Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: witeter on August 10, 2013, 09:22:54 AM
-
Pick shootout-will any of these bad boys replace my trusty Dunlop Nylon 1mm? Which is your 'pick' of the bunch?
L-R: Dunlop Max Grip, Dunlop Tortex .88, Dunlop Tortex 1mm, Hetfield Black Fang .94, Hetfield Black Fang 1.14, Ultex Sharp, Petrucci Jazz III, Jazz III Black Stiffo, Max Grip Jazz III
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/witeter1/picks1_zpsc3f81ba2.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/witeter1/media/picks1_zpsc3f81ba2.jpg.html)
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/witeter1/picks2_zpsf1073b0b.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/witeter1/media/picks2_zpsf1073b0b.jpg.html)
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/witeter1/picks3_zpsb060dd0e.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/witeter1/media/picks3_zpsb060dd0e.jpg.html)
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/witeter1/picks4_zpse002e2d6.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/witeter1/media/picks4_zpse002e2d6.jpg.html)
-
I love the black fangs. My only gripe is they dont last as long as my regular black ice picks. I can get a good month or so out of those the black fangs about 2 weeks.
The black fangs do sound and feel better though.
-
I'm a jazz III guy, but I've never liked the max grip thing because it seems to rip into the skin between the side of my nail. Others seems to love it though, but I've always preffered the standard red Jazz IIIs. They are more versatile too, because I can spin it around and get hugely different dynamics and tones.
I've been wanting to try the petrucci for a while now though. How is it?
-
Yeah I´m interrested in the Petrucci one too, more info please!
Sides that I am a Dunlop Ultex Jazz III 2.0 kinda guy. The smaller jazz size is a must for me, the ultex feels good and sounds nice and 2mm thickness is just up my alley.
For acoustic I prefer Sharkfins though, usually the white ones. How different the sounds I can get from turning it are is amazing. When I take the rippeled side I can make any guitar sound bright when strumming, really amazing.
-
I'd choose the Dunlop Jazz picks any day! Been playing with the black stiffo ones in the XL size and I just can't seem to find another pick that suits my needs better :)
-
Out of those I have used the orange, green, and blue regular size Dunlop picks but I really only use the red Jazz IIIs these days unless I am playing clean open chord strumming stuff, for which I use the orange Dunlop.
Once you get used to the Jazz III it is the best for most things, especially the shape of the point for double-picking rhythm playing. Or at least that's my experience.
There should be one of those picks that comes with the BKPs in that lineup ;)
EDIT: I should also say that with consumables like picks I tend to go with items that are very widely available. The more exotic stuff I can't be bothered with. I just get used to the best one for me out of the selection that's widely available at my local shops. That way I can always get my favourite pick!
-
Nice to hear your opinions guys-still very early days for me, but at the moment the standout ones are the Ultex Sharp and the Hetfield Black Fang-however the Petrucci is currently my front runner; its fantastic-very very accurate and clear on solos, best soloing pick i have tried-hands down, it actually made me play cleaner and better from the off!. What I am trying to see is if i can get used to it enough to play rhythms with the same intensity and accuracy i am used to. So for a pick to work for me, it has to work for a variety of metal rhythm styles-tremolo picking, triplets, 16ths, 32nds, etc.
At the moment i just cant get used to the normal Jazz III picks im afraid, they are so tiny, maybe i should try the bigger ones-i believe the Petrucci pick lies in between these 2 in size.
Will give them all some more spins in the next days/weeks/months-its incredible when listening through headphones how a simple pick can alter the sound, brightness, and clarity of the notes. But as with anything it has to feel right for you and the only way is to see how it makes you play.
-
Yeah I´m interrested in the Petrucci one too, more info please!
Sides that I am a Dunlop Ultex Jazz III 2.0 kinda guy. The smaller jazz size is a must for me, the ultex feels good and sounds nice and 2mm thickness is just up my alley.
For acoustic I prefer Sharkfins though, usually the white ones. How different the sounds I can get from turning it are is amazing. When I take the rippeled side I can make any guitar sound bright when strumming, really amazing.
I'm an jazz III ultex 2.0 guy too. tried the petrucci and it's alright, a bit bigger, kind of between a jazz 3 XL and a regular jazz 3.
still going back to the jazz III, though i like the V-pick stilleto, have the unbuffed and they're cool, but curious about the buffed version. they're aggressive as hell!
-
Only thing I'd like to try are the Dunlop Sharp (are they called this?) picks as I've been told that those are really unforgiving and I like my gear to be like that to improve my playing as much as I can :)
-
Yes- is it the Ultex sharp you are thinking of(thats the yellow pick in the photo) its a cool pick-i have ordered some other ones which should be arriving tomorrow, so really interested to check those out also!
-
Yeah, the ultex sharp are cool. Used them for quite some time, until I discovered that I like the size of the jazz better.
Still have some lying around for when I want something for strumming which is heavier than my sharkfins.
I think I have about 20 different pics (material, shape, thickness, etc) lying around here. I have my 2 mainly used pics, then some I dig and sometimes use like the ultex sharp and my thumbpick and a lot of special things I use once in a while and for special things like my wood pics for really smooth and soft playing.
Oh and I forgot my absolute favorite acoustic pics. While I mostly use sharkfin I have one I love more. It is less versatile and more expensive though: Claytons. It somekind of tortoise imitate I think and it sounds and feels amazing. The very thin one for strumming on acoustic is second to none for me.
-
Thanks Witeter, I need to order some of those :D
-
tortex .88 every time :)
-
Gwem i really really tried to like it, but i dont know what it is, whether its the lack of grip or the sound tortex seems to give when hitting the strings but i cant get used to it (though i do like the attack and clarity of the actual sound).Maybe i just need more time with them-thats the tricky thing when having used a particular pick for sooooo many years, do give other models a fair chance can be hard
-
Just gave my Clayton .94mm I had lying around a go on acoustic and I really rig it. The way it sounds and feels makes you wanne play very determinded if that makes sense. Direct, full of impact. Powerchords really feel amazing with this. Plus more attack, agression and focus than my Dunlop Ultex Jazz 2mm which in comparison is rounder and softer in tone, but also feels a tad nicer in the hand althoug the slimmer shape of the Clayton really has something nice to it too.
Just this little switch in pics really changes my playing a whole darn lot. Amazing every time.
-
I was using Dunlop Tortex 1mm for years, and found that they are really good picks but dont last that long unfortunately.
Recently I started using Graph tech TUSQ 1mm picks and was truly blown away by them. They make a huge difference.
As the adverts say they create that ultra harmonically rich sound due to using the same material as Graphtech nuts.
Well, they sound slightly different, yes better, but no as much as they promise. But still there`s an improvement to your sound
The best thing about TUSQ picks is that they are much accurate and much faster.
After couple of months using them, coming back to Dunlop Tortex 1mm might be hard.
Hetfield Black Fang .94. Friend of mine gave me one recently to give it a try. And must say that was a little bit disappointed due to its short life. Those picks last even shorter than Dunlop Tortex 1mm, after few ours they good for nothing. Dont like them at all, even the fact that they have Hetfield signature.
Hopefuly it that essay might help :D
-
Gwem i really really tried to like it, but i dont know what it is, whether its the lack of grip or the sound tortex seems to give when hitting the strings but i cant get used to it (though i do like the attack and clarity of the actual sound).Maybe i just need more time with them-thats the tricky thing when having used a particular pick for sooooo many years, do give other models a fair chance can be hard
i understand, everyones used to something different in terms of both feel and tone :) with a slightly thinner pick I do find strumming easier, and I break fewer strings.
-
Dunlop tortex 1mm for me.
-
Aaaand some more arrived today-excited by some of these :P
Ultex Sharp, Dunlop Tortex TIII, Dunlop Gator, Nylon Jazz III XL, Tortex Jazz Sharp
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/witeter1/picks5_zps6c694ba3.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/witeter1/media/picks5_zps6c694ba3.jpg.html)
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/witeter1/picks6_zps2fb4eeef.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/witeter1/media/picks6_zps2fb4eeef.jpg.html)
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/witeter1/picks7_zps726bdd52.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/witeter1/media/picks7_zps726bdd52.jpg.html)
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/witeter1/picks8_zpsc6e15519.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/witeter1/media/picks8_zpsc6e15519.jpg.html)
-
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/witeter1/picks7_zps726bdd52.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/witeter1/media/picks7_zps726bdd52.jpg.html)
That's the one I use 90% of the time.
-
Oh, yea unbelievers!
Dunlop Tortex 1.14 is the only TRUE pick.
Shun other picks as deceivers and whores!
-
I can't get excited about the pick debate, but I like your photography. Nice pictures.
-
No worries Philly i know exactly what you mean. It all started for me when i picked up a slightly thinner pick than usual and found that i could play faster and with having to put less effort in with my arm/wrist-hence i then went on a quest of ordering all the major pick options out there to see whether there is one out there that can make my playing more efficient but still give me the attack i like + extra clarity. Im geeky like that lol :lol:
-
Oh yeah, we're all geeks. And I'm not saying it isn't worth experimenting - I find that thinner picks are better for strumming, for example. I just can't be bothered trying lots of different brands, shapes and thicknesses.
The only thing I find (and it may be my imagination) is that translucent picks sound better to me than ones made of opaque materials like tortex. And I like the tone you get using the rounded corners rather than the pointy ones.
And I really do like your pictures. :D
-
Cheers Philly! :)
-
a pick is a pick, like philly I really can't get excited about it. I've tried different thicknesses and found that I like thicker ones and sometimes use nylon thin ones for recording acoustic guitars to get a good strumming sound. :)
-
I'd quite like to have 10,000 pics buried with me in my coffin when I die though, all the pics I've ever used saved up through my life and shows my dedication to music :lol:
-
And after tons of playing with all these varieties of pics, i have a clear winner. Reminds me of my trusty Black Dunlop 1mm but slightly thicker, much faster yet still having great grip, and solves all my gripes with the original Jazz III design, needless to say I love it-ladies and gents i give you the Dunlop Jazz III XL Black Stiffo
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd386/witeter1/jazziii_zps44bb4b1a.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/witeter1/media/jazziii_zps44bb4b1a.jpg.html)
-
I'm going to try this black stiffo version, thanks!
-
I prefer the black stiffo ones over the red nylon ones as well. However I tend to change them randomly depending on which one I grab first blindly. I have a whole box filled only with Jazz III XLs :D
-
tortex .88 every time :)
same. i've used those for like 9 years