So I bought a Blue Chip pick-my impressions

[Ultra Turtle]

These are my favorites. BlueChip on mando sounds so much better than anything else.

[JeffD]

Why don't Blue Chip don't do deals - 2 for $60, 3 for $75 etc.?

Because BC picks aren't the kind you need more than one of. You just make sure not to lose it.

[Darryl Wolfe]

i own many high quality picks, but a pre-owned CT 55 destroyed all my preconceived pick notions, and the TAD 60 raised the bar again. BC proved that i was uninformed. Just as there are tonal differences between these picks, so there must be with all the other shapes and sizes.

It's likely an error to pass judgement on the whole line of picks by using only one pick, which may be the wrong pick for that mandolin or ears. i've found $35 to be a very "sound" investment when considering the price of mandolins, tailpieces, a year's supply of strings, or the total spent on all those other high quality picks.

i do rejoice in the good fortune of those who are ecstatic with inexpensive picks. But maybe there's a BC pick that's right for everyone....could be it's a matter of the right match. On the other hand, i don't have a good answer for those who lose picks easily; a point well taken.

There an old saying about not knocking it until one tries it. Otherwise one might find it hard to speak with authority on the subject.

This is exactly my experience. I like/work best with the CT-55 and the TAD's.

Also make sure you understand the right and left hand bevel deal. It is NOT simply whether you are right or left handed. I use a right handed bevel on mandolin and left handed bevel on guitar.

[Amanda Gregg]

Also make sure you understand the right and left hand bevel deal. It is NOT simply whether you are right or left handed. I use a right handed bevel on mandolin and left handed bevel on guitar.

You just blew my mind. Can you elaborate?

The BlueChip website gives an answer based merely on handedness in the FAQ:

"If you hold your pick in your right hand,and on the down stroke the bottom and the edge facing the headstock is striking the string, that would be a right hand beveled pick.

Vice versa, if you hold your pick in your left hand,and on the down stroke the bottom and the edge facing the headstock is striking the string, that would be a left hand beveled pick."

Reference: FAQ

[AlanN]

BlueChip on mando sounds so much better than anything else.

The un-written/implicit phrase at the end surely is 'to me.', right?

[Mike Snyder]

If $35 is an unacceptable price for a pick, just buy the 80 or 100 series. They don't cost $35.

[kevbuch]

Got a blue chip a month and a half ago. It seemed a little better but not worth the money. After using only it for over a month, I tried using my old Dunlop tortex and its terrible. Apparently, the blue chip is much better than I thought.

[Timbofood]

Dunno. I am simply too cheap to pop for one.
The violin bow analogy does not hold much water for me, the picks are not handmade. A bow can be the price it is simply based on the number of hours involved in its manufacture, and the makers skill, time spent learning the CRAFT.
An injection molded or stamped,sanded piece of polymer is just that. Just one mans opinion.

This does seem to be very much the norm about "premium picks", OP raves or is disappointed then the ravers or grumpy Gus's (like me, I guess) offer our opinions.
I have a gross of my old purple Tortex to use up.

[stevedenver]

Dunno. I am simply too cheap to pop for one.
The violin bow analogy does not hold much water for me, the picks are not handmade. A bow can be the price it is simply based on the number of hours involved in its manufacture, and the makers skill, time spent learning the CRAFT.
An injection molded or stamped,sanded piece of polymer is just that. Just one mans opinion.

This does seem to be very much the norm about "premium picks", OP raves or is disappointed then the ravers or grumpy Gus's (like me, I guess) offer our opinions.
I have a gross of my old purple Tortex to use up.

first , as I understand things, the BC are hand beveled. Second, the material used is really really expensive.

second, while I too am thrifty (in my own weird way) I bought one so I could KNOW first hand, what I thought of them. THAT ALONE was worth $35.00 (and a delightful conversation with the MS Carter at carter vintage, as well as some 'bitchin' Gilchrist mando picks too, both shapes, and, great pics, so long as were spending some money, LOL). As a result, I don't have to wonder 'what does vanilla really tastes like?", and I got a fine pick too. I felt I could afford to potentially blow 35 bucks to find out what the hubbub is about. I do the same with other cheap 'experiments', like strings.

What I hope, is that someone from BC (or anyone else in the KNOW) can in fact confirm or deny a change in materials from 2008 as Jeff May mentioned, and , which I found hugely interesting.

[Timbofood]

I suppose it is not the most expensive item to try but, as I said, I am cheap!
Where are they made? How long does it take to bevel one? Curious, not trying to be argumentative. It's still plastic of some flavor, root beer sounds good about now.
Thanks Steve, I might have to treat myself but, we shall see.

[stevedenver]

I don't know the specifics, I have the impression they are made in the "South", but don't know, but I have read, I believe on the bc site, about the hand beveling, otoh, it might have been from Christie, when I asked about possible discounts. nada. they don't get one either.

what I can say, having made one myself from the same material , given to me by a guy in a lab, the stuff is hard to work, and it took me over an hour to cut, shape, and get the points and bevel on my home made 'second' . I imagine much less on an assembly line with proper machines, but it still means some real hands on labor, even if only a minute or more.

go for it. then like me, you'll say, nice pick , but $35 bucks , ouch.

BUT, youll use it and its a small luxury.

[mandotrout777]

first , as I understand things, the BC are hand beveled. Second, the material used is really really expensive.

second, while I too am thrifty (in my own weird way) I bought one so I could KNOW first hand, what I thought of them. THAT ALONE was worth $35.00 (and a delightful conversation with the MS Carter at carter vintage, as well as some 'bitchin' Gilchrist mando picks too, both shapes, and, great pics, so long as were spending some money, LOL). As a result, I don't have to wonder 'what does vanilla really tastes like?", and I got a fine pick too. I felt I could afford to potentially blow 35 bucks to find out what the hubbub is about. I do the same with other cheap 'experiments', like strings.

What I hope, is that someone from BC (or anyone else in the KNOW) can in fact confirm or deny a change in materials from 2008 as Jeff May mentioned, and , which I found hugely interesting.

I'd like someone in the KNOW to weigh in on this as well, mainly out of curiosity. Here's a photo I posted a while back of my 4 "old" BCs surrounding a new one:



I think there are two explanations for this different appearance and the different tone of these picks. Either the material darkens and hardens over time, producing a crisper tone, or there was a change in "lots" or batches of the material since the original roll out of the Blue Chips.

The four dark picks are from the first year or so of BC production. All five of them were ordered direct from BC. I hand shaped the 60s because I bought them before they started making the TPR shape and before I switched to the 50s. I sure would like to get a couple more of the 50s that sound like these two. Mine are getting a little rough around the edges.

Anyway, back to the OP, I obviously really like these picks.

And please don't judge me for having so much money tied up in picks. I have a problem.

[JeffD]

You just blew my mind. Can you elaborate?

The BlueChip website gives an answer based merely on handedness in the FAQ

Some folks kind of bend their thumb joint and hold the mandolin in a way that the pick strikes the other way (the other angle) from what one would expect conventionally. There are some videos. John Reischman plays that way. At 5 minutes into this video you can see what I mean. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvB2PxEsGbM For those folks who play like this it makes sense to get the other handed pick.

[calgary.fiddler]

Got a blue chip a month and a half ago. It seemed a little better but not worth the money. After using only it for over a month, I tried using my old Dunlop tortex and its terrible. Apparently, the blue chip is much better than I thought.

Its like with any truly good mandolin, they don't hit you right away with one overwhelming quality, only in time do all the subtle aspects of the mandolin become apparent. I always appreciate how good my coolings is when I got back an pick up my the loar.

[stevedenver]

I'd like someone in the KNOW to weigh in on this as well, mainly out of curiosity. Here's a photo I posted a while back of my 4 "old" BCs surrounding a new one:



I think there are two explanations for this different appearance and the different tone of these picks. Either the material darkens and hardens over time, producing a crisper tone, or there was a change in "lots" or batches of the material since the original roll out of the Blue Chips.

The four dark picks are from the first year or so of BC production. All five of them were ordered direct from BC. I hand shaped the 60s because I bought them before they started making the TPR shape and before I switched to the 50s. I sure would like to get a couple more of the 50s that sound like these two. Mine are getting a little rough around the edges.

Anyway, back to the OP, I obviously really like these picks.

And please don't judge me for having so much money tied up in picks. I have a problem.

jeff thanks for this post.

I hope I wasn't offensive, as I didn't doubt what youwrote, but rather, was curious as to exactly what the changes were. it is clear that the color is indeed different.

As for having 5 BC's, compared to, say, mandos , guitars, swiss army knives, and other things, its ok........we now live in an era when, while one would do, the more the merrier. Anyway, you're setting an excellent example for Timbo.......LOL.


BCs are made 'down in Knoxville, by the river, where there's a spirit a wandering. First you'll feel it cross your shoulders, then you'll hear it start to sing'......

http://www.bluechippick.net/faqs/

BTW, above is the BC link, including infor regarding the hand work I referred to, and I presume the info on the site is honest and accurate.

[sgrexa]

Ever since losing my real tortoise picks made from an old comb years ago I have been searching for a replacement. I have a Blue Chip CT-55 that I go back to from time to time and a bunch of other "high end" picks. Lately I have been playing $0.50 Fender extra heavy triangle picks. D'Andrea Pro Plecs 1.5 mm are also a very good inexpensive pick but the edges seem to chip fairly easily. IMO, getting my right hand to behave the way I want is way more important than which pick I am using as long as the general shape and thickness is right.

Sean

[Timbofood]

Yeah, Steve you're right, the number of watches, pocket knives, kitchen utensils, thermos bottles, picnic baskets,COOLERS I have does make the expense argument pretty much moot!
Next time a consider one more Coleman lantern I should pop for a blue chip and see, I am sure there is an underground secondary market if I simply hate it.

[JeffD]

Ever since losing my real tortoise picks made from an old comb years ago I have been searching for a replacement. I have a Blue Chip CT-55 that I go back to from time to time and a bunch of other "high end" picks.

The big advantage of the BC and other high end picks, over real tortoise, is that with normal use the BC just doesn't wear. I use BCs, Red Bear, and Wegens and a new one and ones I have been using for many years are indistinguishable in sound and playing, and the edges are identical. And I play hard, loud, and often.

They won't last for ever, but they will last a lot longer than I will be sucking wind on this planet.

[stevedenver]

.....

They won't last for ever, but they will last a lot longer than I will be sucking wind on this planet.

we hope.......



that didn't quite come out right......
not that you will depart soon Jeff, LOL, but that our BCs will last

[f5loar]

A new thread on the blue chip and still rants about the price. I don't know about you guys but if I go to a really good steak restaurant it's going to cost me $30 to $45 for a really good prime cut of rib-eye or NY strip steak and that's usually without the salad and baked potato which is another $8 to $15 and all this if you drink water with your meal. Now I will eat that meal in 30 minutes or less and yet my blue chip pick last me a lifetime. There is an old saying for high end products "the quality will last long after the price is forgotten". Now you can buy a $10 thin cut T-bone steak with the salad and baked potato included at Waffle House. I can taste the difference. You can buy a really good $1 pick or the blue chip at $35. I can feel and hear the difference.

[Scott Tichenor]

Here, here. Possibly a top 10 post of the year, this above.

You can drive into any trailer park in the country and there'll be a tricked out pristine mini-truck with a $30K+ Bass Pro boat hooked up to the back and maybe $5K+ guns in the "rack." And a damn fine boat it is I suspect. Think I'm making this up? When was the last time you drove down one of those fine destinations of home rental? I've tested this theory. Mercedes, tricked out trucks with Bass Pro boats, BMWs. List goes on.

All this moaning about a single pick that lasts 5-10 years or longer. If you can't afford one, you should probably be working a second job instead of blasting anonymous opinions onto the internet 24/7 because you have far bigger problems than a high quality pick. This from a guy that worked two or more jobs most of his life. Priorities people. I've never owned a car more expensive than my finest mandolin/s. Your mileage may vary (YMMV).

[Hendrik Ahrend]

A good product needs to be expensive or it won't be available anymore in the long run.

[Dagger Gordon]

Most of you seem to like a much thicker pick than me. I've even heard of some pickers using coins - don't know if that's true.

I like a Dunlop .88 which seems to be almost half the thickness of a Blue Chip, as far as I can make out.
I like a bit of bendiness. My style is obviously completely different.

[Michael Bridges]

I'll be honest. The only reason I have my TPR60 is that it was a gift from a mandolin playing friend. That being said, now that I've used it, I'd gladly spring for the $35 myself if (God forbid) I ever lost it. I have quite a few other higher end picks I like for different purposes, but I always come back to the BC as my go-to. You just really can tell the difference!

[Jonkay]

I am the original poster of this thread, and I posted my impressions about the Blue Chip pick on the same day that I had received it. Now that I have had the pick for a week or so, playing several hours a day, I find it to be truly an amazing thing. All the people here who complain about the price...I get it. It is an expensive pick and I felt sticker shock when I reluctantly ordered one. I am so glad that I made this purchase. Impossible as it may seem, it does improve my playing skills and I get a much better tone from my instruments. Now that I know first-hand what these are all about, I am going to buy a couple more in different gauges. Anyone who is on the fence, go ahead and get one. I don't think that you will be disappointed. As someone else pointed out, the quality will be remembered long after the price is forgotten.