The Traveling Pick Sampler - Anyone Interested?

[MrYikes]

I really do appreciate the insight you guys are giving concerning your pick choices. It will really help me when trying to understand what and why I like a pick.

[Stompbox]

I really do appreciate the insight you guys are giving concerning your pick choices. It will really help me when trying to understand what and why I like a pick.

Don't let anyone sway you. In fact, I recommend putting them all in one stack right next to you. Play a portion of a song with a pick..... if you like it, throw it in one pile, if you don't like it throw it in another pile. Do this with out looking for the most part so you have no preconceived ideas. Just keep playin the same licks over and over to get a fair comparison.

At the end, go through the pile you like with a different style of playing.... maybe tremolo this time for example, and again throw them into one of two piles..... etc.

Some picks will be great for trem, some will be great for chop, etc. But narrow it down to which one is your jack of all trades.

As I said, Fender Heavy faired very well for me. And honestly, I just quickly passed it up when I first flipped through the whole selection.

That's how I did it anyhow. YMMV.

[Chris Daniels]

What, in particular, I prefer ed about the prime tone is the raised grippy dots in he center. That was the atribute that put it above the other V shapes IMO. DO all the V prime tones have that?...

...As I said, Fender Heavy faired very well for me. And honestly, I just quickly passed it up when I first flipped through the whole selection.

The Dunlop Primetones come in two versions, the ones with the grip and the ones without. They are supposedly the same exact material but they certainly play and sound differently to me. I prefer without the grip.

I'd tried out a bunch of my guitar picks when I first started playing mando, but the first new pick I found I liked was a Fender Heavy 346 (large, rounded triangle). I played it enough to wear one of the corners off and it's still easily in the top three faves even after the sampler. I found the standard shaped Fender Heavy's in the sampler sounded just as good and played as nicely, I just prefer a larger pick for mandolin. A sleeper hit for sure.

C.

[MrYikes]

Sampler 2 arrived (Thanks Stompbox). At first I was pulling my hair out. The picks did not match the list. That is until I looked and saw that I had Sampler One list. Oh. Printed out Sampler 2 list and guess what they all match. So I did as Stompbox suggested, I just grabbed a pick, played and put it in a pile for me and not for me. You can see the type I like. The jam I go to has 3 to 5 banjo and 3 to 5 mandolins so a pick has to have volume and then at home I like tremolo and thin picks seem to have to much clack. I did not like the fender heavy all that much, but I put it in my like pile. The grippy picks felt very secure, but what do they feel like after 4 hours of playing? And the rounded corners had no volume at all. Good for quiet practice, I guess. Of course I do need to say, I am a beginner (cannot yet play 4 finger chords or pick out a tune in real time). So I'll make a list of what I like and see about getting some. But I also want to play with these for a little while longer.

[Stompbox]

Is your like pile the one with the big stubby pics then? It shows how much tastes can very, I did not like those at all and quite frankly forgot all about them.

Enjoy them, I sure did!

[MrYikes]

Yes I thought the stubbies felt secure, comfortable and loud. Notice that I also liked the giant red triangle, which surprised me. But again, what do they feel like after 4 hours of playing? We shall see, we shall see.

[Joey Anchors]

This is a great idea! Wish I had a mando to join the fun..

[Chris Daniels]

This is a great idea! Wish I had a mando to join the fun..

Looks like you have a flat top on the way and the current wait for either sampler is likely a couple of months. If you want to be added to one of the lists just let me know.

C.

[MrYikes]

After the third time through all the picks, I've narrowed it down to these two. The V pick has its name on it, the other one does not. Can someone identify the white one with the holes, please. I want to make sure I order the correct pick.
Secondly, I am very concerned that I don't understand pick choices. I have not found a way to use the round edged picks and yet many people do use them. Why do people choose the round cornered picks?

[JeffD]

I have not found a way to use the round edged picks and yet many people do use them. Why do people choose the round cornered picks?

Everyone plays differently, holds the pick a bit differently, expects the mandolin to respond differently, and has different tonal preferences. Not to be glib but that really is it.

My understanding is the rounded corner became popular because Dave Grisman started using the shoulder of his standard shaped tear drop pick, rather than the point. He came up with a pick that was three "shoulders".

He manages great tone, speed, and volume that way. Many report the same thing. I cannot manage a rounded pick myself, the tone is too whispery when I do it.

Its really preference, and there is no one right answer.

I don't even have one favorite pick - I use one for classical, one for large noisy venues, one for playing quietly at home, etc. Again, no one size fits all solution.

Try stuff, stick with what you like. Repeat.

Stay curious.

[Chris Daniels]

After the third time through all the picks, I've narrowed it down to these two. The V pick has its name on it, the other one does not. Can someone identify the white one with the holes, please. I want to make sure I order the correct pick.
Secondly, I am very concerned that I don't understand pick choices. I have not found a way to use the round edged picks and yet many people do use them. Why do people choose the round cornered picks?

That pick is a Wegen TF140.

There's nothing wrong with preferring a specific style of pick. I prefer larger and more rounded picks for acoustic mandolin because for my method of picking, pointed picks create more drag across the strings, making it hard for me to play smooth and quick at the same time while having a decent tone.

That being said, I still play standard shape Fender mediums for acoustic guitar, both 6 and 12 string, but I prefer a more pointed pick for electric guitar and mando (the small Dunlop Jazz III is my favorite there).

C.

[MrYikes]

Thank you for responding. You cannot imagine how tired my wife is of hearing the Theme from Godfather. That is the only tune I know with tremolo so that is the tune I use to evaluate picks.

[Stompbox]

After the third time through all the picks, I've narrowed it down to these two. The V pick has its name on it, the other one does not. Can someone identify the white one with the holes, please. I want to make sure I order the correct pick.
Secondly, I am very concerned that I don't understand pick choices. I have not found a way to use the round edged picks and yet many people do use them. Why do people choose the round cornered picks?

I liked that white one as well..... the Vpick, not at all. The beauty of this sampler is that there is something for everyone!

[wooq]

Hey folks. Things have been a bit hectic with holidays and gigs and festivals, but I'm getting ready to ship sampler 1. Went out and purchased some more of those pages with pockets in them to hold the picks, since the first was full and the envelope I received had a bunch of picks floating around loose.

Will let everyone know when it's in the (overseas!) mail.

[MrYikes]

And the Sampler 2 pack is on its way to James. In a small bag I put a button I ground to use as a pick. It is terrible, scratchy. I thought it would be good to have one bad one in the group.

[jhammond]

I received Sampler 2 this weekend from MrYikes and will get to picking this week and next. I have had a chance to look through and check them out briefly and think I can add a pick or 3 to the group. Will try to get it out to the next on the list right before or after Christmas.

[Chris Daniels]

Howdy all,

Unless anyone has a problem with it, I'd like to make a some minor changes to the recipient lists because Sampler 1 is about to head to Mattslouch in the UK and Radish (next in line for Sampler 2) lives there too so I'm going to move him to the #1 list to save time and postage.

Since this clears the way, I'm moving jsellers to the next in line for Sampler 2 because the rest of those waiting, myself included, have already seen it.

Also, looks like Joey Anchors has solved his lack of a mandolin problem so I'll tentatively add him while I send a PM to see if he's still interested.

Sampler I

wooq - Current holder of Sampler I
Mattslouch
Radish
Cosmic Graffiti - (No PM response)
Chris Daniels
Stompbox
Paul Merlo
MrYikes

Sampler II

jhammond - Current holder of Sampler II
jsellers
Joey Anchors

C.

[Mark Gunter]

Good orchestration there, Chris!

[Joey Anchors]

I'm excited to try Sampler II. I can add a Fender Extra Heavy pick to that Sampler as well.

[wooq]

Sampler #1 is now on its way to Mattslouch across the Atlantic! Matt, I'll send you a PM later today after work with tracking numbers and all that business. Also will type up my thoughts on the picks when I get a chance.

Chris Daniels, good call on changing up the order to keep it in the UK. International shipping isn't cheap!

[Roger Moss]

I'd like to take a look at sampler #2 if I could. Would you put me on the list?

[Chris Daniels]

I'd like to take a look at sampler #2 if I could. Would you put me on the list?

Roger,

I'll make sure to add you on my next list update.

C.

[Caleb]

Chris, awesome job on keeping this deal organized.

[mandobassman]

Pretty impressive that this pick tour has been going on for 16 months now. I have some more picks that I am not using that I do not believe are part of the sampler. When the first sampler gets back to the states I will PM whoever has them at that point and see if I can add them.

[Mattslouch]

They're here, these neatly packed triangle'ish bits of plastic.