Guitar pick materials...

[Maiden89]

Lately I've been wanting to check out if the material in guitar picks actually make a difference in the tone. I've been particularly interested in the stone picks, but I've also seen shell, bone and wood picks that look pretty cool. I noticed most people that use these kinds of picks play acoustic; I rarely see electric players using them.

One of the reviewers on a stone pick site said he used his stone pick to play hair metal type stuff. I like to play 80's hard rock, metal, power metal and I'm wondering if these stone picks would effect the tone in a positive way.

Wouldn't be a good thread without photos...

Stone Picks



Wood Picks



Mother of Pearl Picks



Do any of you guys use stone, wood, shell, bone or any other type of guitar pick? If you do, how do you like them?

[Matt_B]

Lately I've been wanting to check out if the material in guitar picks actually make a difference in the tone.

Yes, it does make a difference. The shape of the point you hit the string with makes a difference too.

I've tried copper, stainless steel, a six pence, stone, Big Stubbies, nylon, Tortex, Ultrex, celluloid and polyacetal. Harder materials have a brighter more biting attack. Softer materials soften the attack and make it not as bright. A sharp point creates a more precise, definable attack and a rounded point make it sound smoother. A serrated edge (e.g. the side of a quarter) add some swishiness to the attack. You can also add angle of attack into the equation as well. Slicing the string perpendicularly is brighter and more precise than attacking it at a parallel angle.

Most pics are cheap but even if they're not it's worth experimenting with them if you don't like your current picks. I finally settled on Ibanez Grip Wizard which they discontinued but I was able to pick up around 500 of them at least.

[leftykingv2]

Yes, it does make a difference. The shape of the point you hit the string with makes a difference too.

I've tried copper, stainless steel, a six pence, stone, Big Stubbies, nylon, Tortex, Ultrex, celluloid and polyacetal. Harder materials have a brighter more biting attack. Softer materials soften the attack and make it not as bright. A sharp point creates a more precise, definable attack and a rounded point make it sound smoother. A serrated edge (e.g. the side of a quarter) add some swishiness to the attack. You can also add angle of attack into the equation as well. Slicing the string perpendicularly is brighter and more precise than attacking it at a parallel angle.

Most pics are cheap but even if they're not it's worth experimenting with them if you don't like your current picks. I finally settled on Ibanez Grip Wizard which they discontinued but I was able to pick up around 500 of them at least.

+1` One of my older siblings lives in Hawaii and he sent me a pick with my initials on it. The picks made out of whale bone and the guy who put my initials on it used a technique called "Scrimshaw." It does have a brighter attack than any other pick I've ever used. I really don't ever play with it though because it's not comfortable for me.

[pianoguyy]

But a big question for electric players is:
does tone matter or are you getting tone from the gadgets.

[leftykingv2]

Most of the time I plug straight into a Boss chorus pedal and directly into the amp so yes....Tone matters to me.

[Brandenburg]

I always use the green dunlop picks.. to me they are the perfect thickness and feel..

as for tone.. it matters but I believe tone comes from the fingers more so than any gadget..

[Maiden89]

I agree that most tone comes from the fingers and hands; in fact, a lot of the times I use my fingernail to pick when I can't find picks laying around. A pick is a tool that becomes part of your sound though... Once you experiment with pick thickness, shape size and material it opens up a lot more to your playing, in my opinion.

I think I'm gonna get a stone, koa wood and seashell pick to experiment with. Their not cheap though, I'm gonna have to be a lot more careful with not losing them.

[Matt_B]

Pick material and thickness affects the attack part of your tone. The more your pick the more you notice it.

[straycat]

The thicker the pick the warmer the sound is what it seems like to me.
I use V picks usually and 1.5 is the thinnest I use but do use a 2.75 on a particularly bright guitar.
The point and how sharp it is does make some difference.
These pics are all over a year old and get used everyday so the durability of V picks are outstanding.
I like the material because once the get warmed up they stick to your fingers and you don't drop them.

[pianoguyy]

But a big question for electric players is:
does tone matter or are you getting tone from the gadgets.

Don't shoot the messenger, it was just a question. Lol
i mean, the minute you use a compressor your tone dies. Then we add an eq to bring back what was taken away, but we bring out some highs and add some lows.

Picks. Cords. Amps. Strings. everything makes a difference, but the gadgets make up the differences we don't make ourselves.

[Hellbat]

Try some of the Dava nickel picks. They are plastic but have a nickel leading edge embedded. It can add a lot of snap and brightness to the tone. Great for single note stuff or 'janglier' tones.

[watson503]

Straycat mentioned the V-Picks and I like them a lot - the Screamers, especially. I was using those and Big Stubbys until I tried Gravity Picks, I really dig those - they are a bit higher in price but he sends you a free pick with your order so it kind of evens things out.

[LaoWai]

Still using jazz IIIs, but the ones with the grips. If I loose all my picks, I just grab a plastic bread tie

[Brandenburg]

ok some of these pics look awesome.. might have to try a few out

[straycat]

V picks will send a few extras to try free of charge too.
V pick screamer is one of my faves but the red rocker and switchblade work the best for me.
They might be pricy but they last a very long time so well worth the money IMO.
I have a screamer thats over 3 years old now and its still in great shape.