Again with the picks

[pheffernan]

I actually don't mind the brightness at all with the Collings MT instruments whether an -O or a MT equivalent. I was just checking to see if anyone had tried a 1.2 mm pick somewhere in between. As I am in Spain it is pretty pricey to purchase a blue chip thick. I usually ahve to go on Qnazon to get picks at a decent price.

I have the Wegen TF120 and TF100 that I typically employ for my lighter strung flattop or longer scaled instruments. They still have considerable stiffness and perhaps a bit more maneuverability. Since they are a Dutch product, I’d think that they’d be pretty accessible within the EU.

[Nick Gellie]

Thanks Pat, I will check out the TF120 Wegen picks.

[JeffD]

The kind of pick that works in a small group or playing at home, where the tone qualities can be heard may not be the optimum pick for a large jam session, where cutting through may be more important than the subtle beauty of the tone nobody can hear.

The kind of pick you might use for a piece that is mostly chords and double stops might be different from what is best for the piece that is mostly single note melody, or tremolo.

The kind of pick you might use for old time might be different from what you would use for bluegrass, and especially, might be different from what you would use for classical and formal music.

The kind of pick you would use playing acoustically might be different from that you would use when playing amplified. The pick that works playing into a microphone might not be the pick that is best for when you use the bridge pickup.

The kind of pick that sounds great on this mandolin may not be what is best for that mandolin.


The pick you should use is the one that is best of course.

[Gelsenbury]

I'm not usually a pick geek, and I have no illusions about finding a pick of destiny that will make me play better. But a recent conversation made me realise how little I know about how my various picks sound from in front of the instrument, rather than my usual place behind it - and whether they make much difference at all. So I recorded this comparison of 31 picks. Perhaps some of you will find it useful.



After listening back a couple of times, I still don't have a clear favourite, and I'd say the differences are small except for the round picks, which just don't seem to be for me in terms of melody playing.

[Mike Romkey]

Blue Chip!