking. The new ones are shiny and more "plastic" looking. If I find any old extra heavies you're welcome to them.
Charley

mandroid
Aug-01-2010, 4:21pm
Think you have 2 different shape/ model numbers there, rather than old and new difference.
other than to your recent purchase, versus what you had previously.. and may have worn a bit?

fscotte
Aug-01-2010, 5:31pm
They aren't two different types, or model number, they match up almost identically except for the top curve. The older one is ever so slightly more straight across. They are the same width also. There is definitely some wear on the older one. I have always sanded off the point like you see with the new one. That's pretty much where the old one was long ago, and of course lots of play time wore it down even more.

In addition, when I drop them on a hard surface, the old pick gives a brighter "ring" thus indicating it is harder.

Charley, if you have some of those older xtra-heavies, I'll buy em and pay for shipping and paypal fee and whatever reasonable cost you want for em. When you check, make sure they have the older white fender logo like the one shown.

Earl Gamage
Aug-01-2010, 8:53pm
The classic pick. Cheap and does the job.

Charley wild
Aug-01-2010, 9:14pm
Charley, if you have some of those older xtra-heavies, I'll buy em and pay for shipping and paypal fee and whatever reasonable cost you want for em. When you check, make sure they have the older white fender logo like the one shown.

Will do.

Ian Rossiter
Aug-02-2010, 5:33pm
I really miss old Fender picks. I have no idea what they changed to but, the material is completely different,and they just don't last. More importantly, they's not nearly as stiff as they once were. A present-day X-tra heavy and an X-tra heavy from even 10 years ago is a completely different animal. My all time favorite pick's were the White JZ X-tra heavies....just perfect. Then they d/c'd those and only offered the tortise shell ones, wayyyy more flimsy. I ended up going back to a JD jazz III,and sometimes a JD 3mm Stubby.

fscotte
Aug-09-2010, 3:34pm
I'd like to buy any of the old extra-heavies if anyone has em. I'll buy any amount.

Kevin K
Aug-09-2010, 3:48pm
Yeah I would like to buy a few old extra heavy ones as well, they do sound different/better.

Mandolin Mick
Aug-09-2010, 4:23pm
I used Fender Extra Heavy picks sometimes on my Hofner Bass in my Beatles tribute band years ago, although I changed to the Hofner Extra Heavy picks.

I use Dawg and JazzMando picks on my mandolins.

fred d
Aug-09-2010, 11:56pm
I have been using them for years But have found them a little heavy for my National Resonator unless I want to Drown the Banjos??

fscotte
Aug-10-2010, 9:15pm
nt

fscotte
Aug-10-2010, 9:18pm
Well it seems that current Fender picks may not be made exclusively out of celluloid, or even in part, due to a number of reasons... perhaps expense being one. The material is very flammable and perhaps not allowed to be manufactured in North America? I dunno, but D'Andrea seems to be making picks out of 100% celluloid, which I think is that classic sound we're searching for.


I found this info about celluloid very eye-opening from D'andrea:

Today, celluloid has very few uses other than guitar picks, pickguards, other guitar related parts, ping pong balls and accordion shells. Large commercial sources of it have vanished except for one in Italy. There is new hope as, thankfully, mainland China has taken on the task of keeping celluloid alive and is now a viable and fairly abundant resource of the substance. It is produced from cotton cellulose (nitrocellulose) and camphor, in huge vats which take months to cure. The lead time is anywhere from four to six months for production alone. It is then made into 300 lb. blocks, skived into sheets and shipped from overseas—a costly and time consuming process in the era of overnight delivery.


Additional info:

"Its a specialty item and that's why no one in America makes it. The raw materials used to manufacture celluloid are indeed controlled explosives and manufacturing or transporting it in raw form take much paperwork. A guitar pickguard is not illegal nor a controlled substance. Celluloid is still used for ping pong balls as it is the only plastic offering the "bounce". Other uses are pens, picks and .. pickguards. Eyeglass frames used to be made from Celluloid and those are now illegal in many places. Reason being Celluloid "spits" when ignited. That's why those cool tortoise eyeglass frames look different today than the vintage ones. Celluloid is better looking but it was not a risk governments felt people should take being near the eyes."


Anyway, here's what I've done. I've ordered some classic celluloid D'Andrea picks, as well as buying an old Fender extra-heavy which was made in the 80's. Will be interesting to see how they sound compared to my old Fender pick.


ps. I think I just might put a flame to one of these new so called Fender picks and see if it "spits".