New Fender 1.5mm pick

[Don Grieser]

I was trying to find some white Fender Extra Heavy picks yesterday and stumbled on this new pick from Fender. It's a sandwich of 3 layers like an Oreo with the big F cut out for a grip. You can't really see the sandwich in the attached pic. It's the big triangle shape 346 and 1.5mm. Anyone see one or try one? For those with PAS.



https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...BoChg8QAvD_BwE

[kurth83]

Lookijg closely I can see the white edge sticking out. Cool looking pick.

[Bob Bass]

Hi Don-

Have you used one of these enough to give a review, or to comment on to what they seem comparable? Beveled? Do they work through the strings as smoothly as the BC CT55? Comparable to the Fender Extra Heavy big triangles?

Thanks!

Bob

[Don Grieser]

No, I haven't tried one. Wondering if anyone else has.

[lukmanohnz]

As a chronic PAS sufferer, I was compelled to order a 3-pack of these picks (as well as a 3-pack of the tortoise shell version) as soon as I read this thread. I'll share my thoughts on these as soon as I receive them and have a chance to take them for a spin. Also note that these are available in 351 and 551 shapes in addition to the 346 triangle shape.

[HoGo]

They look just like standard three-layered celluloid. Should be good picks.
I've been using simiar picks that I made laminating two or three large triangles together using either Duco, CA or straight acetone (Fender, Stagg or similar triangles0.6-0.8mm - I couldn't get them thicker here). I reshaped the edges after gluing to form slightly smaller triangle and polished the bevels to my preference.

[mandobassman]

I'm always up for trying new picks, but I have to say, this looks a bit gimmicky to me. What is the purpose of having 3 layers of the same material? They're standard "Extra Heavy" is 1.25 mm. I would think it would be better to just make a 1.5mm one-layer pick.

[MontanaMatt]

What's with the center layer? Is it a different material than the outside? Just for looks?

[Joey Anchors]

This reminds me of pickguard material.

[HoGo]

I'm always up for trying new picks, but I have to say, this looks a bit gimmicky to me. What is the purpose of having 3 layers of the same material? They're standard "Extra Heavy" is 1.25 mm. I would think it would be better to just make a 1.5mm one-layer pick.

As I posted before I used to laminate my own picks out of two or three layers because there were no thicker picks (1.5 -1.8 mm) available here (other than Golden Gate but that was too rounded and after reshaping the trinagle was smaller than I liked) but for some reasons folks around me liked them quite a bit and always ask me if I have a spare... I didn't have any single layer pick to compare so I cannot tell, but now I'm mostly using the brown non grippy Primetone shaped to the same shape I like and I don't see much difference (if any at all) between them. For me 90% of the tone is in the shape and the material adds feel - both to touch and gliding off strings, and of course longevity.

[Timbofood]

Do I see the word “Mousetrap” on this ?
I will see if I can find one here in this desert, maybe... maybe not.
I have more picks than I will use in my lifetime!
I do like the “traction device” of the excised “F” pretty cool!

[lukmanohnz]

Sweetwater delivered mine quickly. I have given one a test drive on both a dread and mandolin. This pick feels stiffer than a standard Fender 346 extra heavy tortoise shell. I like the 'F' relief cut (only on one side of the pick) which gives a nice solid feel under my thumb. The pick also feels ever so slightly smaller than other 346 shaped picks or triangles (like the Jim Dunlop Ultex and D'Andrea ProPlec or Radex triangles). It's very nearly identical in size to a BC CT55, except the corners are slightly less rounded. Tone-wise, I found it brighter than my liking on mandolin, but some re-shaping of the points to make them rounder would probably modulate that somewhat (but then I tend to go for a darker tone on mando - YMMV). However the greater stiffness is what turns me off about this pick on mandolin. I've been gravitating toward softer materials in recent years for mandolin - Red Bears, Fender TruShells, and the new Radex picks from D'Andrea (which are my current preference on mando).

I did like this pick quite a lot for guitar. I tend to stick with Dunlop Ultex 1.14 triangles on the 6-string but I rotate in Primetones now and then (both the textured and non-textured versions, which I find to have distinctly different feel and tone). I'm going to leave this new Fender pick on my guitar for now and see if it continues to grow on me.

Here's a photo showing size of the new laminated Fender pick compared to a few other triangles:

[Don Grieser]

Thanks for the review! I think I'll pass on the Fenders and try that Radex pick. Hadn't seen that one before.

[CBFrench]

I just got my new Fenders in, sure is a little bitty thing, never used a pick that small but I'm thinking I like it fine, it's easy to hold onto and I never thought a pick this small would be. The F cut works good as a grip. Also bought Dunlop Ultex 1.4 & Dunlop Tortex Flow 1.35 I'm liking these also...heck I like them all, so I'm just jumping from one to the other. I've been using VPicks 1.5. I have one BC meh no big deal to me, feeling pretty set now.

[mandroid]

Seems 'X Heavy' have only been available by the half gross, where the 'Heavy' you could buy by the Dozen.

[Eric Hanson]

Thanks for the review! I think I'll pass on the Fenders and try that Radex pick. Hadn't seen that one before.

I think you will be quite pleased with the RADEX. To my ear they tend to offer a little of a warmer tone. Price is right. Especially if one tends to possibly lose one or two.
I really enjoy using them on my MT2

[Mandobar]

I have a pack of these Fender picks. Not bad, but I went back to my Wegens for mandolin. I like the RADEX for guitar. Has anyone tried the Fender Tru-shell picks?

[Phil Goodson]

... Has anyone tried the Fender Tru-shell picks?

Yes. I didn't like the feel of the Tru-shell pick in my fingers (slick) or how it felt on the string (not so slick) and a little more pick noise than my BC or Radex. YMMV