magnuscanis - Posted - 08/14/2012:  10:58:28

Apologies if, as I suspect, this topic has already been discussed to death round here, but I couldn't find any relevant threads in a quick skim through the forums and in any case it seems to have been fairly quiet round here lately so a little can of worms may be good to open.

I was wondering what kind of picks (or plectra, if you will) you like using for playing the mandolin.  I'm thinking especially in terms of size, shape and weight but other factors such as material may also come into your preferences.  I'm also interested in why you prefer these picks.

My own preference these days seems to be for a fairly small pick such as this one:

As you can see, it's .80mm thick (though I have a similar one that is 1.0mm, which I also like).  It's about 2cm wide at its widest point and just over 2.5cm high.

As I recall, I started using this pick (or one like it) a few years ago after I'd been at a jam where I was playing with a slightly larger pick (a fairly typical guitar pick) and someone suggested trying a smaller one.  

I find the thickness of the pick a more significant factor than its other dimensions in how I get on with it.  For the mandolin, I like medium weight picks like this one a lot more than very thick or very thin ones.  When I occasionally play the bouzouki, I find a slightly heavier pick works well.  I don't particularly like thin picks for any instrument that I've tried.

ccravens - Posted - 08/14/2012:  15:47:38

I love the Blue Chip picks for mando and guitar.

TI_USER - Posted - 08/14/2012:  19:17:19

I've done a tremendous amount of experimenting over the last 35 years that I have played mandolin, but especially so in the last two years.  What I have tried in the past couple of years has been:

— Fender 1.21mm extra heavy 346 triangular celluloid.  This has been my standard that I used for years before I started my Holy Grail quest.  I still keep several of them in my pick bag and use them on occasion.

— Red Bear Tuff Tone Triangular 1.5mm - This was the first high-dollar pick I tried.  It was SO bright and irritating sounding to me I sold it the next day after waiting 5 weeks to get it.

— Dunlop Americana.  3mm in the middle but only around 1mm at the edge.  Not a bad tone but no volume at all.

— Dunlop 207.  I have always loved the sound from this pick but it is too small for me.  I sure wish they made these bigger.

— V-Picks, large rounded triangular, 1.5mm-Lots of things I liked about them including the grip, very complex tone with overtones that no other pick has equaled.  However they have a very inconsistent edge to them and most I used were very bright and had a scratchy edge to them.

— Jazz Mando V-Pick, which has a shape similar to the newer Dawg pick.  Liked it better than the other V-Picks but still had rough edged and scratchy bright sound.

— Gravity Picks.  Tried several.  These are acrylic, just like V-Pick.  They are much more consistent than V-Pick in my opinion, but still have the bright edge.  Seems to be a quality consistent with acrylic.  Have since given up on acrylic.

— Clayton Ultex large triangular 1.14mm.  Nice pick.  I just wish they made them thicker.

— Blue Chip - TAD60.  1.5mm  Fantastic tone and grip.  The smoothest pick I have ever used.  Only complaint is the bevel, which makes the sound harder and bright on the higher strings.

— Blue Chip - XR60.  1.5mm  Almost exactly the same size and shape as the newer Dawg picks.  The best tone I have ever heard from my mandolin.  Only problem for me is because of the more rounded shape it doesn't have the volume and I found myself playing extremely hard to be heard.

— Blue Chip - TAD50 1.25mm  with no bevel.  Same as above.  Beautiful tone.  Not enough volume.

—  Wegen TF140.  1.4mm  Unbelievable volume but too harsh sounding from the extreme bevel Michel Wegen forms on his picks.

— Wegen Custom ordered TF180  1.8mm large triangle with no bevel and no grip holes.  BINGO!!!  Love this pick.  It is amazing what a difference a bevel makes.  I have yet to use a pick with a bevel that I have liked.  It makes the pick much thinner at the striking point and, thus, makes the tone brighter.  This pick gives me the best combination of volume and full tone, without being too bright.  The only thing I don't like is it is the most difficult to hold onto.  I haven't dropped one yet, but it always feels like I'm going to.  I have been using it about six months now and am getting more used to the feel. 

I have thought about getting another Blue Chip XR60.  I should have never sold that pick and it would be nice to use it when volume isn't critical, but gorgeous tone is.

TI_USER - Posted - 08/14/2012:  19:17:54

quote:

---

Originally posted by ccravens

I love the Blue Chip picks for mando and guitar.

---

Which one do you use?

magnuscanis - Posted - 08/15/2012:  02:16:00

quote:

---

Originally posted by TI_USER

I've done a tremendous amount of experimenting over the last 35 years that I have played mandolin, but especially so in the last two years.  What I have tried in the past couple of years has been:...

Wow, that's quite an impressively long list of picks.  I see that you favour slightly heavier ones than I've generally used.  Maybe I should dig out my bouzouki picks and try them on the mandolin too?

Edited by - magnuscanis on 08/15/2012 02:16:52

Mandolin Ant - Posted - 08/15/2012:  07:45:28

Blue Chip CT55. Great tone and nice beveled edge for a smooth tremolo. I've had one for over a year and a half now and it has virtually no wear. It gives me a nice loud bark on my chop chords. Expensive, but worth it.

UsuallyPickin - Posted - 08/16/2012:  05:12:44

Picks are as personal a choice as strings. As a long time player I've gone through many types and thicknesses. I have to say to me nothing feels better or plays better than actual Tortise shell. But out of respect for the diminishing Tortise population I have given them up. When I did so I played Tortex traingle yellow and green for awhile, not a bad pick but not what I was looking for. I felt the same way about the white triangles with wings on them, whatever brand they were. I went with Wegen 1.2 and 1.4 triangles with holes for about a year and found them to be good servicable picks. I still use them occasionally. I finally settled on Blue Chip CT-55's for acoustic mandolin and TPR (?) 60's for acoustic guitar. I like both the feel and the tone of these picks. I surely do hate to lose them but then again no Kevlarites will have to die to replace them. My wallet squeals a bit but it is getting more and more practice these days. So it goes.... R/

Mandolin Ant - Posted - 08/16/2012:  07:15:22

UsuallyPickin,

I was real nervous about spending so much for BC. Worried I'd lose it, etc. Luckily (knock on wood), I've been able to keep the same one for over a year. I hope I didn't just jinx myself. Got a festival coming up where there's a lot of late night camp site pickin'. Got to remember to keep an eye on the BC!

TSSN - Posted - 08/16/2012:  13:04:36

I have become enamored of Gravity Picks of late for picking.  I still use the V-Pick Tremolo for tremolo heavy tunes.

RJM - Posted - 08/17/2012:  11:08:19

quote:

---

Originally posted by ccravens

I love the Blue Chip picks for mando and guitar.

---

 Mostly I use Dunlop .073 picks for mandolin. I also use these picks on my guitars.

It's just a personal thing. If it feels good and gives you the sound you want, then who could ask for more?

Sometimes for just playing rhythm, on my mandolin as on my guitars, I use a Dunlop .060. It plays a little smoother in my opinion,

and the sound is less choppy.

Take care, Robert

You can play almost anything on a mandolin! Be creative, have fun, spread the word: Mandolins Rock!:



http://rdenronden.magix.net/public 

TI_USER - Posted - 08/17/2012:  23:11:14

quote:

---

Wow, that's quite an impressively long list of picks.  I see that you favour slightly heavier ones than I've generally used.  Maybe I should dig out my bouzouki picks and try them on the mandolin too?

---

The heavier pick will give you a darker and deeper tone than a thinner pick of the same material.  But it is not a rule set in stone.  The 1.8mm Wegen I am using now is made of Kevlar and is louder and a little brighter that the 1.5mm Proplec, which has a very soft tone and much less volume.  But the 1.8mm Wegen with no bevel is darker sounding than the 1.4mm with a bevel.  You just have to be willing to try them out.  The good thing is that if you spend a lot of money trying out expensive picks and don't like them, you can always sell them on the Mando Hangout classifieds or the MC classifieds.  I sold all of the picks I didn't use and re-couped most of my money.

TI_USER - Posted - 08/17/2012:  23:16:48

quote:

---

Originally posted by TSSN

I have become enamored of Gravity Picks of late for picking.  I still use the V-Pick Tremolo for tremolo heavy tunes.

---

I think Chris at Gravity Picks is making a real nice product.  He is great to deal with and for those of you who don't know. if you email chris and tell you want to try his picks, give him a description of what size, shape and thickness you like and he'll send you some free samples.

Here's his email address:  chris@gravitypicks.com

Here is a link to the web site.

theoldman - Posted - 08/18/2012:  15:29:28

I use the Blue Chip CT55 model.

Love this pick.

TSSN - Posted - 08/19/2012:  05:57:39

quote:

---

Originally posted by TI_USER

I think Chris at Gravity Picks is making a real nice product.  He is great to deal with and for those of you who don't know. if you email chris and tell you want to try his picks, give him a description of what size, shape and thickness you like and he'll send you some free samples.

Here's his email address:  chris@gravitypicks.com

Here is a link to the web site.

---

Yep.  Just bought more.

laertes22 - Posted - 08/22/2012:  10:34:55

Regarding those gravity picks, any recommendation as far as size, shape, thickness, style?
I understand it is a matter of personal choice, but as someone just starting out, I would be curious as to people's opinions.

TSSN - Posted - 08/22/2012:  14:08:36

quote:

---

Originally posted by laertes22

Regarding those gravity picks, any recommendation as far as size, shape, thickness, style?

I understand it is a matter of personal choice, but as someone just starting out, I would be curious as to people's opinions.

---

Hello and welcome.

I usually like a thicker pick, but I have been using the 0.75 mm Striker XL.  And if you don't like that one, at ~$4/pick, you won't break the bank looking for just the right one.  Good luck.

Terry Allan Hall - Posted - 08/23/2012:  18:26:06

quote:

---

Originally posted by magnuscanis

Apologies if, as I suspect, this topic has already been discussed to death round here, but I couldn't find any relevant threads in a quick skim through the forums and in any case it seems to have been fairly quiet round here lately so a little can of worms may be good to open.

I was wondering what kind of picks (or plectra, if you will) you like using for playing the mandolin.  I'm thinking especially in terms of size, shape and weight but other factors such as material may also come into your preferences.  I'm also interested in why you prefer these picks.

My own preference these days seems to be for a fairly small pick such as this one:

As you can see, it's .80mm thick (though I have a similar one that is 1.0mm, which I also like).  It's about 2cm wide at its widest point and just over 2.5cm high.

As I recall, I started using this pick (or one like it) a few years ago after I'd been at a jam where I was playing with a slightly larger pick (a fairly typical guitar pick) and someone suggested trying a smaller one.  

I find the thickness of the pick a more significant factor than its other dimensions in how I get on with it.  For the mandolin, I like medium weight picks like this one a lot more than very thick or very thin ones.  When I occasionally play the bouzouki, I find a slightly heavier pick works well.  I don't particularly like thin picks for any instrument that I've tried.

---

 I really like the round triangle version of that pick, also in .080 weight

img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase...67449.jpg img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase...67449.jpg /a span style display: none nbsp /span " border="0">

Tomm - Posted - 08/24/2012:  10:32:03

Bluechip  TD 60

Mike Shipman - Posted - 08/28/2012:  15:02:12

I was using Gibson (large triangular) heavy pick as I use that occasionally on my guitar (normally use thumb and fingerpicks though). Then I tried a slightly smaller Dunlop 5000 2.0mm, it had more attack and was easier to do faster up / down strokes, also cheap and easily available here in the UK!

Cheers, Mike.

Edited by - Mike Shipman on 08/28/2012 15:03:51

Philphool - Posted - 09/02/2012:  17:18:26

I've tried pretty much everything.
Settled on Blue Chip TAD 60.

Tim552 - Posted - 09/02/2012:  21:15:09

I have been using the same shape (Clayton) as the OP, 1.0 and 1.5 thickness. Blue Chip will be in my near future though.

Edited by - Tim552 on 09/02/2012 21:16:00

Jim Yates - Posted - 09/03/2012:  16:31:05

I like celluloid tri-corner medium picks, like the ones made by Fender.  I use them for mandolin, guitar and tenor banjo and have been using them for enough years that it would be a pain to change. 

I like the really thin triangle picks for dulcimer.

Edited by - Jim Yates on 09/03/2012 16:39:29

Jim Yates - Posted - 09/03/2012:  16:44:52

mandohangout.com/topic/27683

TSSN - Posted - 09/09/2012:  04:40:12

I happened on my Golden Gates again a few nights back.  I needed a pick quick, and just reached into the pile.

For an inexpensive pick, these really produce.

Susanne - Posted - 09/12/2012:  14:37:52

I've recently fallen in love with the Ultex. Especially the 1.14.

jstout - Posted - 09/16/2012:  10:36:41

TI_USER - Posted - 09/30/2012:  09:53:02

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jim Yates

I like celluloid tri-corner medium picks, like the ones made by Fender.  I use them for mandolin, guitar and tenor banjo and have been using them for enough years that it would be a pain to change. 

I like the really thin triangle picks for dulcimer.

 

---

You would be surprised at how similar the feel of the Blue Chip TAD40 is to the Fender 346 meduim.  The TAD40 is a 1.0mm thickness, and is exactly the same size and corners as the Fender.  I had used Fender extra heavy 346 for several years and found that, while I loved the tone, the edges became a little scratchy after a while.  They developed little chips on the edges that you could see with a magnifying loupe.  The TAD50 is nearly identical to the Fender Extra Heavy's and have the smoothest edge of any pick I have ever seen.  Used it solidly for 6 months and there was NO sigh of wear at all. 

I think that if you're using a 346 Fender Medium, that you would have no trouble at all transitioning to a Blue Chip TAD40.  The BC acyually has a much better grip so I think it would be even easier to use than the Fender.

Kristibob - Posted - 10/14/2012:  20:43:41

Being a VERY budget-minded beginner, I really like my Tortex "picks-all" picks....about the thickness of a Fender medium....73mm...but the Tortex has a rounded side, and a pointy side, and a side with scallops..and I have no idea what the scallops are for...lol..I like the slightly rounder side for practicing tremolo, as I'm new to the mandolin.  For something a little thicker, I like the Dunlop Ultex 1.0, and I also like the Hergo Flex 75 nylon. It's just fun to use different picks for different sounds, and I'm still learning what I really like the most.  My A-model likes the slimmer picks, but my F model likes a little more pick to play with.

GoFolkYourself - Posted - 10/24/2012:  14:46:50

I found a dirty great green Jim Dunlop pick on the floor of my buddy's shed a few months ago and I would hate to lose it. Other than that I use 2.0mm stubby purple things from Jim Dunlop because They're cheap and I'm forever losing them.

Donnie - Posted - 10/30/2012:  13:35:23

Wegen Big City 1.4 mm. I've tried different ones, but these make what I want to do do-able!

meveral3 - Posted - 11/14/2012:  17:38:04

I like wegens, dawg picks and the golden gates these fit my style just fine .

Rickson - Posted - 11/15/2012:  09:42:27

I found that the perfect pick for me is from Cool Music. I had a problem with picks slipping out of my fingers but the Cool pick has (in their terms) "Coolcell Rubberized Accu-grip" and I haven't had one slip yet in the last 3 months I've been playing with it. Comes in the normal gauges (.50, .75, 1), from celluloid, a pretty mother of pearl color. Comes in different colors but I prefer white. Tried to post a picture of it, but can not, so here's their website - coolmusicinc.com

Curt - Posted - 11/19/2012:  12:20:49

So many from which to choose!  It's hard to pick one....  

Mandolin Ant - Posted - 12/04/2012:  12:35:14

My BC CT-55 was awesome. I had it for almost 2 years and just lost it this weekend! It was 35 bucks, but I guess I got my money out of it. 2 years is probably the longest I've ever kept a pic. Still very upset!

jazzrambler - Posted - 12/12/2012:  10:04:59

I use casein picks I ordered on eBay. Here's a review I wrote on the Flatpicker Hangout.

I ordered 2 casein picks from 'hermanmonker' on eBay. They arrived yesterday. I requested 2.5mm, style 4 (triangular.) I asked Steve, the proprietor's name, not to worry about bevelling. I prefer to do it myself. I spent 1/2 an hour tweeking them and-

I HAVE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER WITH A PICK IN MY LIFE!. My history with searching for the grail took me from making my own out of everything from old piano ivory, coconut shell, bone buttons, Wegens, Red Bear, every common and uncommon retail brand. Eventually I got real tortoise while in Europe. These are every bit as good as the real thing. From what I can tell so far, they don't seem to wear as quickly as tortoise. Best part, the price was under $20 for both, including shipping from England and Paypal fees.
Here's a link to the completed auction-
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...500wt_923

mojohand40 - Posted - 12/12/2012:  10:34:55

Wegen M150's. Once I tried one, that was that. Immediately ordered some more as back-ups.

TSSN - Posted - 12/13/2012:  08:47:25

I ordered The Mandolin Store's Black Friday special, the $0.75 buffalo horn pick.  They are thick, and not my favorite for the mandolin, but they do work well on my Irish tenor banjo.  A great compliment there.

midstream - Posted - 12/28/2012:  16:50:25

1.2 MM speed beveled tortoise shell

ronwalker49 - Posted - 12/30/2012:  03:07:37

I have been searching for the perfect pick for more than 50 years and for the last several years I have used David Grisman Dwag picks that I have altered by drilling a 3/8 hole in the center and grinding off the corners then beveling the edges....A pick always turns in my grip and this does away with the adverse effects....

One of my friends has been making picks out of Plexiglas about 1/16 thick and I love them...What I like best is the sound...On the Dawg picks I have to keep sharpening the edges to keep the sound crisp and they wear down pretty quickly...So I think I will keep the same design and make a bunch out of Plexigalas..

jefrs - Posted - 08/04/2013:  08:52:25

Forgive me for re-opening a thread from last year but this is the latest thread on "picks" and seems fairly comprehensive.



Now I've been playing guitar for more years than I can remember and some I can't now, both with picks and without.

I can play the mando fingerstyle but that ain't right, just because you can don't mean you should, and my normal "kite" guitar picks don't seem to work on it.

But I have many, many, many picks of various shape and thickness ...



Simply referring to make and model means having to hunt them up on the interweb for a pic or description.

I've got fat ones, thin ones, big ones, tiny ones, faux-turtle, toilet-seat, nylon, cellulose, rubbery and wood. I draw the line at felt and leather though, I got fingers for that ;)



The consensus (most, not everyone) on this thread seems to be for a fairly large thick pick, about 1mm (0.40-in) and triangular with smoothed off corners. Somewhat wider and more egg shaped than the typical guitar "kite" pick.



Would that seem right?



Has anyone figured out why?

TSSN - Posted - 08/06/2013:  06:22:45

Hey jefrs. 

You make an interesting observation on the whole of this thread.  I will venture the idea that we like the idea of being able to rotate the pick just a bit to go from the point for picking (maybe on a break) to the rounded ends (maybe for more tremolo)., which most guitar folks don't do regularly.

That's my $0.02 anyway....

ErikForGod - Posted - 08/06/2013:  07:18:39

I prefer a 2.0mm thick mandolin pick with a very rounded slightly beveled edge as I believe the thicker the pics, the fatter the tone. I used to use "Dawg" picks and I also used J'Dunlop thick rounded black jazz picks also at one time. I don't like really pointed picks, I just don't like the feel of them and thinner picks it seems no matter what you to try to do it produces a floppy, flappy, slappy tone that to me is not very pleasant.

Edited by - ErikForGod on 08/06/2013 07:20:34

OregonGal - Posted - 10/13/2013:  19:13:12

I like the Dunlop picks for mandolin. I started out on the Dunlop Gater picks - .71 mm, .96 mm, and 1.5 mm (for heavy chording and loudness), and now I like the Dunlop Tortex 1.0 mm (it rings out a really nice sound, but they are a little slippery in the beginning). The Gators have a rougher, raised image that helps to hold onto the pick. I've tried the Fender and Gibson picks, but I like them better for guitar. So - I'm into Dunlops for now.

swamplunker - Posted - 10/13/2013:  20:31:37

I have a Dawg from a few years ago, and yes he has his shots, don't know if it's new or old, I like the tone but not the excessively blunt point. My feeling is that, regarding tone, the other variable besides thickness is plastic versus rubber mix, as an instance, I don't like those Fender picks because they're too plasticky, I want to hear the tone of the string vibrating, not the clicking of the pick against the string. I went to look for the name of the kind I've been using, there was no name, but they're white, guitar -pick shaped, with an animal, sometimes an eagle, sometimes a cougar pictured, anyway, good rubber-plastic mix. Acknowledging that there's a lot of subjectivity here, well, at least, in my opinion, there is, I'd say that a mando pick should be separated from a guitar pick by our need to avoid excess treble, that comes from the average mando and doesn't come from the average guitar.I use a regular gray Dunlop 0.60 for guitar, used the same pick four years ago on a mando on a recording and had to twiddle every knob that could fatten up the tone when mixing it. My guess, jefrs, on the blunting of the tip is that it's supposed to make us comfortable "dwelling among the strings" as opposed to hovering above them, but that's just a guess, it also may have started when picks were less meaty, anyway I don't like a blunt end if I'm going for speed or dexterity, especially crossing strings.

Susan H - Posted - 10/14/2013:  03:48:28

I use a Wegen TF120 in black. I traded for it at Kaufman Kamp a few years ago, and I really like the feel and how it goes across the strings.

Wegen TF120 pick

midstream - Posted - 11/05/2013:  22:04:12

2 mm Tortoise large triangle, beveled for right hand, one corner rounded for tremolo.  The pick is legal but modified to my specifications.

Oneida Trail - Posted - 11/15/2013:  06:59:46

JB Guitar Picks Tortoise Shell 3 in 1 Triangle Pick 2.0mm The 3 in 1 Shell Triangle-Pick comes with three different tip bevels combinations: 45 degree angle beveled edge for speed, standard rounded bevel tip and a narrow beveled tip. JB tortoiseshell pick resemble the sound feel and color of a real tortoise pick. These pick will not break they produce a clean crisp tone and with a limited amount of flex. All bevels are done by hand.