Jazz III picks - alternatives?

guitarfishbay

Looks like Luke uses the Jazz 3 nylon judging from this video can't be 100% certain though since he doesn't say it out loud,  http://vimeo.com/35968915

Playing PTH type music does require a huge amount more picking than most styles require.  A couple of hours of practicing stuff like that is a lot of picking.

tonyrath

I use a wegen jazz floor tile 5mm never wears out

Phil_aka_Pip

Dunlop 0.55mm stainless won't wear out on you. IMO they're better than Jazz-IIIs.

ThePrettyDamned

How about jazz Ultex? They're a funny off white colour.

Apparently tougher than nylon?

guitarfishbay

Ultex is tougher than nylon IMO, though they aren't as indestructible as the marketing makes them out to be.  They still wear, but more slowly than nylon.  They don't sound or feel the same but you might prefer that.  Worth a try for sure.

Hertz32

John Petrucci Jazz III's?  I use 'em and they are brilliant, 1.5mm thick with a polished tip. I've used the same 5 picks for about 5 months and they are starting to get a fair bevel on them now. Bucket only has the one, so I assume his gets far more use than any of mine individually, wonder how his are wearing. Alternately, look at Winspear picks, and Hufschmid Picks.

TimmyO

octatonic said:

I switched from Jazz III's to Planet Waves Black Ice.

They are excellent.

Ditto - I bought a bag of 100 from an Amazon seller - super cheap that way 

xGizmo

Anyone tried Hufschmid Guitar Picks ?

I fancied one of the HufGlow standard pointed but @ 20 euros each + 8 euro shipping there a bit pricey (it was the shipping that really killed it for me i mean 8 euro to post a pick!)



Still they do look cool

imalone

Tusq? They're pretty hard. Unfortunately the Jazz-III-like teardrop ones are hard to get hold of in the UK. If graphtech http://www.graphtech.com/products/brands/tusq-picks don't ship internationally then I think the only teardrop ones you could get are from US ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-GRAPHTECH-TUSQ-Guitar-Picks-TearDrop-1-40mm-Bright-Tone-/271278872316?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item3f297b16fc (which are the brightest ones, and even the cream ones are pretty bright)

monquixote

I would say beware using weird picks from hard won personal experience. 

I used to use some custom metal picks I found in a shop and then never saw again. When I eventually lost them all I discovered I had changed my technique and found it really hard to go back to tortex. The same story when I started using weird custom gauges and then couldn't find any before a gig. 

I stick to 10-46 and Jazz III now because I can get them at any shop.

koss59

The Eric Johnson Jazz 3 is better sounding than the standard and doesn't wear to a rough edge like it either. I'm now using the Petrucci one now though, great sound wears well and is slightly bigger then the Jazz 3 so is better for rhythm playing.

guitarfishbay

monquixote said:

I would say beware using weird picks from hard won personal experience. 

I used to use some custom metal picks I found in a shop and then never saw again. When I eventually lost them all I discovered I had changed my technique and found it really hard to go back to tortex. The same story when I started using weird custom gauges and then couldn't find any before a gig. 

I stick to 10-46 and Jazz III now because I can get them at any shop.

This is exactly why I don't use Jazz IIIs anymore, they just don't feel or sound right for acoustic strumming and swapping between small picks for electric and big picks for acoustics was screwing up my technique.  99% of the time I use nylon Max Grips these days, 1mm for electric and .88mm, .73mm and .60mm for acoustic depending on the tone and style of playing used.  If I'm going to track something more technical on electric I'll sometimes use a 1.14mm Black Fang or Tortex Wedge as it is easier to pick more accurately on the sharper and firmer tip.