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I find anything with a rounder edge to be better in the mellow stakes. I've been using the Wegen "mandolin" picks for ages, and like them still. Can' t deal with anything pointy/triangular. I'd like something made of a softer plastic/material for an even softer sound, but I hit a bit hard, and chew through them pretty quickly :( The Wegens just keep on keeping on though.
Wegen Big City and Bluechip have been my go-to picks for a while.
Thank you for all the replies, much appreciated!
Yeah, I have tried to correct my technique, but it messes my right hand completely. I like to have the pick to attack the strings perpendicular, that way I can get a more full sound and better emphasis on the notes. I will probably try to get at least a couple to experiment. With rounded tips I can get a decent tremolo and more pleasant sound, with pointed ones it always sounds harsh, but have not used a pick in a while, so it is mostly my fault. Maybe it was also fault of the material. Might also try to change the strings, currently have Daddarios, I tried also Argentines in the past, but I always hated the way the sounded out of the box. Heard good things about Galli, we will see.
Will try to order from here, but need to double check the import duties, last time I ordered something from Japan, it ended up to cost me twice as much. In my country they add the shipping costs as part of the parcel, which is pure stupidity, but what can you do..
Hi there Nejc I sent you a private message.
If you feel like your picking technique is in place, I wouldn't change it unless you want to modify something specific. Changing the tone to something you'd like to hear might be a reason enough but it's a very lengthy process to change habits that are already made. Pick materials do make a difference (out of ones I tried Blue Chip is mellowest but also lasts just about forever) but the biggest is in the tip and round equals mellow. But then you can look at the shapes of Jokko's signature picks, like Paulus and Stochelo, and they are on the pointy side and of course they both have excellent tone. All that to say it can be done in different ways. Try and compare, see what works (that in itself can take time), keep what does, leave out what doesn't...etc.
Years ago I saw Bireli using a 1.5 mm Dunlop Delrin pick so I went out and bought one. I have been using them since. Warm tone and a twenty five cents price tag.
I managed to talk my right out, to change a bit. I guess a hiatus is a good thing if you want to switch things out.
I also tried to reshape a couple of picks and it worked very well, managed to get the sound I wanted by slowly tweaking the shape. Funny thing, the shape of the "point" did not seem to affect the sound as much as the radius of the thickness.
Have seen Bireli used that Dunlop pick. I still have it, somewhere.. ?
I recently purchased a Red Bear Mondo GJ pick (https://www.redbeartrading.com/ccp8/index.php?app=ecom&ns=prodshow&ref=MONDO) to try out. It is SUPER mellow sounding, even compared to their Guthrie Govan pick I use quite frequently. I personally found it to be too mellow for my tastes. My Wegens are my brightest sounding GJ picks, with the GGs coming in next, and then the Mondo being the most mellow.
Red Bear picks are pricey, but the quality is unbelievable. For my electric guitar playing, I only use the Guthrie Govan picks. I just found that for playing GJ, I prefer the Wegen, as it captures the sound I want to hear from the guitar.
Coconut, Dremel, patience...and let it age. Wegen in the meantime.
My all time favourite mellow sounding pick was made by a guy in Cornwall, UK. He makes them from cassein or galalith, it's what Selmer tuner buttons were made from. It's basically curdled milk. Galalith means milk stone in Greek. Anyway they cost about £9 and last forever. I had to re profile mine using a file and then a 4 sided nail buffer. I've bought a succession of his picks but I always come back to this one.
It's pretty grubby now and I have tried to clean it up but, hey, it works.