What's up with Red Bear?

[Elliot Luber]

No one seems to be carrying their stuff anymore. I like their picks, I just don't see them for sale a lot anymore.

[mandolirius]

I heard they were bought up by Blue Chip.

[George R. Lane]

I Just looked at their website. Seems they are alive and well, but have no dealers. They only make them to order (about a 5 week wait), they have no stock picks. I have one and it sounds real good, but I do prefer my Blue Chip (it's a little slicker)

[RBMB]

They stopped working through dealers.

[Jim Kirkland]

Just bought 2 picks from them yesterday. Look on their csutom page, that is the pick my brother, Bill Kirkland in TN, had made.

[earlyriser]

They no longer sell to dealers, they only sell direct from their website.

[Barbara Shultz]

Wow, a five week wait time....

[allenhopkins]

I heard they were bought up by Blue Chip.

So the result would be Purple Bear Chips?

[Chris Biorkman]

I always liked their picks, but the fact that they bend like they do if you leave them in your pocket is a deal breaker for me.

[Elliot Luber]

I haven't tried the Blue Chip yet, and I hear all the fans, but I like Red Bears, but it seams like they're a pain to get ahold of.

[Jill McAuley]

I was at Gryphon Stringed Instruments a few weeks ago and they still have some Red Bears in stock - I was going to get one just to try out but then decided against it since I'm so happy with my Blue Chip. But you might want to contact the folks at Gryphon to see what they've got in stock: http://www.gryphonstrings.com/

Cheers,
Jill

[Big Joe]

I don't like that they break so easily. They are pretty expensive for something with a limited lifespan. I have not been able to break a bluechip or a real tortoise in many years, but the Red Bear break pretty easily.

[MandoPheel]

It does take a while to get them directly from Red Bear, but I think they're worth it. To me, both their standard "mock" tortoise and their Tuff-Tone line have a richer, more complex sound than Blue Chips of a similar size and shape. The Tuff-Tones won't bend or break and are only $10.

Phil

[Bluegrassnate]

So the result would be Purple Bear Chips?

Wow.... That would be amazing.

[JeffD]

I have some Red Bears, and I love them. When playing alone I like the tone a little better than the BC.

I have everyone I ever bought. I don't take better care of them than any other pick, I just play them hard and put them away when I am done.

You almost have to try and break 'em methinks. Soak them in water and fold them in half I read someone say a while back, which if I did that to my mandolin it would break as well.

But just leaving it in your pocket? Thats disconcerting.

Oh well.

[Cheryl Watson]

I learned a long time ago that anything I put in my pocket was bound to be lost. I've lost picks this way, money, and once a very nice ring. I have had great luck with the Red Bear heavy gauge picks over the last five years or so. I received my most recent picks, custom ordered about a few months ago. They are very complex in tone, better to my ears than any other pick.

[Fretbear]

I'm just happy that something that sounds 96% like something else is available at all.......

[JeffD]

Red Bears, with the righte bevel, or blue chips, are better than natural TS, because they don't wear out. You will lose it or break it or pass on to your eternal reward long before you wear it out. Your kids or their kids will probably not wear them out either.

[adizz]

I had 2 of the originals a few years back, within a week 1 snapped in half while we were on stage playing. I gave the other away that night. I have been playing 2 of there new tufftone picks for awhile now and absolutely love them, they seem to wear down a lot faster than the websight would suggest though. They come off of the strings nice and slick and I really like the tone

[mcgannahanskjellifetti]

I know a store here in town that still has them in stock. Can probably order one from them...

http://www.homesteadpickinparlor.com/

[Elliot Luber]

I've lost a mess of them in my couch. One day I'll throw out the couch and surgically remove my life savings.

[Bernie Daniel]

I know a store here in town that still has them in stock. Can probably order one from them...

http://www.homesteadpickinparlor.com/

Thanks for the information. That is an impressive handle you have (mcgannahanskjellifetti) but it must be a pain to sign in with it?

[mandohobo]

Wow, a five week wait time....

I have received them quicker than that. I love their picks as they really improve tone and speed. They cost a lot less that the bluechip picks as well.

[Skip Kelley]

A friend handed me his Red Bear pick to try a few years back and said look how stiff it is. I said oops! It broke! I bought him a new pick!! BlueChip is the way to go!!!

[Perry]

Thanks for the information. That is an impressive handle you have (mcgannahanskjellifetti) but it must be a pain to sign in with it?

A Grateful Dead reference perhaps?

I've gone fifty plus gigs with Red Bears and not snapped them but then again I have had them snap on me in mid song at least twice. Always on a pick that has seen some hard usage. When they go they really go!

Red Bear's are great picks; a little darker then Blue Chips. I like Blue Chips a whole lot too.