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Thread: A New Pick For Slick?

  1. #1

    Default A New Pick For Slick?

    Hello all. New to your forum. Long time guitarist with a new/used mandolin in transit as I write this.
    I have used Fender heavy 351’s as my pick of choice my whole guitar life. I have no clue if that is acceptable as a pick for mandolin.
    I have my popcorn and beverage at the ready, so let me have it. All views and experiences welcome here.
    So tell me, what do you prefer please.
    Frankie

  2. #2
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    I have some fender heavies in my pick box and used them a lot on my electric, acoustic. I'm only about a month into my mandolin and mainly use my 1.5 V-Picks and I personally really like them.

    You'll see most folks prefer the Blue Chips, I've had a couple and liked them fine but lost both mine and I don't go far from the couch. I've bought so many brands, open my pick box and go from one to the other in search of the tone I'm after but now I'm perfectly satisfied with my V-Picks but that's just me and what I prefer. If I could ever stop losing picks I'd probably get a couple more BC's but it hurts less losing one of my V-Picks.

  3. #3
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    Cheap, sort of Blue Chip, are Radex. Come in 3 thicknesses, in the 346 shape. I have all the standards, Red Bear, Blue Chip, Wegen, V-Pick and Gibson but I mostly use the Radex now. Doesn't bother me too much if I lose one ($2.50/per.)

    You might sign up for the Traveling Pick Sampler to try over 100 different picks. There are two batches, slightly different.
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  4. #4
    jbmando RIP HK Jim Broyles's Avatar
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    To answer your question, Fender 351 heavies are absolutely acceptable for playing mandolin. It was my preferred guitar pick when I first started on mandolin, but as I experienced other picks, I settled on Dunlop Ultex 1.14mm rounded triangle picks for mandolin. Fender heavies are still my favorite guitar pick.

    I will send you a Dunlop Ultex 1.14 rounded triangle if you PM me your address.
    "I thought I knew a lot about music. Then you start digging and the deeper you go, the more there is."~John Mellencamp

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  5. #5

    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Broyles View Post
    To answer your question, Fender 351 heavies are absolutely acceptable for playing mandolin. It was my preferred guitar pick when I first started on mandolin, but as I experienced other picks, I settled on Dunlop Ultex 1.14mm rounded triangle picks for mandolin. Fender heavies are still my favorite guitar pick.

    I will send you a Dunlop Ultex 1.14 rounded triangle if you PM me your address.
    This makes me feel better already. I really like using Fender heavy picks. Thank you so much for the offer Jim, but not necessary. I’m sure I have a couple Ultex floating around and more than likely unused. My son used them when he was still living at home I remember. I am interested in trying the new Fender Extra Heavy that was just recently released at the summer NAMM convention. But I guess part of my question in the OP should have been “do you use a thick or thin pick when playing a mandolin?” What is the norm?

  6. #6
    jbmando RIP HK Jim Broyles's Avatar
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    The norm is a larger, thicker (stiffer) pick for mandolin. The material contributes as much to the tone as the thickness. My close second is white (has to be white, they sound different from tortoise and other colors) Fender Extra heavy 346es.
    "I thought I knew a lot about music. Then you start digging and the deeper you go, the more there is."~John Mellencamp

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    Registered User Craig D.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    There's nothing wrong with using any pick you like. The Fenders are fine, but Dunlop Primetone and Big Stubby are also quite nice. And there's always Wegen if you feel like splurging; I like the TF140 and GP250 models.

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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    Yeah with the dual courses and short length of string it can take some density and thickness of pick material to drive the strings. The thickness of the instruments top also makes a difference. Lastly what music you end up playing will also impact your pick choice. Your go to pick is a good place to start but don't stop experimenting with shape , material and thickness. It's just like strings material, gauge , coating manufacturer all make a difference. Play On! R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

  10. #9
    formerly Philphool Phil Goodson's Avatar
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    You might even find that your own preferences change as your techniques change and develop over time.
    I started out with .060 thickness picks of small size. Changed to larger (TAD) size and went to .080 thickness for a while.
    Over several years I found that my fingers did better with slightly smaller triangular picks.

    The .080 pick started feeling bulky and I went to a TP60 for a while and have found my way to a TP48 which is my current 'go to' pick. The size, thickness, STIFFNESS, and slickness (how fast off the string) characteristics mean a lot to me, but I change sometimes and so do my preferences.
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    jbmando RIP HK Jim Broyles's Avatar
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    Blue Chip's nomenclature is in 1000ths of an inch, whereas most picks are gauged by the millimeter. The TP48 is around 1.22 mm thick, which is pretty much an extra heavy. The 60 is ~ 1.5 mm and the 80 is ~2 mm, So they could feel pretty thick compared to a Fender Heavy, at 1.0 mm.
    "I thought I knew a lot about music. Then you start digging and the deeper you go, the more there is."~John Mellencamp

    "Theory only seems like rocket science when you don't know it. Once you understand it, it's more like plumbing!"~John McGann

    "IT'S T-R-E-M-O-L-O, dangit!!"~Me

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    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    You might enjoy signing up for the traveling pick sampler. That'll give you all sorts of choices of stuff you didn't even know existed.

    As has been noted, what kind of music you play will have an affect on pick choice. bluegrassers often prefer a heavy rounded pick; i don't play bluegrass, so i prefer a smaller thinner stiff pick with a pointed end (I normally use a John Pearse pick or a BC jazz pick). some of the classical players use picks that look like huge elongated toothpicks. There's a specific pick that is designed for jazz, small and pointed. My-husband-the-guitar-player often uses very thin pointed picks that make noises when they hit the strings because that's what he likes for Irish. Your instrument and the strings you choose may like one pick over another. Mandolins are very sensitive to small changes, and what strings and pick you choose actually will change the sound. So experiment.
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    Registered User Tom Haywood's Avatar
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    Funny you should ask. I have tried all the picks folks recommend. It was the the Blue Chips and the Prime Tones that caused me to try the classic Fender 351 Heavy played on the rounded corner on the mandolin. That led to trying and preferring the classic celluloid Fender Extra Heavy - point for guitar as a lead player and rounded side for mandolin. For a while, I used one pick for both instruments. Lately, I round off the point so in the hand it feels like the Prime Tone, and use that for the mandolin only. I do bevel the playing edges slightly, which makes the pick play like butter. I play mostly bluegrass these days. I prefer the tone of these Fenders and how they feel on the strings. I use the Heavy gauge for practicing; Extra Heavy for performance.
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  15. #13

    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    Thank you folks for your time and input. It is very much appreciated. UPS says delivery will be Monday the 10th, going directly to Raritan Bay Instrument Repair in Freehold , NJ. The gang there will give this 2012 Eastman 815v a thorough going over and set up. Thank you all again for your advice.
    Frankie

  16. #14

    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    I like these. These are 95% of my Blue Chip TD45 in performance, sound a little less bright, but feel very similar and require no adjustment going back and forth.
    https://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-462P1-...gateway&sr=8-1

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  18. #15
    Registered User mandolin breeze's Avatar
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    Been using them for 30 yrs, never found one I personally liked better.

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  19. #16
    Kelley Mandolins Skip Kelley's Avatar
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    Welcome to the Cafe’!

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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    Quote Originally Posted by CBFrench View Post
    I have some fender heavies in my pick box and used them a lot on my electric, acoustic. I'm only about a month into my mandolin and mainly use my 1.5 V-Picks and I personally really like them.

    You'll see most folks prefer the Blue Chips, I've had a couple and liked them fine but lost both mine and I don't go far from the couch. I've bought so many brands, open my pick box and go from one to the other in search of the tone I'm after but now I'm perfectly satisfied with my V-Picks but that's just me and what I prefer. If I could ever stop losing picks I'd probably get a couple more BC's but it hurts less losing one of my V-Picks.
    I have as many cheap picks as BC picks but never lose cheap picks only BC picks !

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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    I played Fender Heavies (quite happily, I might add) for years until my wife got me some Wegen TF 140s for Christmas one year. Have never looker back. Now I play the Wegens or Bluechip CT 55 on mandolin almost exclusively. Never really bonded with Primetone or with a Dawg shaped picks. The Ultex picks (1.14 or 1.4 mm) are nice as well, and I will pull them out for high risk situations (like lake docks, lol), but I haven’t used one of the Fenders, even on guitar, for years now.

    As my brother would say, “You grown, play what you want!”

    Congrats on the Eastman, and welcome to our obsession!!
    Chuck

  22. #19

    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    Quote Originally Posted by Skip Kelley View Post
    Welcome to the Cafe’!
    Thank you for the welcome, Skip. Very happy to be part of this forum.

    Quote Originally Posted by CES View Post
    I played Fender Heavies (quite happily, I might add) for years until my wife got me some Wegen TF 140s for Christmas one year. Have never looker back. Now I play the Wegens or Bluechip CT 55 on mandolin almost exclusively. Never really bonded with Primetone or with a Dawg shaped picks. The Ultex picks (1.14 or 1.4 mm) are nice as well, and I will pull them out for high risk situations (like lake docks, lol), but I haven’t used one of the Fenders, even on guitar, for years now.
    As my brother would say, “You grown, play what you want!”
    Congrats on the Eastman, and welcome to our obsession!!
    I can’t help myself, CES, when it comes to Fender Heavy 351’s. They are part of my guitar playing DNA at this point of my life. But I have ordered a few Ultex 1.5mm and 2.0mm to try out. Also a few new Fender Extra Heavy’s with the big “F” engraved in the center, for Frankie of course! Bahahaha
    The Eastman is at the tech as we speak and he assures me he will get to it in the next couple days. I can’t wait!

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  24. #20
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    It is kind of funny how we obsess about this stuff. There was a thread a while back joking about what the the differences would be having a gear discussion with a modern player vs old schoolers. The modern guys, of course, answered questions with a ton of technical detail, the old schoolers answered, “medium whatever,” to pretty much anything. I’ve heard that Evan Marshall uses a pretty thin pick, and he sure makes it work!

    Nice choice of mandolin as well, btw. You’ll probably eventually want to upgrade (cuz that’s what we do), but you won’t feel like you NEED to upgrade, at least not for quite a while...
    Chuck

  25. #21

    Question Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    [QUOTE=CES;1734296
    Nice choice of mandolin as well, btw. You’ll probably eventually want to upgrade (cuz that’s what we do), but you won’t feel like you NEED to upgrade, at least not for quite a while...[/QUOTE]

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    Thank you Chuck. I’m hoping it is an easy player. But upgrading,
    I don’t think so. My heart belongs to Leo...

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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    Understand...but, give it some time

    I’m much more versatile on guitar still, but the mandolin gets most of my time these days...
    Chuck

  27. #23
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    All I have used for a couple of years. I also don't lose picks. I'm like a pick miser they never leave my sight when out of the case. My go-to for Mandolin and Guitar is the Jazz LG 60. I wish I had an 80 or even a 100. The two Triangle I like as well sometimes I can hear the difference between them and other times I can't. Very subtle. But the Jazz sounds great with the TI stark strings on the Oldwave. Tonight while sitting ina hotel room the 40 actually sounds a bit brighter on its pointy bit than the Jazz does. I wonder if that is because of the thinness because at one time I thought the pointier Jazz was brighter but that was before while it had J74s on it.
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  28. #24
    Registered User Drew Egerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    Try some Proplecs. About a buck a piece and you can order 12 and leave them all over the place so you don't have to worry about losing one lol.
    I used Blue Chips exclusively in a variety of shapes and thicknesses for about 7 years. Now I'm diggin the proplecs again. I won't say better or worse, just different.
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    Default Re: A New Pick For Slick?

    Looks like you need a tele!
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