Outrageous Price of Picks

[CES]

. But the hunt will continue. I mean, why not? Aren't we having fun? R/

I think it was Coltrane (I'm decaffeinated and may be confusing this story between he and Lester Young) who was a mouthpiece fiend...dude was always trying new mouthpieces, expensive and cheap, in search of his ultimate tone...he felt like the sax was important, but the player met the instrument at the mouthpiece, and mouthpieces were WAY cheaper, even the 150 to 300 dollar ones, than a new sax...

Not to delve off too deeply, as I'm want to do, I'll just leave it at this...and, remember, I'm a self-proclaimed cheapskate...there's something very personal and sensual (not thinking dirty here) about the connection between a musician and his instrument/the music made by them. I feel that pretty strongly (whether in a good way with my good guitar or when fighting my beater), and I don't have the gift...I can only imagine it's intensified for those who can really play. I want to strengthen that connection...for some the right pick is the way to do that...

[Chris Keth]

What happened to the 49 cent pick.

You can get picks cheaper than that. Go into most any guitar shop and you'll be offered a free one within 5 minutes.

[journeybear]

... or buy some strings from Strings & Beyond - you were going to anyway, right? Just specify extra heavy. Otherwise you'll end up giving 'em away to your guitar-playing friends.

[onassis]

I was just on the Blue Chip site. Hopped over here, and what's the first thread I see? Wasn't able to pull the trigger, though. Still too much of a cheapskate!

[clammo]

A while ago I thought the prices seemed outrageous. I tried a lot of picks and couldn't find anything that matched the playability of the large triangle Dunlop Ultex, but they just had TOO MUCH picknoise.

So it took a couple of months of debating it with myself, but I took the step and spent the outrageous amount on the Wegen TF140. I used to always lose picks, and thought I was crazy for making the leap to something so expensive, but let me say it was worth it.

So I spent some months on the Wegens, and didn't lose a single one (of the measly two I started with)

That brings me up until recently where I started all over thinking "but that's A LOT for a pick!" But seeing as how I already conquered my fear of losing expensive picks by never losing track of the Wegens, it helped me in my decision that I could handle a blue chip

Then when I saw the CT55, I finally went for it. I figured that it must've been really similar to the TF140, since I think that's what Thile was using before the Blue Chip? Specs seem pretty similar with the bevel and thickness and all that.

I don't know if it's worth the price difference between the Wegen and the Blue chip, but as much as I loved the Wegen, it would slip terribly, even with those holes drilled in there. With the blue chip, I get no slip, with marginally better tone (fuller tone, the Wegen was always a tiny bit too dry) but very similar in all other regards that I thought were perfect before.

I still am afraid to take out my Blue Chip in public though, but now the Wegens feel like "cheap picks" by comparison so I'm a lot more easy going with tossing them in my pockets and all that. My how things change

[JeffD]

I find the wegen a tad brighter than the blue chip or the red bear. Better in a large jam or performance.

[Charley wild]

Quote JeffD:
"The important thing is that we can play together. And if we ever find ourselves playing together, I will personally buy the first round of adult beverages".

[/QUOTE]

Hey Jeff, agreed and agreed!

(Maybe I can try your BC.)

[sgarrity]

I wish I could come up with a product that got as much free publicity as the Blue Chip picks!

BTW....I own three of them and think they are one of the finest accessories available!

[Dave Hanson]

That's easy sgarrity, start a controversy.

Dave H

[jim_n_virginia]

I agree that many picks are outrageously priced. I bought a Blue Chip and it did not improve my playing or tone but I have to admit it did glide through the strings better and I liked the feel.

Was it worth $38.00? Yes .... but barely.

[mandozilla]

The most I paid for a pick is...I forgot. It was a Red Bear. It was somewhere in the $25.00 (?) range. I seem to alternate between that and one of those picks we're not supposed to discuss. I bought the one we're not supposed to discuss back in 1969 for about $2.50 I guess. It was from a legit music store...you could do that back then.

I like the one we're not supposed to discuss a lot but I find the Red Bear seems smoother and moves through/across the strings well...more smoothly. Maybe I should try to polish the one we're not supposed to discuss.

I tried a comparison today between; A Fender heavy rounded triangle, a Golden Gate, a Dawg, an Ultex, the Red Bear, the pick we're not supposed to discuss and several others. The pick we're not supposed to discuss and the Red Bear give the best tone and speed IMHO. I haven't yet tried a Blue Chip or a Wegen but I will...the quest for the best pick is worth it to me.

[AlanN]

I found a OWNSTD on the ground at the Delaware BG Fest many years ago. There was one sad mando picker walking around that day.

I have 2 BC, I think a 50 and a 60. They have remained in their little plastic sleeves.

[fatt-dad]

a few comments: 1) Is there a thumbpick version?; 2) For $35.00 you can not quite buy 15 minutes of my time (o.k. here come the consultant jokes); 3) Sure, I like them, but my wife would go nuts if I bought one - face it, it's you single guys that are buying them all, isn't it?

f-d

[Gerry Cassidy]

a few comments: 1) Is there a thumbpick version?; 2) For $35.00 you can not quite buy 15 minutes of my time (o.k. here come the consultant jokes); 3) Sure, I like them, but my wife would go nuts if I bought one - face it, it's you single guys that are buying them all, isn't it?

f-d

I own 2, am not single, and yes, they are a topic of playful ridicule at times. My wife didn't go nuts, but I did get a couple rolls of the eyes...

I like them. They do make me a better player in the sense that I am able to pull much better tone from the instrument. They are worth the ribbing I receive.

[clintross]

I just use Dunlop 1.0 but i can tell the difference between them and the bluechips just not a $50 difference

[journeybear]

... I tried a comparison today between; A Fender heavy rounded triangle, a Golden Gate, a Dawg, an Ultrex, the Red Bear, the pick we're not supposed to discuss and several others ...

Personally, I think you have too many picks. Generally speaking, one only needs one, and perhaps a spare should that one go missing. There are studies that show that when faced with too many choices, a large percentage of people become confused to the point of shutting down. I'd be happy to take one off your hands, if having so many makes things difficult for you. And then you might stop discussing "the pick we're not supposed to discuss," clearly a symptom of confusion.

Just tryin' to help.

[Elliot Luber]

I like the traditional-shaped Red Bear feaux tortis with the holes, though that one is $20 (hey at least it ships free), and I like the Proplec 1.5, which I tried because Jim Richter uses them and they're almost as good (just a little smaller), and I like the Dunlop Tortex 1.0, which is cheaper still and has a good sensitive feel to it. Haven't tried the Wegens yet.

I can't stand the Dawg or Golden Gate picks, they're too fat and give me no volume compared to other picks. I only use them when I lose the others and am awaiting a new shipment. I try not to lose the Red Bear picks!

My wife wants a new couch, which means I'll soon be able to cut the old one open and find a few of my old picks -- including a Red Bear (almost worth the new couch!), that fell down the side.

Vinny Smith sent me a sample V chip. It's smooth and very fast, but a little noisy. My son enjoys it with his Fender bass.

[Caleb]

A year or two ago I was lucky enough to stumble upon the holy grail of picks, those that we cannot and will not discuss because of the endangered nature of their source. I bought 6 if I recall. I do like the way they play and sound. They do not however sound all that much better than the Golden Gate picks that I buy for less than a buck each in bulk. Chances are the only person that hears a marked difference in the pick you're playing on is you. That doesn't mean I'll never buy another tricked out pick, it just means I got certain results from my unscientific tests.

I bought a "holy grail" pick myself a couple years ago. Gave $25 for it. Used it. Shrugged. Sold it. And went back to my Fender heavy "clown barf" pick that I've had for over 10 years. And I think I might have actually stolen it once in a guitar shop when I asked to use a pick and forgot to give it back.

[Andrew DeMarco]

I did splurge the extra 1.2% the original cost of my Collings for the accessory most influential to its sound -- a pick, a Blue Chip.

And I don't regret it. To be honest it's the first pick I don't have trouble keeping track of...

[Dan Hoover]

i have at least a dozen fender picks from high school dayz...say's how much i'm playing/practicing....same mandolin too though...will a new pick really make me play better???

this goes back to the first couple post's..
Quote " There's no way I could afford these boutique picks. When I finish a show, picks are scattered on the floor like autumn leaves. I'd be bound to loose $100 worth a week. If someone were to supply me with them for an endorsement, sure, but otherwise, I got a living to make. I buy picks by the gross. Seriously. " End Quote...i heard you buy mandolin's by the gross too???...all in fun...

drink no wine before it's time, favorite wine lately...Bolla Sangiovese...very nice,very affordable...

[JeffD]

I wish I could come up with a product that got as much free publicity as the Blue Chip picks!

BTW....I own three of them and think they are one of the finest accessories available!

"Quality is the best advertising." I forget where I heard that.

[jim_n_virginia]

Personally, I think you have too many picks. Generally speaking, one only needs one, and perhaps a spare should that one go missing. There are studies that show that when faced with too many choices, a large percentage of people become confused to the point of shutting down.

I think the Goverment should come out with a "Cash for Pluckers" program where if you trade in your old cheap pick which are usually massed produced overseas you get $15.00 towards a high dollar USA made pick of your choice! And DOUBLE if you trade in one of them bad old picks on the endangered list!

[Greg H.]

I used to be a hard core fender extra heavy fan. I'd buy 30 of them for $10.00 and not worry about it. I'd keep some in my pocket. . . .but unfortunately my keys were also in said pocket. . ..and therefore the picks would disappear. I decided to try a Red Bear. . ..and love it. The shape is pretty much like the standard Fender tear drop. . . but the tone is much more like an endangered species. But, since I spent $25.00 for this pick rather than $0.30 for the Fender it NEVER stayed in my pocket but rather in the mandolin strings.

Result: I bought the one pick for $25 and had for 3 years. . . .with the resulting value of roughly $5.00 thus far (since I would otherwise have bought roughly 90 picks over the previous 3 years).

Yeah, yeah, I know. . . .I could have just kept a Fender extra heavy in the strings . . .but I really like the Red Bear much better so I'm sticking to my justfications!!!

[mandowilli]

If this where the "Beer Cafe" would I be a fool to spend $15.00 on a six pack of Rogue Brutal Bitter?

[JEStanek]

I've spent more on a single case of Young's Double Chocolate Stout than on a few Bluechips... However, I might like the Young's better... Tough call.

Jamie