Wegen Picks

Picky · October 2006

Hi !!

I am a journeyman Gypsyjazzer learning right out of Michael's "Gypsy Picking" & also the one he co-partnered Andreas "Gypsy Fire". Excellent resource for anyone into Gypsy jazz or wanting a monster tone!!

Wonder if anyone one here uses the Wegen Fatone or Gypsy Jazz pick for playing blues or rock or strats too. I feel awkward going back to normal JD 1.5mm for electric guitar. So I just use one pick for all.
Any one has anything or similar to share?

Thanks

BluesBop Harry · October 2006

Great! Sounds like you are on the right track.
I use a Wegen gypsy jazz for playing on electric (ES-335) as well as acoustic. I`ve found that it works great for blues playing along with the GP technique. I don`t play any rock but I guess it could work there too.
If you look at BB King playing you can see he plays all downstrokes.
Charlie Christian is believed to have played mostly downstrokes too.
And Joe Pass and Russell Malone both use a technique very similar to GP.
I wish you good luck in your journey!
Enrique.

capilano-gypsy · October 2006

I've tried it with a 3.5mm thickness, but it simply doesn't work too well in an electric setting for me. There is too much "pick noise" from this one so I'd opt for a thinner pick like the 2.5mm.

Blue Drag · October 2006

Yes, I use Wegen Gypsy Jazz picks in Blues/Jazz settings with Reststroke Technique on either a 355, a Les Paul or a Strat. It works very well for me (I do at times do alternate picking but I can go back & forth without thinking about it). The only downside was I went from hardly ever breaking strings to breaking an average of one per gig, strangely enough it was mostly D strings. The tone is great though. I sometimes use Dunlop Jazz 208 picks for both Gypsy Jazz and Jazz/Blues and find not much difference from the Wegen except for a very slight volume decrease, which on the electrics is a moot point (and of course, a dramatically lower price). I think Robin Nolan uses the 208.

http://www.nextag.com/Dunlop-477R208-Jazztone-Large-500751797/prices-html

BluesBop Harry · October 2006

Hey BlueDrag:
If you`re breaking the same string over and over maybe your saddle is a little sharp, try using sandpaper to smooth it out and then apply some graphite with a pencil.

Seamus · November 2006

When I went back to my electrics after playing little but gypsy jazz for more than a year, I found the transition very difficult-- with the Strat strings much closer together, I just couldn't get the Wegen to work. It was a little better with my semi-hollow body Epiphone, but still didn't quite work. I used to use 1mm Dunlop vinyl, but it seemed way too flimsy. I found a perfect middle ground for me, a John Pearse horn sarod pick-- stiffer than any Dunlop, but substantial enough to feel right after switching to Wegens. Worth a try, and Michael sells them here:

https://shoppingcart.djangobooks.com/it ... orn_1.html

Picky wrote:

Hi !!

I am a journeyman Gypsyjazzer learning right out of Michael's "Gypsy Picking" & also the one he co-partnered Andreas "Gypsy Fire". Excellent resource for anyone into Gypsy jazz or wanting a monster tone!!

Wonder if anyone one here uses the Wegen Fatone or Gypsy Jazz pick for playing blues or rock or strats too. I feel awkward going back to normal JD 1.5mm for electric guitar. So I just use one pick for all.
Any one has anything or similar to share?

Thanks