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Mark Hudson
Dec-15-2010, 8:41pm
I'm looking for something halfway between a Fender Heavy and an Extra-Heavy pick. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Jim Broyles
Dec-16-2010, 7:14pm
Well, it isn't just the thickness; you also have to consider the material. I have 1 mm picks which are stiffer than 1.2 mm picks of a different material. Do you want to stick with celluloid, which the Fender heavies are made of? I have some 1.2 mm celluloid picks from a few different makers which are between a heavy and an extra heavy.

Murphy Slaw
Dec-16-2010, 7:29pm
I like the sound and durabilty of Tortex.

Mark Hudson
Dec-16-2010, 8:50pm
Well, I'm just learning, and so celluloid is all have have experience with. The Heavy's make things too bright, and the Extra-Heavy's not bright enough. So that's why I was looking for something in between. Another material and I would have to get it translated :-)

Jim Broyles
Dec-16-2010, 11:37pm
Well, you can make the point of the heavy a little rounder to darken up the sound a little. Try the shoulder of the pick and see how it works. Or you can sand the point a little flatter (more of a knife edge) on the Ex heavies to brighten them up a little. To tell you the truth, I would never have guessed that a heavy celluloid pick would sound too bright on a mandolin. I can send you some sample picks if you like. My personal opinion is that you would like the Dunlop Ultex picks in the 1.14 gauge. PM me if you are interested.

whyner
Dec-16-2010, 11:52pm
I'm a noob so take it for what it's worth.

Grab $10 and head on down to your local music shop and buy one or two of everthing 1mm or thicker. Try 'em all. The ones you don't like try this (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?65188-What-s-in-a-Bevel) on them. When you get comfortable making bevels try it on the ones you like.

Check this (http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=44960&query=retrieval)too.

Steve bonehead - noob
Oregon

Mark Hudson
Dec-17-2010, 6:15am
Thanks for the help! Somehow it hadn't occurred to me to try turning the Heavy pick to the shoulder :-)
I'll also look at the Dunlop picks in the local music stores. I do realize that down the line the best experience is going to be playing a lot more, with more different picks (and experimenting with strings too). It's an interesting time teaching an old dog new tricks!

Markus
Dec-17-2010, 6:24am
Try a tortex or an ultex as well ... they're cheap and in the 1.0 - 1.5 range they can yield a variety of tones on the mandolin.

I grew to dislike the Fenders and even the Ultex as being quite `snappy' and bright with very guitar-like tones. Eventually I thickened to some Tortex thicker versions, then even heavier yet. Then onto the Wegens ... but that's my ear, not yours.

Good luck on the search ... going to the guitar store with $10 for a variety is a great plan, IME - it helped me find what I liked the sound of best.

I would add the suggestion to have someone else play/strum your mandolin with those picks as well - sometimes the tone we hear playing mandolin is notably different than what the audience would hear [f-hole instruments more than oval]. Sometimes things sound the same to us ... but sometimes they don't, but they do more than I ran across when playing guitar.

Murphy Slaw
Dec-17-2010, 7:15am
I would add the suggestion to have someone else play/strum your mandolin with those picks as well - sometimes the tone we hear playing mandolin is notably different than what the audience would hear [f-hole instruments more than oval]. Sometimes things sound the same to us ... but sometimes they don't, but they do more than I ran across when playing guitar.

Yep.

EdHanrahan
Dec-17-2010, 12:49pm
I'm a noob so take it for what it's worth. Grab $10 and head on down to your local ...
... Mandolin Cafe classifieds for this great idea from Dix Bruce:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=44960&query=retrieval

I did that 6 or 8 months ago and am still real glad I did! Plus, ya get to save 2 bucks!

Mark Hudson
Dec-17-2010, 1:46pm
... Mandolin Cafe classifieds for this great idea from Dix Bruce:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=44960&query=retrieval

I did that 6 or 8 months ago and am still real glad I did! Plus, ya get to save 2 bucks!

Thank you for that link... kinda like grabbing a sampler pack of beer, but better for you! <lol!>

EdHanrahan
Dec-17-2010, 1:56pm
... kinda like grabbing a sampler pack of beer ... <lol!>
Oh, man! Now ya got me wantin' to get home and sample some, of both!

Mark Hudson
Feb-02-2011, 7:45pm
My personal opinion is that you would like the Dunlop Ultex picks in the 1.14 gauge. PM me if you are interested.


Dang, I missed your suggestion to PM you. Will keep it for future reference...
Did take the suggestion to head down to the local music store. Also found some Ultex picks on-line. Ordered the 1's and the 1.14's. The 1's sound real plunky... getting used to the 1.14 (trying to overcome my beginner technique) and alternating with a Pickboy 1mm Luminous I found at the music store.

Thanks for all the tips!

Steve Ostrander
Feb-03-2011, 10:21am
I like the Jim Dunlop Rhinos.

mandroid
Feb-03-2011, 11:50am
an X thick could be thinned, on sandpaper.. seems Fender only sells them 72 at a time,
[to my music store, or they won't buy any and if I want them, I have to take a half gross]
so there are plenty to experiment with.. (#346, the big round edge triangle)
for the cost of 1 blue chip pick.:grin:

~o)

oldpicker
Feb-08-2011, 12:04am
Try a Bluechip TPR45


Oldpicker