Pick preference on octave?

[Eric Platt]

This has certainly been covered, just haven't been able to find it on a Google or site search.

Do folks have a different pick preference when playing octave mandolin? So far am noticing picks that transmit a lot of high frequencies, i.e. BC TAD-40 really make my playing sound out of tune. Especially the E string overtones. Whereas a Clayton doesn't do that.

Do what's your preference? Same as regular mandolin or something different? Thanks in advance.

[Bertram Henze]

The less rigid the strings, the lighter the pick. An OM with its longer scale requires a lighter choice than a mandolin.

I have gravitated towards Clayton Spike Triangles 0.72.

[foldedpath]

I use the same pick on my Weber OM that I use on my Lebeda mandolin, a Blue Chip TAD40-1R. Works fine for both, with my style and the sounds I'm looking for. I use that same pick for acoustic steel string guitar too.

The picking technique is a little different for all three instruments, but as an interface to the strings, that single pick just works for me. Saves me some money too, since I just need two BC picks -- main and backup.

[CES]

Use a CT-55 on mandolin, but a TAD-50 or Wegen TF-120 on OM and mandocello. If I'm doing almost all strumming I'll use the TAD 40 I favor for guitar on the OM, but only rarely. So, yes, what Bertram said, though I can't go quite as light as him...

[derbex]

I use a bigger, thicker pick, a Pro-Plec I think, on my OM tham I do on the mandolins where I use a jazz style Dava. The OM pretty heavily strung and a 20" scale.

[Bertram Henze]

I started with heavy strings (.056 on the G course) on my 21" OM long ago, and have eased my way slowly, cautiously to a more zouk-like tone with lighter stings (.049 on the G course by now), lighter pick and lighter attitude regarding punch.

[derbex]

I started with heavy strings (.056 on the G course) on my 21" OM long ago, and have eased my way slowly, cautiously to a more zouk-like tone with lighter stings (.049 on the G course by now), lighter pick and lighter attitude regarding punch.

Interesting I would like more of a zouk tone, to the extent that I am thinking of swapping the Buchanan out for something with a longer scale. My Om is specc'd for 52s, maybe I'll try a little lighter. I have it octave strung at the moment.

[Bertram Henze]

Interesting I would like more of a zouk tone, to the extent that I am thinking of swapping the Buchanan out for something with a longer scale.

In the end, I guess, fiddling with gauges is pushing the walls a bit but can take you only so far. Longer scale is the open road to the horizon. I have balanced this with other limitations in fingering the longer scale would bring, but who knows? I have a pet reference video I compare my own sound against on a regular basis, and I always lose, but the margin gets smaller

[Shan Andy]

It's still early doors for me in terms of finding my way with these things, so all of the following may change a lot.

I've basically carried over my picks from the acoustic guitar and am using a Dunlop Tortex 0.50mm for strumming or a 0.60 for picking. It seems i'm using a much lighter pick than others but I'm playing a short-scale bouzouki tuned as an OM.

[Chuck Leyda]

I bought Dunlop smooth Primetones 1.5 for my mandolin. I liked Wegens (1.5 bluegrass) better on the mando but love the Primetomes on my GBOM. I think with these two picks I'm pretty much set.

I like my picks. I like my mando and my gbom. What to do?

Maybe I can start geeking out about cases, tailpieces, and tuners.

[Eric Platt]

I bought Dunlop smooth Primetones 1.5 for my mandolin. I liked Wegens (1.5 bluegrass) better on the mando but love the Primetomes on my GBOM. I think with these two picks I'm pretty much set.

I like my picks. I like my mando and my gbom. What to do?

Maybe I can start geeking out about cases, tailpieces, and tuners.

You're lucky. Not only do I need to please my ear, but also the ears of my band mates.

Would love to be able to just grab a pick and that's that. Unfortunately I am too often affected by the criticism/suggestions of others.

[Bob Clark]

The less rigid the strings, the lighter the pick. An OM with its longer scale requires a lighter choice than a mandolin.

I have gravitated towards Clayton Spike Triangles 0.72.

I agree with Bertram and would add that, at least for my tastes, the OM pick should be somewhat more pointed as well.

[Bertram Henze]

...the OM pick should be somewhat more pointed as well.

Absolutely. There's nothing like it for boosting high overtones.

[Chuck Leyda]

You're lucky. Not only do I need to please my ear, but also the ears of my band mates.

Would love to be able to just grab a pick and that's that. Unfortunately I am too often affected by the criticism/suggestions of others.

My bandmates are either pragmatic or resigned to their fate I guess. Whatever pick I use, I pretty much sound like myself. If I were to ask about pick choice they would say "it sounds fine".