Picks....Possibly a Different Perspective

Matteo

Yes, I find the Dunlop Primetone picks something of a compromise – a good one – between a regular plastic pick and a Wegen. The 2,5 mm is my favourite so far. I hold it sideways, like many people hold those regular plastic Dunlops. But it has bevels and is thicker, so the sound has more punch and power. Also, they seem very durable. Sometimes I wish it was larger. But then I have my Wegens. As far as I know, the more rounded model is only available in thinner versions.

dm7b5

Scoredog wrote: »

You may want to also check out the Dunlap Prime Tone's. Goes all the way to 3mm...

They do go to 5mm on some of the PrimeTone picks.
The 504 model at 5mm is fun. Also the 507 model.

Scoredog

Actually just ordered a 3mm rounded one, they are cheap enough to experiment with.

https://www.jimdunlop.com/product/477r304-7-10137-00919-6.do

swiessler

quelle coincidence!

Matteo

Oh, those black ones are also called Primetone. Well, I think I've tried one of those, a long time ago. But I may confuse them with some similarly shaped black pick. I'll see if can find one the next time I visit a music shop.

I was thinking of these (semi-round, up to 1,5 mm): https://www.jimdunlop.com/product/514p-7-10137-08274-8.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=fn&ecList=&ecCategory=

And this is the one I currently use (2,5 mm):
https://www.jimdunlop.com/product/510p-7-10137-09879-4.do?sortby=ourPicksAscend&page=3&refType=&from=fn

Matteo

Just so you now, the one's I'm talking about are not super quiet. So that's another aspect where they differ from regular plastic picks and are more similar to larger gypsy style picks.You get a bit of a click in contact with the strings. I don't worry so muck about that.

pdg

The Dunlop 1.5 mm Primetone Semiround picks are great! But you should know that two of the three points are semiround, while the third point is more rounded. So you have to look at the pick and choose one of the two semiround points before you start playing!

Pompier

This has been an extremely helpful thread. I tried almost all of the cheap picks mentioned here and now have no intention of going back to the 3.2 mm Wegen I had reverentially stuck with from the beginning. Really, I don't know how anyone can play a good upstroke rhythm with that thing. The purple turtle Dunlop is great for a softer tone and much easier to hold on to than the green gator. The 1.5 mm Primetone is great for a brighter tone. Interestingly, the edge profiles of these two are indistinguishable to my eye. You could also use the rounder edge of the Primetone for rhythm playing if you like a swoosh sound. The side edge of 2.5 mm Primetone is also pretty good if you're playing unamplified with a group. It's very bright but still easy to use for both solo and rhythm.

ChrisMartin

I am still trying many, Wegen, TimberTone, various plastic ones, even some I have made myself. I heard Django would sometimes use a button or a coin if that was all that was at hand. I know Billy Gibbons (...yeah, I know, he is not GJ...) said once he used a Mexican 20 peso coin. My question for now is what do people find easiest to keep a grip on? I am still a learner at the GJ style particularly the right hand technique. After fifty years of self-taught thumb-and-two-finger picking I find it difficult to keep hold of the pick, whether 'pompe' or soloing, the faster the picking the more likely it will go flying across the room. Any suggestions short of a dab of SuperGlue?

Buco

Chris Martin wrote: »

Any suggestions short of a dab of SuperGlue?

Courtesy of @Jazzaferri and his tip, I used violin bow rosin for a while. Had a piece of sand paper along with it, scrape a little and rub your picking fingers in it, the pick will not move any more guaranteed.

Pretty much everybody who test drove my Blue Chip SR60 said the same thing, "it really does sound nice".
Then they get reminded of the price and the enthusiasm sinks.