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Thread: Would anyone be interested in a Blue Chip pick shootout?

  1. #1

    Default Would anyone be interested in a Blue Chip pick shootout?

    Hey all,

    I'm a gearhead. Guilty as charged. I've been playing jazz bass for ~22 years and from an early age I've been obsessed with the quest for tone.

    When I started playing the mandolin, my GAS transferred seamlessly to this instrument (mostly thanks to this forum).

    So in the ultimate quest to find /my sound/, I have acquired the following picks...

    - BC CT55 (speed bevel)
    - BC SR 60 (speed bevel)
    - BC SR 60 (round bevel)
    - BC TAD60-3R (round bevel)
    - Fender Heavy (351)
    - Fender Extra Heavy (351)
    - Fender Extra Heavy (346)
    - Golden Gate MP12
    - Dawg (most recent gen)

    I have some nice recording equipment (Sennheiser 609e, Shure SM7b), and a pretty darn good mandolin (Silverangel F).

    Now I'm not the best player out there, but I can demo scales, chuckin', and some Grisman & Garcia melodies.

    Would you guys be interested in a pick shootout? I've seen so many pick threads on here (pick comparisons, bevel comparisons), but not many HD sound recordings.

    Best,
    Rob

  2. #2
    Registered User Murphy Slaw's Avatar
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    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a Blue Chip pick shootout?

    My main instrument is guitar, and I'm a Luddite, or actually more of a burnt out dinosaur, when it comes to recording. I have a few Bluechip TD40's, and dig the Wegens as well.

    But, as a gear head myself, I will follow your thread.
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  3. #3
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a Blue Chip pick shootout?

    There are quite a few looooooooooooooooooooong threads on Blue Chip picks, deep discussions and arguments, etc. I assume you are talking about recording with multiple picks. Frankly, I can only tell if they work with my playing not anyone else's. I have a pile of BCs and others that I occasionally fool around with but the one I have landed on for the moment is a TP50. I am not fond of the really rounded ones and the much heavier. I like TAD40 for guitar but smaller for mandolin. I have a TPR50 and TPR60 and they were OK but I missed a pointier pick so TP50—for the moment.
    Last edited by Jim Garber; Sep-22-2020 at 12:47pm.
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  4. #4
    Registered User Bob Buckingham's Avatar
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    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a Blue Chip pick shootout?

    Picks are great. I cannot play very well without one

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a Blue Chip pick shootout?

    I always enjoy listening to pick comparison videos, so I'll listen if you make one.

  6. #6
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a Blue Chip pick shootout?

    I am not a fan of pick comparison videos myself, because it reinforces the myth that there is one pick, superior to all others; and that a pick more fitting for this kind of playing or under these test conditions is superior to all others in all other types of playing (and recording and amplifying).

    But I know such threads are popular and I know how to move to the stuff more to my taste.
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  7. #7
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a Blue Chip pick shootout?

    That's a fairly small sample of picks you listed. I have about 30 different ones in front of me and many more in my pick jar. The traveling pick samplers have over 100 different picks.

    I'm sure some folks will be interested, some not.
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  8. #8

    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a Blue Chip pick shootout?

    If you do a search you will find this has already been done on the cafe!

  9. #9
    Mandolin user MontanaMatt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a Blue Chip pick shootout?

    If you’re chasing tone, try casin and thinner BC and other “space age plastics “. Don’t forget the forbidden tortuga....
    I’d ditch the cheap plastics, though ymmv.
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  10. #10

    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a Blue Chip pick shootout?

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Canada View Post
    If you do a search you will find this has already been done on the cafe!
    I'll take a look! If it's been done and the community has access to it, then saves me time to not duplicate any effort

    I'll offer my opinion anyway (without recordings). Setup is a Silverangel F (spruce top) + brand new CT D'Addario strings.

    So far in my own tests I like the tone of the SR60 round bevel. Whatever material the BC uses is very bright, but the round edge and bevel compliments a fat, more wholesome tone. It's a really nice combination (BC material + round edge / bevel), but it definitely takes some getting used to. Off the bat I hated this pick, but after a few hours of play it became my #1. Very sweet sounding pick.

    The pointier picks (TAD, CT) sound way more "scooped" in the midrange, but I find them much easier to play and cross pick with. The sharper the point, the "narrower" the sound (to my ears). This doesn't mean "thin" sounding at all, just more midrange and less thickness to the tone. Cuts better through the mix in my experience.

    On bevels...speed bevels ultimately are not for me...they sound too bright for my ears, no matter how I change the angle of attack. I don't feel a significant boost in playability with it.

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  12. #11

    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a Blue Chip pick shootout?

    Quote Originally Posted by woo_rob1 View Post
    The pointier picks (TAD, CT) sound way more "scooped" in the midrange
    Meant to say "boosted" midrange. Scooped would be the opposite

  13. #12
    Mandolin user MontanaMatt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Would anyone be interested in a Blue Chip pick shootout?

    Quote Originally Posted by woo_rob1 View Post
    Meant to say "boosted" midrange. Scooped would be the opposite
    I’ve found the same mid range punch control with going to thinner BC picks in same shape and bevel.
    I’ve had every incremental TAD from 35-65.
    A less costly tech material to examine is Miller picks.
    2007 Weber Custom Elite "old wood"
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    Several nice old Fiddles
    2007 Martin 000-15S 12 fret Auditorium-slot head
    Deering Classic Open Back
    Too many microphones

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