What is the difference in golden gate versus Dawg picks. I have been using golden gates for awhile now and I like them but whenever the subject of picks comes up a lot of people use them together like Golden Gate/Dawg picks. Are they the same or just similar. I like Golden Gates so much I use them on mandolin and guitar. I have never tried Dawg picks so I was just wondering.
The current Dawg picks are somewhat similar to GGs but are more rounded in shape and darker in sound IMO - I find them to be quite different. #I have a few Dawg picks but honestly don't care for them very much, PM me your address and I'll mail you one to try if you like.
dawg picks are a tad larger as well
i like the golden gates better
Ahhhh...
I bought some GG's and have given them a fair trial period but I found they felt a bit to thick and clunky and too small to get a good enough grip on to pull out as much volume/tone as I would like.
I changed to the Wegen which I have to say is superb!
However, saw some Dawg picks on E**y and bought them just out of curiosity and they are really pretty good, 'considerably' bigger than GG's I would say and they feel very slightly thinner (I havn't measured)and more responsive.
So, I prefer Dawgs to GG's personally.(but Wegen over either).???
Started out using Golden Gates, switched to Dawg's, and now back to using the Golden Gates. The Dawg picks seem a little "clickier" than the GG. It may all be in my head, but I can pull better tone more consistently with the Golden Gate pick.
Dave
I bought both several years ago, and they were identical in size and shape and thickness at (0.058"). I'd even venture to say they are stamped out using the same die using different materials. The Dawg appears more dense and thuddy when dropped. The GG sounds more like a plastic poker chip when dropped. Both were too rounded for my preference. I still use a customed pick or the D207s from Dunlop jazz. I swap back and forth between em.
Scot
Bloomington, IN
http://www.thebloomingtones.com/ (The Bloomingtones Website)
The Bloomingtones MySpace Site (The Bloomingtones Website)
FWIW I could never get used to either of these picks and had settled on the Wegen then in checking into Red Bear pics I discovered his Pick Maintenence kit which I bought and now I can easily and quickly put speed bevels on any pick I want and have found that modified in this way the Dawg pic is pretty good far more playable and less clicky for me---at the moment my fave is a similar shaped TS but even those are better for me with a little bevel on them.
Most of the "maintenance kit" can be found at a cosmetics counter.
Timothy F. Lewis
"If brains was lard, that boy couldn't grease a very big skillet" J.D. Clampett
Apparently, Dawg changed his maker, but the GG's are what Used to be the "Dawg" pick when they first came out, 20 or so years ago. I bought one or two, still use them occasionally. I haven't tried the recent Dawgs.
Elrod
Gibson A2 1920(?)
Breedlove Cascade
Washburn 215(?) 1906-07(?)
Victoria, B&J, New York(stolen 10/18/2011)
Eastwood Airline Mandola
guitars:
Guild D-25NT
Vega 200 archtop, 1957?
I believe thee three picks are all similar in size and shape. The difference IMHO is the material. I would use all of the "David Grisman" picks I could get. The Golden Gate is Too hard and the Dawg is Too soft. I wish they would go back and use the same material. I would buy them surely. I believe they may hav even been made in clown barf as well. I have a Red Bear E size pick and can't get used to it. Like an idot, I got the pick without the speed bevels. I am considering sending them back and asking him to bevel them for me. I heard he is pretty supportive of his customers. Right now I use a Dunlop Ultem 1.1 with the white Rhino on them.
Russ
I have one "David Grisman" pick left. It is slightly thinner than the Dawg and GG picks (0.051" vs 0.057") and a bit smaller (1.107" vs 1.129" GG and 1.149" Dawg). The material is different as well.
I really wish somebody would repro those "David Grisman" picks. Doesn't matter what they call them just make them the same dimensions and material.
I just picked up a couple of GG picks yesterday. I honestly find them to be a bit large and I was surprised to hear that the Grisman picks are even larger. These are as close as I've got to something that I like, so I'll stick with them until I find something better. There's only one shop in my area that sells "mandolin picks" and GGs are all they had.
...
To my knowledge there have been three iterations of the Dawg Pick. The first was basically the current Golden Gate as far as I can tell (other than color, I think the first ones were clown puke). The second was similar to the Golden Gate only larger, the third has a slight point on one side and is otherwise similar to that last Dawg picks (same shape as GG only larger). I currently have the GG, the 2nd Dwag and the final Dawg. They all appear to be the same thickness. I like the 2nd Dawg myself, I find the GG's harder to hold onto. I'm sure I could could get used to them if I tried. I have friends that swear by them.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
I first bought the Golden Gates because I wanted to try a thicker pick than the one I had been using. The GG were the only thick pick they had in the shape I wanted to try. I did not really like them at all at first but I did not like the thinner pick I had been using for years either. After using them for awhile I got hooked on them and use them for mandolin and guitar now. There is a adjustment to using them for sure. A dunlop or tortex seem way to pointed now and I used them for 25 years before. I am sure its what you get used to.
Just for giggles I played a show tonight with the GG. I may switch back to them.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
The first "Dawg" pick was the same size and thickness as the GG's today, except that they had David Grisman's Signature in gold color inscribed in the pick. They came in white, black and tortoise shell colors. I've got a dozen of them in all 3 colors. When they discontinued them in the early 90's, they then came out with the Golden Gates. Same pick, same thickness, same company, only without Grisman's full signature. The DAWG pick came out about 3 or 4 years ago I believe.Originally Posted by (MikeEdgerton @ June 16 2007, 01:27)
I've tried a LOT of picks over the years, and I keep coming back to the GG's. They just have everything I need to make my mandos "bark"!!
Molon Labe
I bought both the GG and Dawg 2-3 years ago (maybe more??) to try em out and at that time they were exactly the same size. The material was different. GG more plastic sounding, Dawg more tortoise sounding.
Scot
Bloomington, IN
http://www.thebloomingtones.com/ (The Bloomingtones Website)
The Bloomingtones MySpace Site (The Bloomingtones Website)
I played with GG or Dawgs for years, and found i got better volume from a natural triangular shape. Recently I started using the Dunlop 207 jazz, and they are simply better than anything else in my mind. I bought three dozen for $20. through the Dunlop site. They seem to offer a rich, round bass, and bring the ring on the high notes. The chop is a good as a GG or Dawg, and tone fatter than TS. Great for tremolo and speed also. #I started using one with my archtop electric guitar, and my band mates asked what I was doing different!
david blair
GGs are what I use for mandolin, but I need something a little thinner and pointier for mandola, and thinner yet for guitar.
Something that's obvious, if you look through a tray of GG picks, is that they are not all the same shape; some are slightly rounder, some have slightly pointier points, many have differences among the 3 points. I assume this happens in the polishing step(s). I used to look for the roundest corners I could find, but for awhile now I look for the ones with pointier corners. I also use sandpapers to make the bevel longer and more tapered.
Jeff Rohrbough
"Listen louder, play softer"
-Mr. Newton I received the Dawg pick in the mail and tried it out yesterday. Your exactly right about the tone and feel. It is the same size as the GG and a little thinner. It is also a little harder. I will try it some more but I think I am leaning towards the GG. Many Thanks
This was my impression with the GG as well. Guess what? I ordered some Wegen's and for the time being I have no desire to ever use another pick for mandolin as long as I live. Do yourself a favor, shell out the $15 for some Wegen mando picks. Ask Michel if you can have a mixed bag, with an M100 and a couple of M150s. I like 'em both, but at this point in my playing, I'm more comfortable with the slightly smaller M100s.
Pick size is pretty subjective. I think the GG picks are too small, but I am 6'4" and have big hands. I love Dawg picks and I rarely try anything else.
If I'm not mistaken, the current "Dawg" picks are D'Andrea pro plec material. By the way the large rounded triangle pro plec is great for modifying. I am making them approximately Wegen shaped and very happy with the results. Big City Strings is a great online source for picks- many brands, any quantity, always well stocked-no I don't work there, just wanted to share a great resource.
Mike R
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