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Thread: Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

  1. #1

    Default Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

    I use triangle picks (celluloid, ultex, tortex) that are 1.0mm thick on my flat mandolins for Irish music. The Blue Chip TAD 40 is the same size and shape. My question is for Irish trad musicians that use the TAD 40 pick. Do you prefer a speed bevel or no? I've never used a pick with a speed bevel but of course since it's an option I'm thinking about it now.

  2. #2

    Default Re: Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

    I've been using a TAD 35 and it's been working out great as an all around pick, I have a zouk and a banjo too, the pick is an .88 I believe so a good in between. On mandolin I was previously using 1.4mm primetones, and it was a pretty easy transition to the TAD 35, especially since my tone and volume was noticeably improved. That being said I'm planning on buying a TAD 40 to see if a little bit more meat on the pick can improve anything.....

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  4. #3

    Default Re: Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

    And as far as the speed bevel goes, I don't really find it noticable, although I have been using speed beveled picks for awhile now

  5. #4
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

    I tried a TPR40 without speed bevel for awhile but then switched back to my preferred TPR35 with speed bevel, I really liked the tone without the bevel but find my playing is smoother with the bevel.
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  6. #5

    Default Re: Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

    Thanks for the replies! Seeing your pick choices has me thinking I may want to try some for tenor banjo as well. I've only ever been able to play clean with .73mm nylons on tenor banjo. Are you guys playing the same pick across all your instruments?

  7. #6

    Default Re: Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

    I've been using my TAD 35 for everything, it's solid enough to hit the mandolin strings with some pop but still flexible enough for fast triplets on the banjo or strumming the zouk

  8. #7
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

    I find the TPR35 too heavy for tenor banjo playing. I use either Janicek .60mm picks or Dunlop MaxGrip .60mm for tenor banjo. I did find a company called Charmed Life Picks that used to make lighter picks in the same material (Vespel) that BlueChips are made of, I tried one of their .60mm ones, and it was great for about 5 minutes until the tip broke off! Then they sent me a .70mm replacement but it was too stiff. Charmed Life had to stop making those picks anyway because BlueChip have a patent on that particular pick material now. You might try contacting Blue Chip to see if they can make a .73mm pick for you - I seem to recall hearing that they've made lighter custom order picks for a few well known guitar players.

    As an aside, Alan Reid, tenor banjo player in Goitse uses a quite heavy BlueChip when he plays, a TD50 I think, so about 1.25mm thick.
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  9. #8
    working musician Jim Bevan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

    I can't actually say that I prefer the speed bevel because I haven't tried any non-beveled Blue Chip picks.

    That said, I use the beveled TAD 40 (and sometimes 35) for electric, but the 50 for acoustic (on which, ya, I play IT, among other styles).
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  10. #9

    Default Re: Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

    Thanks for your replies! I think I'll try one of these Blue Chips for Mandolin and stick with the nylon on tenor banjo. I hadn't thought of getting any new picks until some bluegrass players were talking about the Blue Chips the other day. They play with much thicker picks than I can for Irish trad. It's good to know what other players of this style are using. Thanks!

  11. #10
    Registered User T.D.Nydn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

    You don't really need to get a bevel on a bc 35..if you use,it enough ,and hold it the same way every time,the beveling takes care it itself,I know ,I've already done it to one,,

  12. #11

    Default Re: Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

    A speed bevel simulates the natural wear pattern, or that is the intent. Some of us wear it a little steep, longer, shorter, etc., but their standard bevel is a good average. A speed bevel makes a thicker pick play like a slightly thinner one, and brightens the sound a bit. IME a BC pick at 60 or thicker greatly benefits from the speed bevel. At 40 or below it doesn't make as much difference. Pretty sure you can custom order one with a speed bevel on on or two corners, so that you'll have options.

  13. #12
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    Default Re: Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

    I also use a BC TAD 35 and very much like it for my oval mandolin.

  14. #13
    Registered User Paul Brett's Avatar
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    Default Re: Irish trad musicians that use Blue Chip TAD 40 pick

    I use a TAD40 with bevel on mandolin. I find it awkward when i go back to a straight edge. However I can't seem to transition to a harder pick on the banjo.

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