Picks, are bigger better?

[VictorLazarus]

I've been slowly working up my dunlop tortex pick sizes - mainly as a way to increase my strengh and speed - I haven't been forcing it and only changed when it felt right which is probably why I've only moves a few sizes in a few years.

But I have to say (most probably affected by the jump in string gauge I've made over time) that bigger picks give a better sound as they hit the strings harder making more resonence. However does this always translate to tone? It must surely depend on the player; for a speed metal player would most certainly faver a thinner pick to play uber fast runs without the level of picking changing allowing the volume to stay even.

So I'd say it depends on many things; least of all style.

One thing that made me think recently was the re-recording of one of my songs 'Energise' because I had done the middle section sloppy. (more than useral) I used a different guitar with thinner strings (but because I'm used to think it was actually harder) and the section sounded alot better but this could be due to the tone wood or the fact I had already recorded it before.

Well I'm going a bit off topic so I'll cut short to see what you think and chime in a little later down the line.



MVL.

[monami]

i just don't like my plectrums flexing. i use heavy gauge plecs.

[BlessedSuicide]

I use a .5 mm pick. But like you stated above, I am a metal player and i need a thinner pick to strum as fast as i need to. Anything thicker then .7mm or so and it catches a little more than i like.

[Mike-t]

I use dunlop jazz III's for everything, even acoustic... The small size is makes it easier to pick notes and I'm not a big fan of flex.

[Jason]

My playing background includes a lot of punk... So I tend do do a lot of fast/intricate strumming of powerchords or triads. The .73 mm Tortex seems to be just about perfect for what I do. A good snap is what I'm after... the thinner picks just don't have what it takes to quickly cut through both/all three strings I'm strumming... it just feels mushy and sounds weak. And with thicker picks I lose some precision and speed. The tone with thicker picks tends to sound more full and warm to me, but I just can't pull off my playing style with them.

[River]

.60 and .73 Dunlop USA Nylons here. I just picked them up this weekend, having always used very thin cheapies, Fender thins and mediums that just seem to find me, and occasionally a penny. The Dunlops are great, and I'm going to lay in a year's supply.

When I want a thicker sound, I just switch to my fingers.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

I'm actually thinking about getting Dunlop stainless steel pics. Does anybody have any experience with them? I also don't know which thickness I should get. I'm currently playin' .73mm and .81mm picks, the stainless steel picks are available in .20mm, .38mm and .51mm.
I just want picks that don't wear off that fast, preferably pointy not rounded.

[lazz]

0.88mm tortex dunlop picks for years now using gibson medium,not sure about them though.i like the gauge but they do flex a bit and they wear down very very quickly,may change back not sure yet

[Jason]

Originally Posted by -=[Shifty]=-

I'm actually thinking about getting Dunlop stainless steel pics. Does anybody have any experience with them? I also don't know which thickness I should get. I'm currently playin' .73mm and .81mm picks, the stainless steel picks are available in .20mm, .38mm and .51mm.

I don't have a lot of experience with metal picks, but I think that's mostly because I didn't like them. It's all up to personal preference, but they feel a little too snaggy to me. And the tone is really bright and "robotic" sounding to me. I know Brian May uses a coin and his tone is awesome, but I guess that's just not me.

[MesaBoogie]

Yes...

[AngryHatter]

[skyn]

I love V-Picks.

[GoofyDawg]

Originally Posted by skyn

I love V-Picks.

+1 on the V-Picks. I use the 4.10 mm Snake and the 5.85 mm Psycho V-Picks. These are super thick and really add to your tone!

Don't know if thicker is better, but I've found that I'm so much more accurate with these picks than with any other pick I've played. As they're made of acrylic, they just glide over the strings.

[River]

Originally Posted by GoofyDawg

+1 on the V-Picks. I use the 4.10 mm Snake and the 5.85 mm Psycho V-Picks. These are super thick and really add to your tone!

Don't know if thicker is better, but I've found that I'm so much more accurate with these picks than with any other pick I've played. As they're made of acrylic, they just glide over the strings.

.60 vs 5.85?

We're talking about different planets here, folks!

[80LPC]

I favour bigger picks as they are easier to hold. Celluloid picks don't last long, so I began to make picks from old credit cards. These are quite rigid (thicknesses do vary slightly), and with patience you can produce various profiles. I made a stainless steel pick - you have to really pay attention to the final smoothing. These give a bright sound, while loosing low end I found. The drawback is that they ruin pickup tops and scratchplates if you are not very careful.

Here's a few credit card picks in various stages of completion. I used Gibson heavy picks exclusively for years, but these last longer and grip better.

[paulygates]

I use Dunlop Delrin 500 1.5 mostly. I don't like my picks to flex as you can get a good dynamic range just by how hard you hit the strings. Sometimes I use a 3mm Stubby which are really good for fast alternate picking and make it really easy to squeeze out harmonics.

I don't know if size affects tone. The tortex picks give quite a hard attack so I guess the material must affect tone. I never liked the texture of tortex but I find the delrin is a nice slippery material so you can play quite fast.

[VictorLazarus]

I've noticed the texture of pics affects sound, for example plastic picks seem to have a different attack where you can almost hear the picking sound through the playing where as tortex has a more mild attack.

I'm currently using 1.0 mm tortex picks.

MVL.

[ozone]

I use the wegen big city picks. They're 1.8mm. Sometimes I use the 2.5 also. But that is my range.

[GoofyDawg]

Originally Posted by River

.60 vs 5.85?

We're talking about different planets here, folks!

Totally! I used to use .6mm Tortex. Used 'em religiously for 30 years. Then I discovered both Red Bear (Red Bear Trading Co. The Best Guitar Picks Made - Your Tone Starts Right Here) and V-Picks (Guitar Picks, Mandolin Picks, and Bass Picks by V-Picks. The Best Picks Available Today.). Once I went to thick picks - and it didn't take long to get used to them - I never turned back. My accuracy and tone were completely different; and for the better!

[snakestretcher]

Tortex blue 1.00 for electric and 0.88 green for acoustics.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by Jason

I don't have a lot of experience with metal picks, but I think that's mostly because I didn't like them. It's all up to personal preference, but they feel a little too snaggy to me. And the tone is really bright and "robotic" sounding to me. I know Brian May uses a coin and his tone is awesome, but I guess that's just not me.

Thanks for your answer Jason. The way you describe it, it sounds like those steel picks are not the way to go for me.
I've just ordered a John Pearse ebony pick and a V-Pick Large Lite Pointed 1,5mm. They better be good and last long for the money they cost!

[whateverlikesgadge]

I used to be a fan of lighter picks .73mm etc but since I swapped over to 1mm i havent looked back. It improved my tone instantly it took a bit of getting used to but I dont regret changing up to heavy guage for an instant.

If you loook at a lot of the pro metal players they all use heavyer picks for the tone deffinition that they impart.

These pickboy carbon nylon 1mm are great and hard wearing. I dont really care for the reffer pattern but it does provide a stable grip.

[SlaytanicDude]

Plenty of people who play fast use heavy picks. Kerry King uses 1.14 mm, Hetfield uses .88. I could find more, but those two play (or have played) fast enough that you can use fatter pick for speed metal.

[snaredrum]

1mm, brass. best sound ever.

[xsouldriverx]

dunlop black and pointy

[guitarsmark]

I use a Brain 0.88... they have a great grip and I love the pinch harmonics I can squeeze outta them

[Tyrant Heart]

Hi,

I have tried a lot to find the right pick. For half a year I 've been playing
my Tyrant Metal style only with a TENACIOUS D medium gauged:



If you want to listen how it sounds check it out on: www.myspace.com/tyrantheart

[weirdotis]

I would say a thinner pick has less attack then a thicker pick, but to me the material makes a huge difference in the sound. For example, Jazz IIIs (the red ones) tend to sound warm and slightly more bassy and midrangey. Tortex picks have a bit more treble and a more scooped midrange. Delrin picks are more glassy sounding, somewhere in between nylon and Tortex. Polycarbs tend to sound a little thinner and weaker to my ear. Lexan picks are more bright, in a good way. I use1.14 tortex for electric and Big Stubbys for acoustic. That's just my 2 cents, hope it helps!

[lazz]

dunlop tortex .88mm.just the right size for me

[nut4les]

Eric Johnson jazz 3 picks. Only way to be. Everything else is like playing with a stale bendy potato chip.