Guitar pick consultation

  • @Ibot39 Mostly sandpaper because you nicked it with the Dremel? ;)

    You are not alone in your madness. I found my pick over 10 years ago, V-Pick Dimension Jr or Diamond 4.2 mm. But they are expensive and wear out so I file them. See pic. I find it very relaxing. Bought a mini vice as was destroying my fingers. :)

    If you want to part with the thick Gravities let me know. The 2 in the top right corner look cool.

  • @Ibot39 Mostly sandpaper because you nicked it with the Dremel? ;)

    You are not alone in your madness. I found my pick over 10 years ago, V-Pick Dimension Jr or Diamond 4.2 mm. But they are expensive and wear out so I file them. See pic. I find it very relaxing. Bought a mini vice as was destroying my fingers. :)

    If you want to part with the thick Gravities let me know. The 2 in the top right corner look cool.

    THAT is a fat pick ^^:thumbup: Cool picture


    With a bit Dremel I mean this ;)


  • Great job, Tobi. :thumbup:


    Just looking at it made me want one too, just like Don.


    Not sure I'd trust my skills to work an original into something as good as that 'though. If you "made" more I'd buy 'em just to try, as I reckon Don and others might too. Great stuff!

    Nah, too much work. I'm glad I'm done :)

    I can only give you a few more pic(k)s here 8o


    Jemjulio The "v mark" is the natural grain of the agate stone. Here you can see better:


    Edited 2 times, last by Ibot39 ().

  • I think I'm late for the party, but I use Dunlop White Fang Custom Flow. The are sharp, have beveled edges, they are a bit harder than other picks of same thickness and have a good grip pattern. I think it should be close to Jazz III XL and Ibanez JTC.

    https://www.jimdunlop.com/hetf…g-custom-flow-pick-1-0mm/

    I think these are exactly the same picks, just without Hetfield logo: https://www.thomann.de/de/dunl…dard_pick_set_1.14_mm.htm

    Way cheaper too ;)

    Strangely this 1,14 mm pick is not in the Flow variety pick and only available in some shops. I think this is the perfect size for the Flow pick. 1,5 mm is o.k. too, but above the "chirp" is too much and you loose some attack and brightness.


    I like the feel and articulation of the Ultex Jazz III XL better and the Ibanez JTC is twice as thick, without any "chirp".

  • Glad to find pick porn in these forums, I just use EJ Jazz 3 picks, been there since 3 years ago, I got so used to their feel that even even normal or carbon jazz picks feel weird, and any other shape feels alien to me now.

    The answer is 42


  • Tortex alternatives to the Flow and Jazz XL arrived today.


    The inscription on the black 1,35 mm Jazz is silver. Nice and shiny 8)


    The Tortex picks have no bevel or rounded edges at all. But in the first test they play really great!


  • From all the Tortex Jazz XL and Tortex Flow picks I tried (see post #88), I liked the black Jazz XL 1,35 mm the best so far (same pick, but back side in this picture). This is really a great pick and feels the most “valuable”.


    Tried another new Jazz XL alternative, the Tortex Flex 1,35 mm.


    Dunlop says: “Tortex Flex Picks combine the memory and durability of Tortex with the flexibility and warmth of nylon.”


    EDIT: After not hearing any warmth first, I have to correct myself. The Flex really DOES sound a tad warmer than Tortex.

    Still feels like it has some glass fiber mixed in or something. Totally different than expected. But offers a nice balanced tone.


    Another pick I really like now is the Gator Grip in 2,0 mm. No wonder, after I used the Delrin picks a lot lately and they have the same smaller seize. First I only used the blue 1,14 mm pick, because it has more bite. But now I really like the sound of the 2,0 mm: A darker sounding pick, yes, but in the best way possible. It has a warm character with cleaner tones and a growling, powerful push and heaviness with distortion. The surface of the pick feels better and better in the hands the longer it is played.

    Edited 2 times, last by Ibot39 ().

  • I'm a bit of a pick collector - I really like these two:

    https://www.alvaplek.de/
    https://rombopicks.com/de/collections/eco-black

    I have still fun testing new picks. So I tried the ROMBO Diamond picks.


    Short story: They are really bad (imo) ?


    Long story: My pick collection is growing and growing and growing. And so far I found some new favourites that I didn't have on the radar before. So thank you all for mentioning new companies and stuff! Some picks are not for me, but I could clearly see what others like about them. They all are different tools for different players.


    In times of paid reviews, I have to warn you guys and girls: This here now is my honest opinion about Rombo picks.


    My first impression of the company:

    Aah, the girlfriend of a young, non-pro guitarist "designed" guitar picks (with him?) in her sketchbook and he wasn't able to tell her the truth: That all the designs are fails.


    Disgusted by my own thoughts and my prejudices I forced myself to have a closer look - to the picks and homepage. So I did read the insights of the founder couple and I noticed, that they seem to be some nice people. With a good shiny marketing concept.


    Then I collapsed from laughing after I have seen the sketchbook of the "guitarists designer girlfriend"! I was totally right!!! :P


    STOP! This could not be! Their nice marketing is saying they have evaluated everything and it's design and colour is inpired by nature!


    So I looked at the available picks again. As other (paid) reviewers noticed too, only the Diamond pick seemed to be really usable for a serious player. I ordered them.


    Meanwhile the fluffy marketing has cast its spell on me. I wanted to be pleasently surprised by now! Anticipation :love:


    Then the picks arrived.

    The material feels like cheap plastic. Unpleasant shape design. "Micronodules" does nothing for the grip. Their pick material feels like cheap hard plastic between the fingers, but is way to flexible (in a bad way, like chewing gum) at the same time. Wtf? Sounds like a contradiction, but it really is the worst of both worlds in one pick. Or something. It's also way darker sounding than you might think. It's the opposite of Ultex - maybe 8)


    O.k. maybe I just have to get used to it! Then I noticed the pain in my fingers. The raised (!!) diamond structure is an obvious design flaw, that is unpleasant to hold, against all rules of ergonomic in a pick and hurting my fingers.


    The material itself seems to be pretty durable. That's the positive thing about the pick. Everything else sucks. I now have tested literally hundreds of picks. This one is really the worst so far.


    They have a new kickstarter campaign with new designs. Fun game: Can you find the design flaws in each of their new picks? I can....and this time I don't need to proof myself and buy it.

  • Update 2021

    Short Story: Made my "perfect" pick by grinding down another pick :)


    Longer Story:

    Lately I was playing Dunlop Flow picks most of the time. They are REALLY good <3 Sometimes Jazz XL.

    Love the Ultex material, but also discovered the Tortex Flow and Tortex Jazz XL for me.


    Thought about how great it would be, if Dunlop would make ONE pick with everything I love in it. But this will not happen soon, so I decided to make it myself ;) What do I want?


    1. Material: Ultex


    2. Shape: Flow pick standard, maybe a liiiitle longer sharp tip. But definitely wide angle for easy tremolo picking...


    3. Thickness: The 1,14 Flow Ultex has a nice bright attack, but is a little too flexible. With the next 1,5 Flow it starts to get warmer in tone. The 1,4 mm thickness of the Petrucci Trinity pick feels and sounds almost perfect (also Flow pick, but in triangle form and a bit too small). So 1,4 mm would be perfect.


    4. Bevels: I really like the brightness and attack of the Dunlop Ultex 427 Jazz III 2,0. It has no bevel at all and sharp edges. The Tortex Flow pick in 1,35 and 1,5mm have no bevels too (but are tumbled). I really like these kind of edges. It does not slow down my picking, but they help to articulate the notes. So I want no bevels, but maybe sliiiightly rounded / polished edges. Mostly for comfort, so that the pick feels good in the hand.


    5. Surface / grip: I love the smooth surface of the signature Flow picks (Andy James, Petrucci both 2mm and Rabea 1mm)


    So I looked for sheets of Ultem, but in the end I found some Primetone Ultex Triangle picks in 1,4 mm (with smooth surface) relatively cheap to start with.


    Here is the result (and some of the picks that inspired me):


    Edited 3 times, last by Ibot39 ().

  • I bought a Blue Chip Jazz XL 100 (2.5 mm), which cost an extortionate sum (google it!), but it was definitely the best pick I’ve ever tried. Unfortunately, I lost it on Wednesday. I’m not sure I can live without another one, but I’m also not sure I can pay that price again, hahaha:D;(


    Take my advice, ignorance is bliss. DON’T let your curiosity get the better of you!

  • I bought a Blue Chip Jazz XL 100 (2.5 mm), which cost an extortionate sum (google it!), but it was definitely the best pick I’ve ever tried. Unfortunately, I lost it on Wednesday. I’m not sure I can live without another one, but I’m also not sure I can pay that price again, hahaha:D;(


    Take my advice, ignorance is bliss. DON’T let your curiosity get the better of you!

    The Blue Chips are made of Vespel - a very expensive plastic material. Maybe one day I buy one (new or used) :) Or get may hands on some Vespel.


    If you haven't tried the Flow picks you really have to. The 1,5mm standard Ultex is the most useful and nice balanced tone imo. 2mm is great too, but here and above it starts getting darker and chirp, chirp ;) They first felt strange to me, until I realized that the "strange" thing was that they glide over the string like no other pick (except the Jazztone 208). The Flow pick is easy to play AND precise like a knife.

  • The Blue Chips are made of Vespel - a very expensive plastic material. Maybe one day I buy one (new or used) :) Or get may hands on some Vespel.


    If you haven't tried the Flow picks you really have to. The 1,5mm standard Ultex is the most useful and nice balanced tone imo. 2mm is great too, but here and above it starts getting darker and chirp, chirp ;) They first felt strange to me, until I realized that the "strange" thing was that they glide over the string like no other pick (except the Jazztone 208). The Flow pick is easy to play AND precise like a knife.

    I’ve tried the flow picks. I have a bunch in different thicknesses. Believe me, they have nothing on the Blue Chip picks ;(;(;(