Lozz196 Posted February 27, 2015 Posted February 27, 2015 The other night I tried out a couple of new picks - .73mm as oppose to my usual 1.14mm. And I was amazed at the difference in tone. Suddenly the solid bottom end went, and the mids were cutting through something rotten, giving the impression of being a fair bit louder. I`d not made any changes to the eq, and was playing the same as I always do, but even our singer/guitarist noticed and asked what I`d done differently. Must admit I didn`t like the sound, so went back to the old faithfulls, and normal service was resumed. So to all pick players, if you`re not really happy with your tone, and think there`s something missing, try changing the thickness of the picks to see how it works out before new strings/pickups etc. These were the same brand/design, just a different thickness and really made a difference. Quote
gary mac Posted February 27, 2015 Posted February 27, 2015 I noticed this a while back when I just grabbed an old pic out of the gig bag. After the first number I had to swap back to my usual Jim Dunlop Stubby 2 mm and there was my sound again. Quote
Weststarx Posted February 27, 2015 Posted February 27, 2015 [quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1425026906' post='2702989'] What's a pick? :-) [/quote] Go away you! I switched from I guess your normal plastic picks to 'Tortex' picks a while back and that massively improved my tone. These: I use the .73 yellow ones Quote
KevB Posted February 27, 2015 Posted February 27, 2015 Jim Dunlop nylon (not tortex, too stiff I find) 1mm all the way for me for those I play pick on. Wish they came in other colours than black, easily lost! Quote
Lozz196 Posted February 27, 2015 Author Posted February 27, 2015 Sort-of, it was the triangular tortex ones I was using, the .73 at the start, then the 1.14 which are my usual ones. Quote
No lust in Jazz Posted February 27, 2015 Posted February 27, 2015 Interesting - I've always used a .96mm, I've never looked beyond them. Quote
Truckstop Posted February 27, 2015 Posted February 27, 2015 I like the ones that flex in the middle. Loads of bite! It such a drastic change from my fingerstyle too so can cover lots of bases without having to fiddle about with settings etc Good shout Lozz! Quote
miles'tone Posted February 28, 2015 Posted February 28, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1425035190' post='2703166'] Sort-of, it was the triangular tortex ones I was using, the .73 at the start, then the 1.14 which are my usual ones. [/quote] My faves are also the 1.14 purple triangles but do check out the . 73 regular shaped yellow tortex picks. I love the feel and sound of them when played back to front with the point pointing away from the strings. Read here recently that Bobby Vega uses them this way round and it works! Much less clacky and plastic sounding than striking with the point of the pick, alot warmer with faster attack I find. You can indeed get pretty funky too with ghost notes sounding great and even. In my experience anyway. The purple triangles are my faves though but it is great to have a big change of tone (and technique to a certain extent) in my pocket I might add that I've only been using a pick since new year as I've spent my 22 years of bass playing just with my fingers as I always found it hard even holding a pick! Made it my new years resolution to only play with a pick til I get it down as alot of my favourite players use one. It's coming on great now and I'm absolutely loving it! Edited February 28, 2015 by miles'tone Quote
PaulWarning Posted February 28, 2015 Posted February 28, 2015 [quote name='KevB' timestamp='1425035062' post='2703161'] Jim Dunlop nylon (not tortex, too stiff I find) 1mm all the way for me for those I play pick on. Wish they came in other colours than black, easily lost! [/quote]^^^^ this, especially the colours comment, the times I've put it down on the top of my black amp and have to take my sunglasses off to find it Quote
chris_b Posted February 28, 2015 Posted February 28, 2015 Lozz, good story. Good tone is built on the smallest of changes. Quote
lojo Posted February 28, 2015 Posted February 28, 2015 Tone - its all in the fingers, no matter what pick, bass , amp, effects you have you'll sound the same , fact Quote
discreet Posted February 28, 2015 Posted February 28, 2015 When I use a pick it's a .50mm Herco Gold. Which is too thin for most people, but perfect for me - I find it much easier to produce consistent tone on up and down strokes. Don't find it gives me extra mids, though. But then again there are so many other parameters... Quote
KingBollock Posted February 28, 2015 Posted February 28, 2015 (edited) I have used Dunlop Big Stubby 3mm for the last twenty years. Then, a little over a year ago, I think, I switched to Dunlop Primetones in 3mm, because they sounded a bit nicer and, as it turned out, lasted much longer (the first one lasted a year, but considering how much they cost...). Then, recently, I have been playing a lot more Death metal, Obituary, Bolt Thrower, Cradle of Filth (I know... Not death metal...) and an awful lot of Amon Amarth, amongst other things. And it turned out that I got a better, less muddy, more defined sound with a flappier tip, when playing the really fast parts. I have quite a collection of types, material and sizes in my pick box and found the Tortex .60mm to be ideal. I went out to a couple of local shops and bought some more to try to fill in any gaps around that size, just in case, and didn't find anything more suitable. I still use the 3mm Primetones when I want a more finger like sound, especially if I am using a pick for the main notes but plucking chords with my fingers. Edited February 28, 2015 by KingBollock Quote
Tullfan Posted February 28, 2015 Posted February 28, 2015 I tried using a pick, ....but it sounded more like a shovel! Quote
skej21 Posted February 28, 2015 Posted February 28, 2015 Dunlop Jazz III XL and .96 prime tone picks for me (on the rare occasion I use them!) Quote
0175westwood29 Posted February 28, 2015 Posted February 28, 2015 use the green tortex picks, they are the perfect size and for what i do, ive used the triangle versions and they are really good as they have 3 playing edges. but i did learn something from watching nolly getgood, if you have a slightly thinner pick then it can kind of act as a comp and flex a bit if you hit the string to hard, i actually think there is some truth to this my sound is more even with the .88 rather than a 2mm. andy Quote
Subbeh Posted February 28, 2015 Posted February 28, 2015 (edited) [quote name='No lust in Jazz' timestamp='1425035556' post='2703174'] Interesting - I've always used a .96mm, I've never looked beyond them. [/quote] Same, I settled on the Dunlop 500 .96 twenty odd years ago and always been happy with it. Randomly bought a handful of them and it's really never occurred to me to change. I think I'll try a few different thickness picks next time I'm buying, see if I like anything else more. Edited February 28, 2015 by Subbeh Quote
bonzodog Posted February 28, 2015 Posted February 28, 2015 Ive always used a dunlop 0.9mm but wanted a bit more bottom ended so went for a thicker pick. Soundwise it did the job great but I couldnt believe the difference it felt in my fingers. So much to the point it was hurting my hand. Liked the tone though so will have to persevere Quote
doctorbass Posted February 28, 2015 Posted February 28, 2015 I only do picks on a couple of songs and use the Tortex 1.14mm or 1.5mm. With Roto66's on a P Bass it sounds great! Yep, small changes, big tone difference Quote
LiamPodmore Posted March 1, 2015 Posted March 1, 2015 After about 5 years of trying just about everything i could get my hands on i finally settled on the Yellow Tortex .73mm ones. I used the .88mm ones for a while but i prefer the little bit of extra flex the .73's give me. I do prefer the .88's for picking on an acoustic guitar though. Liam Quote
Prime_BASS Posted March 1, 2015 Posted March 1, 2015 Dunlop gator 2mm from me. Anything thinner lacks everything you get from beating the crap out of your bass with a fat pick. Clank city Quote
Roland Rock Posted March 1, 2015 Posted March 1, 2015 (edited) Mine don't have a measurement, but they are a bit bendy. 3mm KB? I'm picturing those dice you get in Christmas crackers Edited March 1, 2015 by Roland Rock Quote
spongebob Posted March 1, 2015 Posted March 1, 2015 I went from Jim Dunlop Tortex 1.0 down to the .88. Found them much easier to play, far better sound IMHO, and Iove the green! Quote
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