What pick?

lv92 · September 2020

I know this is a very personal question, but what pick should i look and try to start getting comfortable with this genre, learning techniques and start getting a signature sound?

I have always used a Dunlop Jazz 3, wondering if that would work too with gypsy jazz.

All your knowledge and experience is gold!

stuology · September 2020

If you’re going to get into down stroke playing on a Selmer style guitar you’ll need something bigger and probably thicker than the Dunlop iii. There are lots of boutique gypsy jazz picks all well made with a good tone - Wegen, Manouchepicks etc - but if you don’t want to splash out a Dunlop 1.5 or 2 is fine - especially if you use the side rather than the pointy bit.

If you’re playing gypsy jazz on an arch top though then your current pick is fine.

lv92 · September 2020

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/103431#Comment_103431

Would play on a Dupont Nomade, a Selmer one. Ok, time to get a dedicated pick then 😃

Always used the pointy bit, i played all electric guitar so far. Should the pick be rounded rather than edgy?

billyshakes · September 2020

Great recent discussion on picks from earlier this summer.

https://djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/17466/picks

wim · September 2020

Dunlop Gator Grip, 1.5mm (green one) or 2mm (black one). Hold it sideways :

And Delrin are pretty popular too, they look like this

I have not used Dunlop Jazz 3 but it looks as though it can be fine too if you just turn it to the rounder edge. Avoid anything that costs more than a dollar 😀 and whatever you do, don't go searching for a "gypsy jazz pick" (an expensive disease)

mac63000 · September 2020

I came to this style from using jazz 3's and found that the Wegen big city 1.8's are a really nice transition. They are great for both lead and rhythm and not as chunky as the standard Wegen.