standard gypsy picks

rafapak

hi guys

I wonder what are standard gypsy jazz picks and if they are available in regular music shops? well, I use dunlop 1 mm for my electric stuff and that is ok but read somewhere that you need 3.5 mm picks for gypsy guitar. Pleease, write comments

regards
rafal

noodlenot

the standard? i don´t know... lot´s of people like the wegen picks, other prefer moustaches, other use more "normal" picks (dennis chang uses, IIRC, a standard tortex pick in his rhythm DVD, stochello has been known to use a slimmer bigcity pick - again IIRC), some others roll their own (fapy does that).
i myself am partial to the GP350 (the "standard" wegen gypsy pick), but also like a lot a pick from fellow member greg pacetti (hope i got the name right). sometimes i like to use the wegen "button", some other times i use my dunlop jazz pick... i don´t like very much the dugain style of pick, it´s too long and pointy for my taste, but to each its own, as they say. my only solution was to buy a sh&tload of them, and try, try, try.
as for your question, i don´t know if there is a de facto standard. people tend to associate gypsy jazz with big, sturdy picks, because that´s what django was known to use, but i believe a gypsy could play the hell out of any guitar with anything as a plectrum.

are they available in stores? i suppose it depends on where you live... here (portugal, EU), absolutely not. your best luck would be with something in the likes of dunlops big stubby (which, BTW, i don´t like for gypsy jazz). webshops are your friends, i suppose.

not of much help, i´m afraid...

best of lucks,
Miguel.

rafapak

thanks!

Jazzaferri

Pick type and thickness factors to think on.

Mainly solo or rhythm
Guitar
Strings
Attack desired
Experience

I play a 2mm blue chip Lg Jazz now and although I find it more challenging to get a nice rhythm sound on it I love the speed that it comes off the strings, the lack of pick noise, and the crisp attack.

HCQ

I use several:

3.5 mm and 2.5 mm Wegen Gypsy. The 2.5 is a little brighter.

3.5 mm Red Bear GJ No. 9. Sounds a lot like tortoise shell, sweet, bright and focused.

Bull Horn picks from Big City Strings. The Bone picks are bright and have a very focused hi-fi sound. The Horn picks sound best when I'm plugged in. Plugged in they don't have a ton of pick noise or "plunk". They translate dynamics well when going electric and volume is a bit more even and translates where along string length one picks very well. Its just not the loudest compared to the previously mentioned picksI use these on my Fender guitars as well.

IMO, all the above are great picks.

Planet Waves Black Ice picks at 1.5 mm are intriguing me at the moment. These have a darker sound, and these can actually be found in some music stores.......

Best,

Steveareno

From regular music shops, try heavy celluloid picks. Usually about 1.5 mm is about as thick as they go, but I find the tone and feel very pleasing. They seem to warm up in your hand which helps with the grip (you can also drill holes in the middle to help with the grip). I prefer rounded tip and use David Grissman Dawg picks (about $1.20 each). For the expensive stuff I have a Red Bear (2.5mm) with similar shape which sounds good) and a couple of Wegen Mando Picks 2 mm (a little too bright for me). You don't need to spend a lot on exotic picks. Best to experiment. If you like a rounded tip you can play a regular shape pick on its side (on the shoulder). Everyone has a different spin on picks.
Swang on,

rafapak

thanks

Spartan

I've been using these really thick V-picks and the tone from them is awesome, the one i'm using at the moment is 4.10mm but it's surprising how quickly you get used to them, great for single note stuff, maybe not as good for intricate chordal work, as they are so thick, but even with the chordal stuf they can still work.

Using a thinner pick now feels weird and there is just not the same power generated.

THynes

A pic that I find useful is the Mind Pick. It is made of Agate stone. I
have been using this
particular one for 30 years. Never wears and gets a beautiful sound.
I am not sure if they are still being made. They last a lifetime, just
don't drop it on concrete.
THynes

Steveareno

+1 on the V picks. Prefer the 2.75 mm (perfect thickness for GJ for me). They had some in Westwood Music here in LA and I grabbed a couple (only about 4 smackaroos each). They make them in colors now (not just clear) and with rounded edges, which I prefer. A little brighter than the the Dawgs which I like alot, but still fairly mellow. Wegens are too bright for me. The V pick material feels good and warms up in your hand so it kinda sticks to your fingers, but still slides off the string nicely.
Swang on,

Spartan

I like the V-picks, i just bought a couple of the Psycho's, 5.6mm thick, nicely beveled edges, nice nice tone, maybe, as i mentioned before, a bit thick for intricate chordal picking, but for rhythms and lead, really is fabulous, but expensive!

I wouldn't go around mislaying any of these picks at the price of them.

Basically though, unless you lose it, one pick could last a lifetime! They really don't wear much and when they do it's in that nicely smoothed down kinda wear that feels even better.

The only downside i see to them is price. That's a very expensive pick!