Blue Chip meltdown

[2TonCommon]

Good evening!

I swore that I would NEVER ever pay 35.00 for a pick - unless it were solid gold.
Well... I sold a small bass amp for 50.00 and in a moment of weakness, you guessed it, I held my nose and ordered a TAD 50. Being a person of some integrity, I have to admit that I was wrong in my thinking. The accolades these picks get are well deserved, despite the cost. Can't say why exactly but, ya, I won't be using anything else from here on out. It's definitely not the prestige of owning a BC (most people think you're nuts paying that much for a piece of plastic), it just seems to totally complete the playing experience. Wish I could articulate it better, but it remains a mystery

[Jim Garber]

Oh, I thought you melted one down to see what happened.

[kurth83]

It also sounded like a song title. :-)

I had the same experience, procrastinated forever, finally bought one... still using it 2 years later.

I articulate it like this:
- BC's are less prone to slip.
- they make slightly darker tone for the same pick size/shape than other material.
- they glide over strings slightly easier than other picks of the same size/shape.

... Yes, they are magical. I didn't believe it until I tried one.

Since all the above effects are small, plenty of folks who don't play on BC's do just fine. Don't buy one if you are prone to losing stuff. :-)

[John Bertotti]

I had a similar experience now I have four of the darn things and my son has two. I found that all around my fav is the jazz pick with the round end and a nice pointy tip. I also seem to be able to hold onto them better. After three years there is no sign of wear either.

[Jim Garber]

I bought one for guitar and one for mandolin and now I have probably a half dozen. No one tells you that they breed and multiply.

[Bill Clements]

I bought one for guitar and one for mandolin and now I have probably a half dozen. No one tells you that they breed and multiply.

Hey Jim, I tried rubbing my two BC picks together but I still only have two!

[Billy Packard]

Me too...

Now I am in love with the EML PEEK pick. It's harder to hold onto but what an amazing sound.


Billy


billypackardmandolin.com

[danostrowski]

I am not a very good player, but when I switched from the random picks I'd gotten at Gryphon to a BlueChip CT 55, I could IMMEDIATELY see why these were renowned. Amazing, just felt right in every way.

However, someone eventually put me on to the Dunlop Primetone Triangle, and it's basically the same pick (at least as far as I can tell) and it's way less money. The shape is great, the plastic seems to play the same. I dunno how similar the TAD 50 and the CT 55 are, but they look very similar, to me, so I would suggest maybe try a pack of these out, they're only $5 for 3.

[Mandoplumb]

Does the advantages grow as you use them? I haven't owned one but a friend loaned me one shortly after I heard of them several years ago at a jam. I played about 4 or 5 songs with it and could see no improvement over my 25 cent picks, so I have never considered buying one. I have bought more expensive picks ( V-picks, bone picks, wood picks, etc) and some have certain advantages but certain disadvantages, so far I have just stuck with my fender extra heavy that has been my go to pick for 50 years. I recently bought a gross (144) of them, so even if they quit making them, I should not run out in my lifetime even the way I lose picks

[John Bertotti]

Does the advantages grow as you use them? I haven't owned one but a friend loaned me one shortly after I heard of them several years ago at a jam. I played about 4 or 5 songs with it and could see no improvement over my 25 cent picks, so I have never considered buying one. I have bought more expensive picks ( V-picks, bone picks, wood picks, etc) and some have certain advantages but certain disadvantages, so far I have just stuck with my fender extra heavy that has been my go-to pick for 50 years. I recently bought a gross (144) of them, so even if they quit making them, I should not run out in my lifetime even the way I lose picks

I wonder what people think the advantage are. For me, it’s the feel of the pick gliding over the strings. I hate that feeling when an edge grabs the string in a raspy way. I love that for me they don’t twist about as much in my grip. I love the tone which I found was very dependent on the tip shape. I also have the triangular pick with a point and a round tip and I have always been the type to turn my picks to whatever cornet pleased me at the time so the jazz pick sometimes gets turned so I can use a back corner instead of the tip. No of this has changed from day one. They have remained very constant. I haven't even had to clean up an edge like I have other picks that always seems to wear on the edges, these Blue Chip picks are the same as the day I bought them and to me, that's is a benefit as well.

[Denny Gies]

jollyflutemaker, I had the very same experience. Thanks.

[onassis]

Me too...

Now I am in love with the EML PEEK pick. It's harder to hold onto but what an amazing sound.


Billy


billypackardmandolin.com

Funny, I find the PEEK easier to hold onto. But I've also been working on having as loose a grip as I can manage. I actually contrived to some how drop the pick through the ff-hole of the mando at a recent jam. Had to switch to the BC for a few tunes until I had a chance to fish it out. Which, strangely enough, was easier than getting one out out of a guitar. No X-brace to jump it over.

[CES]

I am not a very good player, but when I switched from the random picks I'd gotten at Gryphon to a BlueChip CT 55, I could IMMEDIATELY see why these were renowned. Amazing, just felt right in every way.

However, someone eventually put me on to the Dunlop Primetone Triangle, and it's basically the same pick (at least as far as I can tell) and it's way less money. The shape is great, the plastic seems to play the same. I dunno how similar the TAD 50 and the CT 55 are, but they look very similar, to me, so I would suggest maybe try a pack of these out, they're only $5 for 3.

I find the Primetones just a tad brighter and they don’t glide across the strings like BC. They grip well, I like the shape, and they’re very good picks, but they’re a different material and wear much faster in my experience. I use them in “high risk” situations, like lake docks, but otherwise pretty much just play BC or Wegen now. But, it really doesn’t matter what I think, play whatcha like!

[2TonCommon]

The Primetones were my first picks. They are good but..., they're not BC's. Go figure.

[Jeff Mando]

I had the same experience, procrastinated forever, finally bought one... still using it 2 years later.
... Yes, they are magical. ......Don't buy one if you are prone to losing stuff. :-)

I still have Fender picks in my front pocket that I have enjoyed since 1971.....

I guess if I ever lose one maybe I will get a Blue Chip....I do like magical

The Fender pick cost 10 cents in 1971, so with the inflation calculator........it would cost 62 cents today to replace it....you see where I was going -- not quite enough for a Blue Chip......yet

FWIW, and for those old enough to remember, there was similar hub-bub in the 70's when Dunlop or whomever came up with the first nylon picks.....................some people raved about them and some could care less......I don't know if they changed the industry, but they are here to stay.

[dhergert]

My wife loves them for her guitar flatpicking... I'd buy them all day long for her, at least until we run out of money.

I still prefer my cheap Fender Heavy flatpicks, I love how they break in and how they shape to my fingers and thumb over time. I've said it before here, though, I'd gladly spend the same money as a BC costs for a Fender Heavy that is already shaped to my fingers and broken in. (Especially right after losing one.)

There's no accounting for taste.

[Jim Garber]

Now I am in love with the EML PEEK pick. It's harder to hold onto but what an amazing sound.
Billy

OK, how do these differ from the BC picks in terms of tone? I assume they are made of another kind of super-plastic. Also, why are they harder to hold?

Ah, I see discussion here: Love my new EML pick

The confusing part is that both the PEEK and the casein picks are mentioned. The casein would be mellower in tone and the PEEK brighter than BC. PEEK is also as tough as BC but thinnest seems to be 1.5mm. I have a BC in 60/1.5mm but I actually prefer slightly thinner 50. EML's thinnest for all picks seems to be 1.5mm.

[DaveGinNJ]

Good evening!

I swore that I would NEVER ever pay 35.00 for a pick - unless it were solid gold.
Well... I sold a small bass amp for 50.00 and in a moment of weakness, you guessed it, I held my nose and ordered a TAD 50. Being a person of some integrity, I have to admit that I was wrong in my thinking. The accolades these picks get are well deserved, despite the cost. Can't say why exactly but, ya, I won't be using anything else from here on out. It's definitely not the prestige of owning a BC (most people think you're nuts paying that much for a piece of plastic), it just seems to totally complete the playing experience. Wish I could articulate it better, but it remains a mystery

I tried the BC that was in the traveling pick sampler. It did not change my life. Perhaps all the magic dust wore off or maybe its because I am a newish player. Anyway, I am sort of happy about that because if I had loved it I would felt compelled to spend a bunch of money on them. I will probably try one again in the future and see if my opinion changes. Right now I go back and forth between Primetones and a Wegen BG

[Jim Garber]

IMHO no pick is the be-all and the end-all. However, I automatically pick up BC picks to play my mandolins and guitars. I have other good picks including Wegens and Primetones. I have bought small piles of picks used from the classifieds and like to try them out to see subtleties of tone. In general, though, i am probably the only one who actually hears the difference. I doubt anyone listening to me would care. I still sound like me, for better or worse.

[John Bertotti]

Same here. I have gone through a lot of picks, no one as expensive as a BC, but some were a few bucks but if I add up all I spent trying picks over the years it would easily cover the costs of the BC I have now and since buying them I have not bought another pick so in the end, money wise, its a wash for me. I have lost all desire to experiment with picks now that I have the ones I like. Maybe I'm the odd guy out but picks were a never-ending quest for feel and tone and handling.

[Br1ck]

If you have tried a BC and found it to be nothing special, well good for you, you just saved a few bucks. Same with mandolins. If you can't hear a big difference, don't pay several thousands more.

I tried a BC just because of the hype. I really like them. I have a bunch of Wegens too. Had I bought Primetones first, I'd probably be playing them more. I bought my second BC just to try a different size.

There are good reasons not to buy one. The cost is expensive. You can loose them, and that is all you really want to play. You don't really want to know, that's ok. Maybe I shouldn't have played that Ellis. Same sort of thing on a smaller level.

But if you are holding even a modest Eastman or Kentucky, the percentage cost of a BC is quite small really. If yore holding a Gibson, it's minuscule. You can also sell one for $25 if you don't like it.

[DougC]

I'd like to try that new Dunlop pick. I was a big fan of Dunlop when I played guitar for a number of years. And yes, Fender picks were in my pocket too.

The issue now is that I no longer care to compare picks. I've got three Blue Chip picks, kept with their respective mandolins and my mandola. Yes, a lot of money on picks. But I don't even think of changing the feel or sound made by a pick. Peace of mind. You bet!

I wish Blue Chip would make picks in bright colors, so one can see it, if it drops onto the floor. Why not Blue? Bright blue. Asking too much I suppose.

[Jim Garber]

I wish Blue Chip would make picks in bright colors, so one can see it, if it drops onto the floor. Why not Blue? Bright blue. Asking too much I suppose.

My guess is that he buys the material in sheets and cu it down rather than mix the plastic himself. They should really be called Brown Chip or Chocolate Chip Picks.

[John Bertotti]

I have thoight about drilling a small hole in one of mine and tieing a string from it to one of my fingers, if I drop it its still there. But I so rarely drop a pick that I haven't done it yet.

[danostrowski]

I find the Primetones just a tad brighter and they don’t glide across the strings like BC. They grip well, I like the shape, and they’re very good picks, but they’re a different material and wear much faster in my experience. I use them in “high risk” situations, like lake docks, but otherwise pretty much just play BC or Wegen now. But, it really doesn’t matter what I think, play whatcha like!

Interesting, maybe I should compare them a bit more, now I'm curious. I will say the label has worn off my main Dunlop where it didn't on the BC, but that's of little concern to me! I should inspect the edges to see how the wear is going.