What flavor Bluechip should I try?

[RedonkulousD]

Good morning folks. I think I’m going to make the leap for a nice pick for myself for Christmas. I’m currently using a Dunlop Primetone 1.5. I want to order a BC Tad1R 50 on the advice from a trusted friend who is a mandowiz :-) but isn’t local for me to try his pick . Before I spend the money I was hoping one of you experienced folk could take look at how I hold the pick and tell me if I need left speed bevel or right (or even round)? Thanks friends!

And yes, I am trying to break away from my Turkey knuckle pinky posting guitar flatpicking grip to a more mando acceptable grip, but old habits die hardi.

[Captain Kirk]

[journeybear]

Rather than popcorn, I suggest munching on blue corn tortilla chips. Fits better with the theme.

I'll just jump in ahead of a few folks and say rounded picks do not work for me, regardless of make or material. I vastly prefer a point. If for some unfathomable reason you want to use a rounded contact area for some effect mid-song, you can rotate most pointed picks to get that shape from the soulder. Otherwise, I just don't get the point of that sort of pick. Seems pointless.

BTW, I do have a BC 50 triangular - there's no lettering, like TAD or TP or CT - just "50." I'm guessing it's got a few years on it, as the "BlueChip" lettering runs straight across, not arched as in the pix on the website. I have no idea how I got it; it must have been in the variety of picks in the pocket of a case when I got a mandolin. I don't use it much, as it always feels like it'll fly away when I get really going. It sits on the nightstand, for home picking. I've been using the same Dunlop 1.5mm for years, and like the little bit of texture, big help on the grip.

[DannoMando]

I may be an odd ball but I am not a fan of Blue Chip picks after trying several. The picks that I have found I like the most recently is a D'Andrea Radex 1.25 mm pick and the D'Addario Chris Thile Casein pick. I have tried various Blue Chip picks and sold them all but one TPR-45 that had been reshaped and modified. This pick came with a group of picks that I bought so I basically paid $5 for the Blue Chip. This modified Blue Chip has worked best for me out of the Blue Chip picks I have tried.

I personally wouldn't pay full price for a Blue Chip. I still think the smooth surface Primetone 1.4 mm and the D'Andrea Radex are great picks for the money and to my ears produce better tone than the Blue Chip picks. YMMV.

[Zach Wilson]

I love my BC pick. It's smooth like butter, produces a nice tone that isn't scratchy and is easy to hold. Seeing how you hold your pick I would recommend it with a right hand bevel. I think it's far superior to the Primetone picks, which slips in my hand and sounds too bright and treble-y.

[Iron]

I have a few Blue chips but I prefer Wegens

[Josh Levine]

TAD 50 RH bevel is my go to. I will play a Wegens 140 too. I live those but TAD50 is my go to. I wouldn’t use a rounded corner so it would just confuse the symmetry for me.

[TX2AK]

RH Bevel looks right for you. I like Blue Chips, and have tried the ones in the pick sampler and owned 3 (flat picks, have several thumb picks too). I use a BC TPR 50, which is essentially the same shape as the 3round Tweener ToneSlab I like best, but only barely. I got the BC after KC Groves and I swapped picks for a little while last month at SW Mando Camp, where she is an instructor. She commented that my TS was brighter and louder, but a little “clicker,” which is not an issue with my playing the two side by side; but she’s a heck of a player, and I’m certain she knew what she heard with her picking style. The advantage of the BC is that they are basically bombproof, while the TS need periodic polishing. I also have a TRP60, and don’t like it as much on either of my current mandolins; but a mandolin I previously owned preferred the 60 to the 50. The 60 is 1.5 mm, and the 50 is 1.25. The reason I am addressing thickness is that you said you play a 1.5 Primetone. If you have compared it with a comparable 1.3 Primetone, and you prefer the heavier thickness, you probably would like the 60 more than the 50. If not, I would suggest spending a few bucks on the 1.3 before you buy - or I probably have an extra in the pick drawer; if you want me to mail it and I have one, I’d be happy to send it to you - just PM me with your name and mailing address. They are great picks for the money, and I keep them all over the place and let the kids and guests use them, since they sometimes accidentally walk off in a pocket.

I prefer rounded points - I did play a 1R a lot before making that call, so am not discouraging the point configuration choice you have made. I feel like slightly rounded points give smoother tremolo, and I prefer the tone. To each their own, what Journey Bear sees as unfathomable, I prefer; and I am not in bad company - Nate Lee first turned me onto them for the tone, KC GRoves I mentioned above, Grisman uses a much rounder pick than these, and I saw Sam Bush say he never used the point of the classic teardrops, always the shoulder - again for the tone. They seem to do alright. A lot of great players use pointy points too; so, again, to each their own.

As for price, I can’t say that in my hand a ToneSlab or BlueChip is 10X better sounding than a Primetone - I think they are great for the money; but there is a difference. I absolutely believe everyone should do what works for them; and if it’s not worth it, like the comments above, that’s cool; but I think it’s weird when people get on (I’m not saying anybody above has, but we see it frequently) and deride or criticize spending $35-45 on a pick, as though they know anyone else’s financial situation. If you play a $1,000 mandolin, a $35 pick is 3.5% of your budget - I don’t think that’s a crazy piece of the budget to spend on something that is literally the direct connection between you and your instrument. When people are playing $5k, $10k, $20k instruments and make those comments, eye rollers to me.

[Rick Jones]

I think your plan for the TAD1R 50 is spot on. I have a TAD 80 which I have reshaped to soften one of the corners, making it just like a TAD1R 80. I also have a TAD 60 in each of my mandolin cases, and am considering reshaping each those on one corner. Best of all worlds - you've got points, and you've got a rounded corner. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[JeffD]

You may be interested in the pick sampler. Get on the list and try out a bunch of cool picks.

As far as pick grip it looks from your pictures that a right handed bevel would be appropriate.

I know what you mean about old habits. I was an inveterate pinky planter, and gradually wandered away from it. Mostly because as I started to work more seriously on my tremolo I found that planting slowed me down, and made transitions into tremolo and out to individual notes very awkward.

We all start somewhere and better that we got started and correct habits along the way, than to waste years looking for the front door so as to avoid any regrets.

[Dan in NH]

My first Blue Chip was a TAD-60. No R as I’m not a fan of round shoulders. I also got a CT-55, which turned out to be good because I promptly lost my TAD-60 thereafter. On recommendation of my mandolin teacher I got a TAD-80 but I don’t like it. I do like the CT-55, but I want to get another TAD-60. Most days I play an X-Stiff Clown Barf Large Triangle.

[Caberguy]

I will play a Wegens 140 too. I live those but TAD50 is my go to. I wouldn’t use a rounded corner so it would just confuse the symmetry for me.

I too like both, but have been leaning more towards Wegens lately.

And also concur about the one rounded corner... I have a TAD50-1R, and the only thing that the rounded corner has done so far is to annoy me that I have to think about which bit is which.

[JeffD]

The Wegen TF 140 is also a might fine pick.

That, and the BC, and the Primetone, and a Red Bear Heavy are my first choices. No such thing as the best pick or the only pick. There is no one pick that does it all. I use a different pick for different music, different venue, different playing situation. It seems on mandolin every little thing makes a perceptible and significant difference. So it is good to optimize.

[pops1]

First off I will say I played with a BC for years. I loved the way it glided thru the strings with no resistance, but never liked the sound of my G string with a BC. The first consideration I would think about is what does your mandolin sound like, especially in the lower range. Is it bright or deep/dark. A BC will tame the bright, but if you have a deeper sound I would advise against it. I have gone to Wegens and have played with them for years now. Since my mandolin has a deeper sound I don't want a thick pick, but a thinner one to keep what highs I have. The Wegen glides thru the strings like the BC, but gives me a much better sound. I have them made thinner than is typically sold on the website. The mandolin will dictate what kind of pick you need to make it sound good, not how expensive or what kind of review it gets. I am sure they sound great on some mandolins, just not any of mine. I do use both Wegen and BC for guitar tho.

[DaveNils]

I was a long time CT-55 advocate until the Wegen TF-140 stole my heart. Now the Blue Chip mostly collects dust. When I go back to it the tone just seems a little bland and dull to me. I honestly prefer the Dunlop PrimeTone now if I want to mix it up from the Wegen.

[Altmandw]

After trying a variety of higher end picks, I have ended up using BC 50s exclusively and like the sound difference for the mandolin and their feel. As has been stated the number, such as the 50s I use, relates to the thickness, and my preference is for 1.25 mm. The only comment I wanted to add is about the model designations. For me, I chose a TD (a more standard chip shape), a Jazz LG (slightly narrower and a finer point), and an STP (triangular and slightly wider). What my experience has been is that each pick can work best for various styles of music or what you might want to do in an ensemble. Also, I now prefer to use the STD for guitar more than mandolin. For what it's worth, my advice is to not settle on just a single model, and it's OK to get several until you've had more time with them to decide.

[rickbella]

I like TP 40s with a right-hand speed bevel. But you should try a lot of picks and choose the one that suits you.

[Charles E.]

I have a Bluechip 55, Wegans, Apollo "Mike Marshall" picks and keep coming back to the Primetone 1.5 small triangle. The others have too much click noise for me.

Just got some Radex picks that might work out after altering the shape of.

[CES]

CT-55 and TAD 60 are my go to picks. Well, my 60 is a 1R, but I never use the round point. I have Wegens, Tone Slabs, Prime Tones, Millers, Dunlops, the Mike Marshal Apollo pick, Clown Barfs, and all manner of other random picks. The TS are very grippy and their tone is great, but they don’t glide through the strings like BC, and they do require some maintenance. My first CT-55 from probably 12-13 years ago still shows nominal wear despite a ton of use. So, BC is my #1, followed closely by Wegen/TS/Miller. If I had to pick from those 3, the Wegen TF-140 would probably be my call, but, I’m glad I don’t have to make that choice, can rotate through whatever I’m feeling on a given night, and know I always have the BC to fall back on when needed.

Also agree that a RH bevel is the way for you to go. Have fun with the experimentation!

FWIW, I love that we write pages of drivel on pick choice when the founding bluegrass fathers were like, “medium whatever.” 🤣

[Charles E.]

[QUOTE

FWIW, I love that we write pages of drivel on pick choice when the founding bluegrass fathers were like, “medium whatever.” ��[/QUOTE]

Yes that or using picks from "unantainibum".

[Bill McCall]

................. But you should try a lot of picks and choose the one that suits you.

That can be a long search.........

I rotate between a Radex, CT55, Wegen 120 and Manouche 1.5. The Manouche is the prettiest. But I have many Red Bears, BCs and a large reserve.

[Steve Mead]

I was using Wegens for years then got on the BC bus, bought one for every mandolin. Used them for a couple of years then one day grabbed the Wegen for a test drive and decided right then to sell all the BC's and stick with the Wegens. Like the tone, like the feel, tremolo is better, won't go back.

[DannoMando]

I should add that Mike Compton uses a Blue Chip pick. I remember him using either a 45 or 50 3R. But again Mike Compton could use a pick made out of a credit card and still sound amazing.

[Josh Levine]

The Wegens have a pretty tone, they feel good and sound good and have a good balanced tone. But I do think that the Bluechips do have a bit more volume, pop and crunch which I seek for bluegrass. It’s a win/win. All the other brands don’t quite spin my wheels.

[RedonkulousD]

I love my BC pick. It's smooth like butter, produces a nice tone that isn't scratchy and is easy to hold. Seeing how you hold your pick I would recommend it with a right hand bevel. I think it's far superior to the Primetone picks, which slips in my hand and sounds too bright and treble-y.

Smooth like butter. So what I’m hearing is that a BC will give me that Cleverly funk