I've just done a very interesting comparison

rossyamaha

If you haven't done this, I urge you to do so. It was fascinating. I moved to Ultex picks a year or so ago and have been very happy. A buddy of mine at Dunlop gave me a handful of picks to try at Namm and I've just found them in my bag. So out they come for some fun time while the wife is off getting her nails done. 

First finding, I'm sticking with my Ultex sharp. I might up the gauge when my bag runs out but more than happy with them. Second finding, I like the thin tortex for acoustic, the Petrucci/ Andy James sig picks for jazzy stuff and the Jazz III XL for super accurate (if my fingers let me) fast picking stuff. But the 60mm Tortex also works for quick picking stuff and does better pick slides. 

I understand how boring I am and I've grown to live with it but thought I'd share in case anyone else is just as boring as me. 

https://i.imgur.com/Wap6BF4.jpg

Maynehead

.88 Tortex Jazz III is my pick of choice. Great for rock riffs, downpicked metal, fast leads, and works just fine for strumming chords too.

Paul_C

I bought a selection years ago and settled on Jim Dunlop Nylon .60mm - but because I hold them lightly I went through all sorts of modifications to try and stop from dropping them.

Having found a method that works (punching holes through the grippy bit with an awl) I carried on mucking about and found that I enjoyed using them even more if I sharpened them to a point, but then they became too floppy, so now I have a .73mm nylon standard with a curve bent into it, nine holes punched through from finger side to thumb side and four the other way, cut to a point.

The only problem now is that my experiments have left me with only one, so I need to get a few more in case I lose it!

Dominic

You don't need to punch holes - the best way is to heat a skewer in a flame (gas cooker hob ) and just burn them through
- the melting lets you mould a few burrs that make them super -grippy

WiresDreamDisasters

.73mm Tortex Jazz III is what I use these days.

roundthebend

I use my finger, or whichever random pick I can find which may include one I cut freehand from a Boots loyalty card.
I suspect you're all better than me at guitar.

Reverend

I use 2mm tortex  and score them for extra grip. 

octatonic

Planet Waves Black Ice here.
Slightly larger than the Dunlop and better grip.
1.5mm.

They have more ‘thud’.

skunkwerx

I used to like the Dunlop Gels XH but I found a year ago they had like a mould line, or a seam right on the edge which sounded horrible. I had never noticed it before, but then did with 2 seperate packs. 

Now I use D'addario abalone ones. Love em. 

tone1

Currently using 0.73 Yellow ones with a nice picture of a tortoise on... I like thin and flappy pics..... makes a Strat come alive

digitalscream

I did this years ago and, to the detriment of my wallet, I discovered that Timber Tones picks are the ones for me. I now have boxes of worn-out fancy wooden picks which represent hundreds and hundreds of pounds of gigs and rehearsals...

Take it from me, guys. Experimenting with picks is a really bad idea

Roland

rossyamaha said:

I understand how boring I am and I've grown to live with it but thought I'd share in case anyone else is just as boring as me. 

Not at all. It’s attention to details like these which distinguish the better players. Every couple of years I experiment with different picks. The best I ever found for sound we’re real tortoiseshell. We’ve not been able to buy these since the 70s. I’ve got a few left for special occasions. Nowadays I use a standard plastic pick, which I buy in bulk, and drill three 1/8” holes across the top for better grip.

roberty

I went through a phase of ordering variety packs of picks online and now I have a couple of ashtrays full of them. I use 1mm Tortex for everything now, including bass and acoustic. Maybe I could go faster with a pointy one, but I'm getting pretty quick. My tutor uses the same ones and he does slayer to tempo etc

vasselmeyer

You should try one of these. I heard they might have a very distinctive sound:

english_bob

I've been using V-Picks for a few years. They're louder, fuller and brighter than regular picks, as long as you can deal with the fact that they're three point something millimetres thick.

I don't seem to be able to play as fast with them, but that's more likely to be to do with my lack of practice in recent years.

Oh, and they're transparent, so they're a bugger to find when you strum hard, misjudge your grip and your completely inflexible pick flies out of your hand.

hywelg

Does anyone clip them when they get worn down or do you all throw them away?

fastonebaz

@rossyamaha ; I need to see a pic of you shredding with a 60mm pick! 

roberty

hywelg said:

Does anyone clip them when they get worn down or do you all throw them away?

I buy Tortex in packs of 12 and throw them away when worn.  I feel a bit sad when I throw them away

PolarityMan

Hetfield black fangs which are ultex, I have a mix of 1.1 and .94 I think (sorry the writing has worn off the 4 i have in my p[ocket right now).

My whole band use black fangs

english_bob

PolarityMan said:

My whole band use black fangs

That's one unconventional drummer.

ESBlonde

I'm quite boring and mostly use Green Dunlops now. I do have a collection of alternatives but I come back to these time after time.