Picks

jonpowl

As I have been following this thread, I was wondering if GJ newcomers tend to prefer thicker picks. While I love the Dunlop Gator 2.0mm on my Les Paul Special, I prefer my Wegen GJ 3.5mm on my Dupont or Cigano. I think the thicker pick helps with gypsy picking style and volume. I also enjoy using a Dunlop PrimeTone 3.0mm round for rhythm, turned sideways.

Jim Kaznosky

I tend to use the Dunlops on electrics, as well. I don't know if there is a right answer to this question. I was intent for awhile on trying to find the right pick and my preferences change. Ultimately, I feel that it is pick angle.

alton

jonpowl wrote: »

As I have been following this thread, I was wondering if GJ newcomers tend to prefer thicker picks.

The Wegen gypsy jazz 3.5mm was my gateway. I bought that and Michael's picking book and went at it. I loved it and then went bigger to the Fatone. I loved that one so much I went even bigger to the Seven. This was all in the first three months.

Then at Django in June, I noticed that a lot of people were using the gators with great results. So I bought some of those and that was when I realized that a)you don't need a ridiculously thick pick to play Gypsy jazz, b)Wegens are noisy, and c)I really like rounded tips, which has led me to mandolin picks.

As I said in a previous post, if only the gators were larger, or mandolin sized, my search for the right pick would be over.

Buco

For me what shapes the tone most in order of significance (past the guitar, player and the strings) is
The tip
The picking angle
The material

The material still makes enough of a contribution to the tone to make it worthwhile for me to put down the $$$

I second Jazza's feel on pick shrinkage, this latest Djangojazz (Manouche picks) I got feels a 1/4" too deep in my palm.

They really should make those gators with the round tip, pointed the right way. Just about every person that participated in this thread would buy it. They make other picks with the round tip and they have the material so it'd be easy.
Anyone has an inside person at Dunlop?

Daveyc

@jonpowl yes I do prefer the GJ 3.5 and I just started in this style in December coming from a finger /thumb style. You guys and all the info and input have been a big help and encouraging.

alton

@Buco. I agree with your three most important things, especially the angle. I recently played a friend's sweet Martin dreadnought with a Dunlop tortex, and although the pick flexed more than I like, I got some good volume and tone out of some lead lines. Much more than before I started rest stroke picking. And the dreadnought- tortex combo is one I used for years, I just always had trouble being heard in jams. Not so much anymore.

wim

Well here is a photo of Jon sitting on his front porch with a dremel, trying to grind the perfect pick out of a piece of coconut or god knows what

bopster

I've sat in that same position with a dremel in my hand. At some point, my OCD takes a break and I go play the guitar, and whatever I have in my hands sounds great. Such is life.

Jon

@Wim Glenn that's hilarious I tried making them for a while, and did make coconut one that I loved for electric guitar, but never got the bevel sounding right. Simon Kidd, a gypsy jazz guitarist here in Melbourne, makes the best hand sanded ones I've played. He's got a real knack for it. I've played a few of his in all different materials, including a fantastic real tortoise one that he's using now, based on the shape of the gator side, around 2mm thick.

woodamand

I just bought a couple Wegen GJ 3.5mm picks - this may end up being my favorite pick (for now anyway...........). One thing I don't understand is why the edges on the top and sides of the pick are sharp and not curved, I sanded them down a bit to make them feel much nicer in my hand. Anyone know why they are made this way?