Tortis pick

Barengero

Since a few years I use a big 5,2 mm pick of real tortoise (I inherited this one of course ) and it is the best pick I ever had. Maybe this is similar to the one that Fapy made for Michael. Shure it makes a little more noise than other picks may do, but I confess that I try to play LOUD so that the sound of the strings drowns out the noise of the pick. The only disadvantage of this pick is that I always panic to loose it some day (ask my family).

Best

Barengero

Josh Hegg

I know what you mean about losing picks. I don't have any that are worth more then $30 but when I still freak out when I drop one at a jam. I lost one on the first or second song one week and after every tune I would get up a look for it again. People were laughing so hard at me that by the end of the jam I had 3/4 f the bar laughing a looking for my pick. We found it under the piano! Glad I did too I love that pick...

I hope some day the Tortis pick maker will make a thicker pick. I want one now after trying out the Jazzer. I'm going to looking to it and see if I can't get him to make me one. I'll let you know what happens.

Cheers

TenorClef

I was very interested in aquireing a genuine tortoise shell pick having heard they are very nice picks, i've tried numerous other types from exoctic wood to horn and bone. I thought they might be the odd vintage one on ebay or perhaps some tortoise buttons that could be converted to a guitar pick with no joy. I did however spot a chap on ebay who is selling real turtle shell picks which must be more or less similar to tortoise. The link is here for your interest-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... B:AAQ:UK:1

emicad

Have you ever played with a Moustache pick?
My dream is to have that pick made of tortoise shell
Any idea where I can find some tortoise shell to work?

TenorClef

Its been brought to my attention that the sale of tortoise shell is now illegal, i'm not sure if that applies to vintage tortoise shell or not but it very much comes under the same catagory as Ivory.

As for the link i provided for Turtle shell, i purchased a 2mm pick which arrived today, the pick does not really compare favourably to either my Wegen gypsy pick or my 'Django coconut' pick which is equally as good as the Wegen but half the price. (Available via ebay)

pmh425

I was given one of these as a Christmas Present last night and found it to be the best pick yet for me. My Dell'Arte 12 Fret D hole (with Newtone Gitane Jazz strings) sounded absolutely wonderful when I used the Tortis, sweeter and smoother. I have used Wegen, Moustash, Dugain, and various other picks but the Tortis instantly became my pick of choice. Thanks to justthebassplayer for a wonderful gift!

just the bassplayer

pmh425:

Glad you like the pick. It sounded great coming back at me during practice!
I used to use real tortoise picks decades ago, on my Hofner bass. This sounds just the same to me.