Blue chip picks

[man dough nollij]

I just got my TAD 60 today. I ordered a different one a couple of months ago (TPR 60?) and liked it, but it was too small.

So far, I like the TAD 60 a lot. More surface to grip.

[rnr]

Here's a vid I just did using my TP 60 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyFMPPW13nE

[Jeremy Frank]

I stopped by Fiddler's Green here in Austin last night, and I made the mistake of trying out a TAD 50. Not bad! When I got home, I spent a few minutes sorting out the alphabet soup of model numbers:

TP - TriPoint
TP-1R - TriPoint with 1 rounded point
TPR - Rounded TriPoint (Golden Gate style)
TAD - Large TriPoint
TAD-1R - Large TriPoint with 1 rounded point
TD - Teardrop (Fender style)

All picks come in sizes of 40 (1.0mm), 50 (1.25mm) , and 60 (1.50mm). The teardrop also comes in 35 (0.89mm)

Lately I've been using a Dunlop Ultex 1.14. Not sure which one I would choose, probably the TAD-1R or TP-1R...

[woodwizard]

Well I got my BC TPR60 this past Monday and now have been trying it out for a whole week. The TPR60 is just a tad more pointed, (but still rounded), than the Dawg, Goldengate & Wegen M150.
The first day I got it I was really excited. I layed out all of my favorite picks in a row. Tried them all one at a time playing the same tune and listening very carefully. I gotta tell you the BC knocked em all out. What a great pick! (1) being the highest ...this is how I rated my picks to my ear playing the same song.

1) The mighty BlueChip TPR60
2) Tortous (old)
2) RedBear E (med)
3) Wegen M150
4) Goldengate
5) Dawg
6) Mammoth Ivory fossil (way too much pick noise)

The BC is a WINNER!
"The following was Obvious in my test" ... more/better tone more volume. Ease of play. It's got it all. It was easy to tell the difference too.
I'm so happy I got it ... was a little worried at first spending the money without being able to try it.

Have plenty of other picks but the above are my favorites I used to compare.

[Michael Cameron]

Jeremy,
Thanks for the model numbers.
That makes my Blue Chip 60 a TAD-3R,I reckon. TAD-size,3-rounded pts.

It's nice to have all the options available to come up with exactly the pick you prefer. It's surely not just the material that makes BC such fine picks.

I'm tempted to try another BC model/thickness.

Stay tuned,

[latentaudio]

I layed out all of my favorite picks in a row. Tried them all one at a time playing the same tune and listening very carefully.

Has anyone layed out their favorite picks in a row and recorded them? That might be an interesting test.

[Ken_P]

I've been using a Red Bear C Medium for a while, and finally broke down and ordered a BC TP50. After a lot of playing a reshaping the points and bevels, I think they're incredibly close, but the Red Bear has a little added richness to the tone that to my ear, the BC can't quite match. I love the feel of the BC, and the way it glides off the strings, but for maximum tone, I'm sticking with the Red Bear.

It's not a total waste of money, because the BC will get quite a bit of use as my wallet pick, for random instruments that I encounter on my travels. I've never been comfortable carrying a Red Bear around because they're prone to breaking under rough treatment. The BC should be sturdy enough to handle anything, and give me great tone out of whatever I happen to pick up.

[Rob Gerety]

I just received a TP 1R 50. I love it on Mandolin. Here is my take. The pick is very solid in the fingers and comfortable to hold. The "50" thickness is quite stiff but it has just a tiny bit of flex to it - I like that. I don't like picks with zero flex. It is indeed a very smooth and fast playing pick with hardly any pick noise. Tonally I love the thing on the mando - it sweetens the tone - very sweet and pure tone.

I have to say my first impression of this particular model on guitar is not positive. It might be a taste thing - but I like a bit more brightness on guitar. I wonder if there is a Blue Chip model that would be brighter for use on guitar. I'm going to check and see. But in my opinion this is a wonderful mando pick. Well worth the price of two sets of strings which is basically what it boils down to.

By the way, I'm no expert mando player - really just starting out. But I have played guitar for a long time and I think I have a decent feel and ear at this point. I probably don't have enough skill to appreciate all the subtleties.

[Mando Newby]

Intersting. I bought several new picks to try the other day and lined them up to play each one. I am trying to avoid dishing out the $ for the blue chip, but you guys are not making it easy. Actually, I bought a pick at a show made from a cow hoof, and it is wonderful. I wish I had paid more attention to who it was as I would like to get another.

[Mando Newby]

Re: Blue chip picks

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's a vid I just did using my TP 60 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyFMPPW13nE

Wow, sounds great. Although I guess I will never be a master. 10,000 hours?????

[Bob Borzelleri]

I've been using a Red Bear C Medium for a while, and finally broke down and ordered a BC TP50. After a lot of playing a reshaping the points and bevels, I think they're incredibly close, but the Red Bear has a little added richness to the tone that to my ear, the BC can't quite match. I love the feel of the BC, and the way it glides off the strings, but for maximum tone, I'm sticking with the Red Bear.

It's not a total waste of money, because the BC will get quite a bit of use as my wallet pick, for random instruments that I encounter on my travels. I've never been comfortable carrying a Red Bear around because they're prone to breaking under rough treatment. The BC should be sturdy enough to handle anything, and give me great tone out of whatever I happen to pick up.

I would have liked to have stuck with my Red Bear, but my $20 investment lasted only through one term in my pocket. When I went to retrieve it, I had two pieces. Never again.

[Ken_P]

I would have liked to have stuck with my Red Bear, but my $20 investment lasted only through one term in my pocket. When I went to retrieve it, I had two pieces. Never again.

That's why I keep it tucked between the strings when not in use. I've been using the same Red Bear C Heavy on guitar for at least 2 years with no problems. My mando pick is 1 year old and still going strong. Hopefully the BC is sturdy enough to handle pocket duty, because I really want to get something out of that $35, even if it's not my primary pick.

[kelvin]

I don't think you will have any problems with keeping the blue chip in your wallet. Like you I have had breakage with the Red Bear. One of the reasons why I don't use them anymore. I have had them break while playing also. They are a good pick don't get me wrong but as soon as I picked up the Blue Chip I knew I had found what I was looking for.

kelvin

[Skittle]

I hope all had a great Christmas and you got a few Bluechip picks in your stoc'in. Just talked to Matthew at Bluechip and he said that his website is down for updating and repairs and should be up soon. ALL IS WELL!!!

[Phil Goodson]

I would have liked to have stuck with my Red Bear, but my $20 investment lasted only through one term in my pocket. When I went to retrieve it, I had two pieces. Never again.

If you still have the 2 pieces, you might try super glue.
I accidentally broke one while trying to drill a hole in it. When it broke, I superglued it and it's held together fine for a year now.

In fact, I had trouble with the Red Bear bending like a potato chip if I played in summer & sweat soaked into the pick. I put superglue as a covering over the upper part of the pick to waterproof it and that worked well also. I love superglue!

[Cheryl Watson]

Hey, now, you guys aughta know that one of the surest ways of losing something is to put it in yer pocket!

I'm reading here the very same finding from some of you that I have noticed: The type and shape of the bevel can make a huge difference in tone. A radical speed bevel that has a knife edge can sound harsh to my ears so I soften the attack a bit by reshaping and re-polishing the bevel to what I like to hear.

Cheryl

[John Hill]

What happened to the Blue Chip website?

[Jim Broyles]

What happened to the Blue Chip website?

Nothing

[John Hill]

Nothing

Cool. I tried googling it earlier and had no luck.

[man dough nollij]

I hope all had a great Christmas and you got a few Bluechip picks in your stoc'in. Just talked to Matthew at Bluechip and he said that his website is down for updating and repairs and should be up soon. ALL IS WELL!!!

Yep.

[Michael Cameron]

Hey, now, you guys aughta know that one of the surest ways of losing something is to put it in yer pocket!
I'm reading here the very same finding from some of you that I have noticed: The type and shape of the bevel can make a huge difference in tone. A radical speed bevel that has a knife edge can sound harsh to my ears so I soften the attack a bit by reshaping and re-polishing the bevel to what I like to hear.
Cheryl

Yeppirs,pick bevels make a huge difference for me.

My buddy plays right-handed;but,tilts his pick in such a manner that he has a left-handed bevel on his picks.(he's a very fine picker too!)

Cheryl,whatever you're doing,keep it up. I've enjoyed listening to your music!
What is your latest recording?

[John Hill]

I decided to utilize some Santa gift caish to try another Blue Chip, this time the TPR 60. I'm hopeful that the rounder shape & thicker body will be more to my liking than the TP 50 I had previously.

[Bob Borzelleri]

If you still have the 2 pieces, you might try super glue.
I accidentally broke one while trying to drill a hole in it. When it broke, I superglued it and it's held together fine for a year now.

In fact, I had trouble with the Red Bear bending like a potato chip if I played in summer & sweat soaked into the pick. I put superglue as a covering over the upper part of the pick to waterproof it and that worked well also. I love superglue!

I actually do have the two pieces. I decided to keep them together in a small box in hope that they would one day rejoin on their own. Last I looked, nothing had happened. I will try superglue. Maybe I will end up with one or more of the pieces permanently stuck to my fingers in the appropriate attack position.

[man dough nollij]

That's one good way to eliminate pick slippage...

[Rob Powell]

Whenever I see a new post in this thread, it reminds me that I have a ton of picks to sell I pretty much use nothing but a TAD-60 all the time on both the mando and guitar. Here's a new Blue Chip marketing theme for all the Tolkien geeks:

Three Red Bears for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven Wegens for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine Dunlops for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One Tortoise Shell for the Bluegrass Loard on his F5 throne
In the Land of Monroe where the Mandolins lie.
One Blue Chip to rule them all, One Blue Chip to find them,
One Blue Chip to bring them all and in the bluegrass bind them
In the Land of Monroe where the Mandolins lie.

Whoah....I need to lay off the caffeine