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Picking the right pick...and other stuff


Marvin

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As a young man, thick and stiff was the order of the day - used vigorously - but, as I've got older, I tend to use a thin floppy one more often. 

Sorry.  Thought I'd join in. 

Another Dunlop 1mm tortex fan.  But it is a bit like finding the most comfortable underpants, all very subjective and personal.

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I had to start using a pick about five years after an accident left me unable to use the fingers of my right hand properly.

I also experimented with different thicknesses of pick, and for a while used home made ones of a generic Gibson shape cut out of credit cards (using a pick punch). The standard credit card is about 0.75mm thick, and I quickly found that they were too thin and flexible for my taste, so I laminated a pair together, and played using 1.5mm for a while. Even that seemed a bit thin (bearing in mind I had limited grip, so really needed something to hold onto). 

Then I discovered Dunlop big stubbies and tried the 2mm version - even better, so I ditched my home made ones and moved on to them. I visited a music shop while on holiday in Devon and they had a good range of picks on display, so I tried a 3mm Dunlop big stubbie, and that has been my choice ever since. Absolutely no flex, they never seem to wear out, even on steel strings. I have played 2 1/2 hour sets using them with no trouble at all. 

When I listen to recordings of gigs I've played, I have to check to date to see whether they were from my finger style days or my pick days. It's easier to tell now, as in my opinion, my pick playing is better than my finger playing ever was.

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On 27/08/2020 at 14:06, Marvin said:

I've not played much for the last 2 years after my last band folded. Given the hiatus in all bands now I thought perhaps I'd try and improve my pick playing. I've always been awful at playing bass with a pick, I don't know what it is but I just don't seem to be able to co-ordinate it all properly.

Along with a nice new stand for my Jazz bass I bought a packet of picks of various thickness. I always thought I should use as thin as pick as I could. HOWEVER, mucking about with this packet of picks I noticed I faired better with the thicker ones. So, I dug around in my old box of bass stuff and found one of those Jim Dunlop Big Stubby picks that was 2mm thick...and that was even better.

I'm beginning to wonder what other preconceived notions I have about what's best for my playing that I need to ditch. :D 

 

That's what I use when I use pick with bass, the 2mm and even 3mm Big Stubbies. For guitar I use 1mm max nylon ones but for bass I find the thicker ones give me a nicer attack.

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2 hours ago, mcnach said:

 

That's what I use when I use pick with bass, the 2mm and even 3mm Big Stubbies. For guitar I use 1mm max nylon ones but for bass I find the thicker ones give me a nicer attack.

Same for me - 3mm stubbies

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I know this isn't "plectrum vs. fingers" post but when I started out, and I wanted to sound like Chris Squire, and I played Jazz Bass, I used all sorts of picks and they kept FLYING OUT OF MY HANDS. So I gave up and used fingers ever since. And then I found an upright in High School, and then I bought a Chapman Stick. I have a set of metal finger, and thumb, picks, that I explore new techniques with on Stick, never amounts to much. Try everything out there, chaps, nothing is best until it's best for YOU.

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43 minutes ago, ezbass said:

I play mine upside down and haven’t worn one away yet.

Doesn't that hurt your head after a bit?

I quite like it when the pointy end gets worn - I'll often use  one corner of the fat end for its softer attack.

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29 minutes ago, Paul S said:

Doesn't that hurt your head after a bit?

 

:whoopass:

30 minutes ago, Paul S said:

 

I quite like it when the pointy end gets worn - I'll often use  one corner of the fat end for its softer attack.

Ooh, er, Mrs!

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Hurrah for the love of 1mm picks! I just seem to have settled in to 1mm nylon picks over the years as they give me a little bit of flexibility that a solid (plastic?) one doesn't and works with my ham fisted technique.

I've ended up using Wedgie 1mm nylon XT picks and they're perfect for me as they have a concave textured area where your thumb grips and they definitely stay put better than flat Dunlop style picks.

https://www.stringsandbeyond.com/wedgie-nylon.html

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