For those who like heavy guitar picks - what types do you like and why?

skullfunkerry

Woah, there are some *massive* picks in this thread! I was going to recommend Brit Picks, but I've just checked and they only go up to 2mm... I tried a V-Pick once; liked it when I was practising at home but hated it for gigging and went back to a standard pick halfway through the first song  

Megii

skullfunkerry said:

Woah, there are some *massive* picks in this thread! I was going to recommend Brit Picks, but I've just checked and they only go up to 2mm... I tried a V-Pick once; liked it when I was practising at home but hated it for gigging and went back to a standard pick halfway through the first song  

Oo-er... But give the Dunlop Flow a go @skullfunkerry - they do them in less thick versions also, I think you might like them.

meltedbuzzbox

I've got one of these somewhere

https://www.wegenpicks.com

Gypsy jazz one

Bridgehouse

Judging by this thread I should start playing with one of these...

Megii

meltedbuzzbox said:

I've got one of these somewhere

https://www.wegenpicks.com

Gypsy jazz one

Hmm - I suspect there was an element of copyage involved when Dunlop came up with the Primetone pick range - including the diagonal grooved surface. But the Wegen looks like a much nicer job to me - it appears there is some thought gone in to the shaping of the tip, for one thing. If I do take a file to the Dunlop Primetones I bought, I might try something similar.

mudslide73

I ordered some 1.4 Flows and some 2.0 Primetones. The Primetones sound very warm compared to my usual Ultex 2mm Jazz 3s. I like the Flows but they sound very good indeed on my acoustic.. detailed even and warm. I'll play them some more but they haven't usurped my usuals.

Megii

In case it matters - in the end I liked the Dunlop Flow Jumbo 3.0's so much I ordered 3 more while the Strings Direct offer was still on. I also got 3 of the Flow Jumbo 2.5's, just to see what I thought - which is fine, and useable, but I like the 3.0s better. So those would seem to be the ones for me - result. If they made a 3.5mm version, I'd try it, but somehow I really feel 3mm is about perfect.

The Dunlop 207s - good, and I don't regret getting them, although kind of unnecessary for me to have them. The Primetone 5 mm are basically no good at all for me, surprisingly bad in fact, so I'll give them away maybe. I did try a bit of filing and re-profiling on one, which helped, although still not great.  

bacchanalian

If anyone is interested in trying a Flow 2.00 mm, I have a couple to pass on as I am not using them. Am using Wegens equivalent to a Jazz III in 2.00 mm.
PM if interested 

Branshen

I've had the primetone 5.0, too thick for me  but the 3.0mm is great! It's worth a try but in the end  it was too expensive to keep a regular supply. 

It's a shame that the retailer is out of jazztone 208s. About 5 years ago, I went on a pick journey and must've tried about 50 types from Dunlop, Clayton, V-picks, Brossard picks, gravity picks, dava picks and a few other brands. In the end, I settled on the jazztone 208s. 

I bought a bag of 36 and have been using them ever since. 

Megii

Branshen said:

I've had the primetone 5.0, too thick for me  but the 3.0mm is great! It's worth a try but in the end  it was too expensive to keep a regular supply. 

It's a shame that the retailer is out of jazztone 208s. About 5 years ago, I went on a pick journey and must've tried about 50 types from Dunlop, Clayton, V-picks, Brossard picks, gravity picks, dava picks and a few other brands. In the end, I settled on the jazztone 208s. 

I bought a bag of 36 and have been using them ever since. 

Cheers @Branshen - maybe I'll try the Primetone 3.0 some time in that case. But took my new picks to a jazz gig last night, which was the acid test, and both the Flow 3.0 and the 207s worked really well. Using either pick, I never felt the need to swap back to my old homemade pick.

In fact, to change my mind to what I said before, for jazz playing, I really love the 207 - I seem to be liking that one more and more as I get used to it. I do think the 208 would be a very interesting one to try, and I might - but probably for me, the 207 is maybe the better choice, so perhaps lucky that they didn't have the 208 in stock, or I'd never have given the 207 a go.

The Flow is great also - and as an all-round versatile choice perhaps better. A bit brighter tone certainly, which is good for pop/funk etc.

Jonathanthomas83

I like John Petrucci's signature pick. Like a Jazz III but pointier and slightly bigger.

bingefeller

Jonathanthomas83 said:

I like John Petrucci's signature pick. Like a Jazz III but pointier and slightly bigger.

Which JP signature pick do you mean?  He has 3 different models.  Are you talking about the black ones with the smooth polished tip?

Winny_Pooh

1.4mm Wegen picks

small one for electric (between a jazz III and jazz + size) and his "bluegrass" model for acoustic.

Matt_McG

V Pick (the big diamond one), or Ultex jazz III or IIIXl and the black Petrucci work for me.

Wegen on acoustic.

i’ve tried the flow (Petrucci and Andy James) and like the feel but I hear an odd click/plink on string attack.

Jalapeno

Acoustic - I use a Wegen >5mm job, or similar from ManouchePicks

Electric - used a Dunlop Nylon .78mm years, very flappy.  These days it's a Tortex 1.7m, but more often a Jazz Stubby 3mm

slate

Another stubby fan here - 3mm for electric and 2mm big stubby for acoustic.
A friend of mine who plays jazz guitar gave me a 3mm to try about 20 years ago and I was hooked, haven't used anything else since. 

Dominic

V pick Snake.........it's really fast across the strings but very thick although you learn how to use it for fast funk type rhythm playing quite quickly
never falls from the hand or gets caught between strings when sweeping back or forward and superb for shred tremolo picking
I can't get comfortable with anything else now
have been using them for about 5 years

Matt_McG

The black polished Petrucci picks are really nice. I think they got the size on them just right. Not too big, not too small. Could happily live with them as my only pick.

But, I find I can actually play a little faster/cleaner with a standard snot orange/yellow Ultex Jazz III or a V-pick.

tekbow

I went thru all of these:

And ended up using the bottom right.

Chickenpicks, nothing else has had the combination of grip (i have sweaty fingers), accuracy and speed for me.

Also a heavy pick goes thru the strings more easily so less effort.

The one on the left is 7 months old, the one on the right is brand new.

And a size comparison, from left to right, their standard, badazz 3 2.5mm and shredder 3.5mm, with a primetone J3 on the far right.

I also tried the Flow recently. Up until I found chicken picks, the Flow was the pick I needed Dunlop to make. A textured grip, ultex in 2mm about the same size as a john petrucci j3. Was heaven on paper. And cheaper.

Didn't even come close to the chickenpicks.

PolarityMan

Phil_aka_Pip said:

So long as they're rigid the thickness doesn't matter. I use 0,55mm Jim Dunlop stainless, or the brass TeckPick ones.

I'd second this, I went from 2.5mm tortex dunlops to 1.15mm ultex (black fangs) and they actually sound better both for attack and speed.

I dont like much flex generally (except for cowboy chord strumming on acoustic but then i prefer fingertips for that) as I feel like you dont really get the physical connection to the string that lets you alternate pick quickly.