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Post by bluesky636 on Nov 10, 2017 2:39:15 GMT
Looking for recommendations for flat picks to use playing my Gretsch 9201 Honey Dipper resonator. I am currently using Dunlop Green Tortex picks which give close to the sound I want but not quite bright enough. What I DON'T want are recommendations for thumb/finger picks. Although I used to play classical guitar (quite well actually) arthritis and neurological problems no longer allow me to use my fingers and thumb individually. So, flat picks it is. Thanks.
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Post by creolian on Nov 10, 2017 6:40:27 GMT
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Post by Stevie on Nov 10, 2017 7:48:53 GMT
One of Jeff's countrymen turned my attention to bone picks. I already had one that was kind of heart shaped with a hole making it double as a pendant, but since it was a gift, I didn't use it. I bought a few more bone picks and now I find my old favourite red Dunlop Jazz IIIs are no longer my go-to plectrum of choice. It's worth giving bone picks a go. Attention to detail in manufacture is worth consideration as in not just any old bit of hapless cow's leg bone. For flat picking, I prefer not to have too exagerated a point and obviously a nicely polished profile. Even a slightly rougher edge is still worth consideration for the effect on tone, but for flat picking I'd go for smooth.
e&oe...
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Post by lonelyjelly on Nov 10, 2017 8:10:50 GMT
Ebony picks sound pretty good on my resonator...very clear and bright. As is my Wegen Bluegrass - maybe more neutral and all round sounding- rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F253232089648Yiu could treat yourself to a Bluechip Pick, pretty expensive thou should last forever and then some, provided you don’t lose it  Dunlop Tortex picks are also really really nice for the price. Clear, hard, etc. I have a 2mm ‘sharp’ which I like a lot. Hope that helps. |
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Post by creolian on Nov 10, 2017 15:42:28 GMT
One of Jeff's countrymen turned my attention to bone picks. I already had one that was kind of heart shaped with a hole making it double as a pendant, but since it was a gift, I didn't use it. I bought a few more bone picks and now I find my old favourite red Dunlop Jazz IIIs are no longer my go-to plectrum of choice. It's worth giving bone picks a go. Attention to detail in manufacture is worth consideration as in not just any old bit of hapless cow's leg bone. For flat picking, I prefer not to have too exagerated a point and obviously a nicely polished profile. Even a slightly rougher edge is still worth consideration for the effect on tone, but for flat picking I'd go for smooth. e&oe... Hello Steve, all A bit OT but... I had not heard of "bone" picks but nothing would surprise me. I wonder if Horse Hoofs wouldn't make a good pick... In looking for a good replacement for those old fender picks ( I'm not going to pay 5-20 dollars for a guitar pick!) The Shop owner who put me onto pick boy showed me an old Tortise shell pick... I would have thought it was a celluloid plastic pick if he hadn't told me what it was. All best, Jeff |
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Post by Stevie on Nov 10, 2017 16:04:56 GMT
That was my point of view too. I have since bought about 8, three of which were size for size the same as Dunlop Jazz IIIs. Of course you can buy all sorts including ceramics and porcelain. Heavier picks like those hewn from bone do take a little adjusting to. I just wish I could practise as I preach and bring myself to hemorrhage cash on one of those tungsten slides. Try a few out if you see some and even buy one for five bucks or so. I'm pleased my friend near Philadelphia talked me into it now.
e&oe...
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Post by creolian on Nov 10, 2017 16:38:51 GMT
That was my point of view too. I have since bought about 8, three of which were size for size the same as Dunlop Jazz IIIs. Of course you can buy all sorts including ceramics and porcelain. Heavier picks like those hewn from bone do take a little adjusting to. I just wish I could practise as I preach and bring myself to hemorrhage cash on one of those tungsten slides. Try a few out if you see some and even buy one for five bucks or so. I'm pleased my friend near Philadelphia talked me into it now. e&oe... Are those fossilized bone ? Fossil Mammoth bones are quite popular with the knife makers these days. I'm slowly but surely gravitating to fingers only but Even when I'm flat picking I'm using my middle finger and doing a lot of pinching. I can't bring myself to spend a lot on picks as I lose them (and sometimes find them ) regularly. Ive tried a number of different Dunlops and never one I liked. j |
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Post by bluesky636 on Nov 10, 2017 22:58:12 GMT
Ebony picks sound pretty good on my resonator...very clear and bright. As is my Wegen Bluegrass - maybe more neutral and all round sounding- rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F253232089648Yiu could treat yourself to a Bluechip Pick, pretty expensive thou should last forever and then some, provided you don’t lose it Dunlop Tortex picks are also really really nice for the price. Clear, hard, etc. I have a 2mm ‘sharp’ which I like a lot. Hope that helps. More money than I care to spend. As noted in my OP I am currently using green Dunlop Tortex picks. |
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Post by bluesky636 on Nov 10, 2017 22:59:23 GMT
Interesting. What gauge do you recommend? Thanks. |
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Post by creolian on Nov 10, 2017 23:06:53 GMT
I'm used to heavy and medium small pics. The .75mm are what I'm using.
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Post by bluesky636 on Nov 10, 2017 23:14:06 GMT
I'm used to heavy and medium small pics. The .75mm are what I'm using. Thanks for the info. |
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Post by lonelyjelly on Nov 11, 2017 1:38:57 GMT
Ebony picks sound pretty good on my resonator...very clear and bright. As is my Wegen Bluegrass - maybe more neutral and all round sounding- rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F253232089648Yiu could treat yourself to a Bluechip Pick, pretty expensive thou should last forever and then some, provided you don’t lose it Dunlop Tortex picks are also really really nice for the price. Clear, hard, etc. I have a 2mm ‘sharp’ which I like a lot. Hope that helps. More money than I care to spend. As noted in my OP I am currently using green Dunlop Tortex picks. Fair enough....but as per your OP you asked for recommendations as you said the Green Dunlop Tortex weren’t quite right. I wouldn’t have thought it a year ago, but the difference in sound created by different picks is quite staggering. For £6-7 I don’t think you can beat the Wegen Blyegrass pick. Sounds much better than pretty much everything else I’ve tried, except for a Bluechip pick, which I agree is a bit OTT on the price. In terms of Dunlop, if the Ultex doesn’t float your boat or is too expensive then the blue Tortex 1.0mm gets my vote. Really clear and natural sounding, and only about 50-75p a pick :-) Hope that helps. |
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Post by creolian on Nov 11, 2017 3:51:13 GMT
I'm used to heavy and medium small pics. The .75mm are what I'm using. Thanks for the info. To be completely honest after 45 years Ive narrowed it down to these... The upper left fender is supposed to be a holy grail but my fingers cant really tell the difference. Second row right fender is the one pick id choose if I could only have one. The confetti colored pics are at least easy to find on a dark floor. At times there are guitar picks on most horizontal surfaces in my home. Just to clarify a bit, I was more into a single note style without much strumming that used the smaller teardrops. The Pickboys on the upper left are .75 and 1mm. The .75 works for a more relaxed alternating bass combined style. Im gravitating to using mostly bare fingers on acoustic guitars but when Im playing electrics I keep a pick handy. I suggest getting a few different gauges and sizes as its a subjective thing and If nothing else they're pretty sitting in the old ash tray and visitors can find something they like. I feel for you with the hand issues. I hope the reso helps you get the music in you out there All Best, Jeff  |
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Post by bluesky636 on Nov 11, 2017 5:20:20 GMT
More money than I care to spend. As noted in my OP I am currently using green Dunlop Tortex picks. Fair enough....but as per your OP you asked for recommendations as you said the Green Dunlop Tortex weren’t quite right. I wouldn’t have thought it a year ago, but the difference in sound created by different picks is quite staggering. For £6-7 I don’t think you can beat the Wegen Blyegrass pick. Sounds much better than pretty much everything else I’ve tried, except for a Bluechip pick, which I agree is a bit OTT on the price. In terms of Dunlop, if the Ultex doesn’t float your boat or is too expensive then the blue Tortex 1.0mm gets my vote. Really clear and natural sounding, and only about 50-75p a pick :-) Hope that helps. I use yellow Dunlop Tortex with my Breedlove Discovery Concert, green Tortex with my Gretsch resonator, and blue Tortex with my Strat and R8 Les Paul. Yellow is too thin sounding with the Gretsch and blue too muffled. I guess I am looking for something between the yellow and green for the Gretsch. $9.00 is a ridiculous amount for 1 or two picks. Yeah, I know there are more expensive picks. I'm just a hobbiest, not a pro player. |
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Post by bluesky636 on Nov 11, 2017 5:28:04 GMT
To be completely honest after 45 years Ive narrowed it down to these... The upper left fender is supposed to be a holy grail but my fingers cant really tell the difference. Second row right fender is the one pick id choose if I could only have one. The confetti colored pics are at least easy to find on a dark floor. At times there are guitar picks on most horizontal surfaces in my home. Just to clarify a bit, I was more into a single note style without much strumming that used the smaller teardrops. The Pickboys on the upper left are .75 and 1mm. The .75 works for a more relaxed alternating bass combined style. Im gravitating to using mostly bare fingers on acoustic guitars but when Im playing electrics I keep a pick handy. I suggest getting a few different gauges and sizes as its a subjective thing and If nothing else they're pretty sitting in the old ash tray and visitors can find something they like. I feel for you with the hand issues. I hope the reso helps you get the music in you out there All Best, Jeff I used to use Dunlop red Jazz picks with my Strat and Les Paul, but I have a hard time holding them anymore. A 351 size pick is about right. Thumb picks hurt my thumb joints. The amps I build myself.  |
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