Big pick comparison

[BrettT]

Well the edges on the regular Jazz III's are rounded too, which I mentioned a few times since it's one of my favorite aspects of them And a higher logo I guess would help, but still not enough to make up for how fucking slippery the plastic itself is unfortunately, though those new Max Grip ones look to be just the ticket!

Ah..sorry...I was referring to the edges specifically at the tip of the pick. They modelled it after one of his used pics, so it's kinda pre-worn if you catch my drift. A bit smoother when making contact with the strings.

 

[Erkan]

Everyone should use metal picks for über metal sound! Why? Cuz it's metal god damnit!

Slightly more seriously; I use the Jazz III too... it's hard to keep it steady when digging really hard into the strings but I like it too much, can't use any other pick

 

[AdamWathan]

Those new Ultex Sharps look pretty killer, might give one a try... Perfectly satisfied with the J3XLs though.

 

[Metaltastic]

XL's were just too big for me, even bigger than the white Cool Picks one! (#9 in the original pic)

 

[JBroll]

I used Jazz IIIs until discovering 1.5mm Tortex Sharps, then went back and forth between those two and Jazztone 205s and 208s. I'm ordering some Ultex Sharps and Jazz IIIs, Pitch Black 1.14mm, Primetone 5mm (large pointy), Delrin 500 2mms (haven't played these in a while), and D'Andrea teardrops next month.

Jeff

 

[ahjteam]

The pick preference thing is really same as comparing cars. Personally I hate those tiny picks because I'm clumsy as hell with them and I have these huge sausages so it is a lot easier to play with a bit bigger picks (but I don't like super thick picks, I like that my picks bend just a bit) and I also play only rhythm stuff and a lot slower rock stuff than you Marcus, so don't need those super small picks for the speed and accuracy.

Also those clear picks are a monumentally bad idea.

Drop one, lost forever.

Ever tried to find a black pick in a dark stage?

 

[Bekanor]

HOLY FUCK, seriously - thanks a billion for that dude, I've scoured the Dunlop site multiple times and never seen 'em, how'd you find 'em?

No worries man.

They were actually on the main page.

 

[Metaltastic]

No worries man.

They were actually on the main page.

Haha, yeah, so I see - but I'm pretty sure they're brand new, cuz I can't find 'em for sale anywhere!

 

[AudioGeekZine]

How much do you think your "open hand" picking technique makes a difference in the choice of picks?

I've seen a lot of guys hold the pick in a fist, like in the v-pick videos and Meshuggah it just seems so unnatural to me.

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, I hear ya, I don't quite get the fist thing, though to be clear, my technique isn't entirely open-hand, cuz my pinky is always anchored on the body (Petrucci-style), which was quite possibly the most critical development I made in advancing my picking technique, though the entirely open hand thing works for George Lynch and Paul Gilbert, so different strokes! But since most everybody still holds the pick between index finger and thumb, I don't think what the rest of the fingers are doing makes much of a difference tbh!

For awhile I thought Jazz III's just weren't compatible with my picking style, until (hits play on cassette player with pre-recorded party line) I forced myself to get used to them and now I can NEVER go back

 

[AudioGeekZine]

Fist, index finger pulled in:





Just looks and feels so wrong

 

[Metaltastic]

Wow, that is bizarre, but it seems to work for them! I feel like you get so much more control the closer to your fingertip you hold the pick though...

I notice the second guy (whose technique is even more extreme than the Meshuggah dude) doesn't do very much alternate picking though...

 

[kev]

Oh yeh, those eric johnson jazz III's- jesus, they can bugger off if they think im paying £1 per plectrum!

 

[SuperD]

I am a pick whore. I am STILL trying everything . I have BOXES of well used picks. The quest for the pick that provides instant gratification goes on I guess, but I realize now that I can't play worth a shit and it ain't the pick's fault.
Close fisted looks soo...I dunno...unnatural to me? It takes a lot of muscle effort to actively close a fist, and tension is the enemy. I strive for as relaxed a hand position as I can possibly achieve...for me, if I've got the pick in a death grip, my (lead) playing suffers.

And I, like Marcus (and apparently Petrucci?), often use a finger as an anchor, only usually I use my ring finger.

I played Jazz III's exclusively for about a decade as my live pick, and often still do, now alternating with several others, specifically the Cool pick Juratex and Big Stubbys. The seemingly drastic differences in these picks in regard to size and feel was all a matter of 'getting used to'...Frankly I try and use whatever suits my playing best when live and what suits the tone best when recording. Gotta be honest, I've been digging the Dunlop Delrin 1.5mm...seems to get a pick attack I really like. YMMV

 

[Metaltastic]

Well I definitely have to agree about different picks having different sounds, as that was a deciding factor in me preferring the standard black Jazz III's over the Ultex ones, even though the Ultex ones had better grip. However, I don't see any Dunlop Delrin picks in jazz size, so that's an instant pass for me I'm afraid!

And I really didn't like the Big Stubby, too fat and bulbous for my tastes

 

[supahd]

The fist/wrist method is what I try to do.. I used to anchor.. it's the same technique that Mr Gambale uses too.

Picks and pickhand technique is all about whatever woiks for ya tho.

 

[Metaltastic]

Oh of course, no argument here! (and I made sure to say that in all my posts, lest there be any doubt )

 

[supahd]

Funny thing though.. I've gone through a real similar pick journey.. have most of the ones you have listed and even tried that "Stylus" pick (not as a regular use pick).


I like the cool picks and the Dava jazz grips but ended up going back to Jazz III's.

Woulda stuck with em in the first place if they weren't so slippery. I'll have to try those pitch blacks and the max grips.

 

[Metaltastic]

The pitch blacks are Tortexes though, so you get teh epic scratchiness because of the non-rounded edges, and the tone is just a bit more unpleasantly snappy to my ears compared to the warmth of Jazz III's - max grips FTW, I just emailed Dunlop begging for them to tell me where I can buy them, WANT WANT WANT

 

[SuperD]

Picks and pickhand technique is all about whatever woiks for ya tho.

Yup, no question, ALL this is subjective (tone too...)
And we all approach everything as being important.
Plus, it's fun as hell.
I think...

Yeah Marcus, no Delrin Jazz picks...the thought hadn't even occurred to me until you mentioned it...think I want ...