If a bass-picker could, would and should pick a pick, which pick would a bass-picker then pick?

[PaulThePlug]

Don't like tortex... prefer Nylon.

Jim Dunlop Midi are a nice size.

[BassAdder60]

Tortex Blue Triangles are now my preferred pick. 
 

Great tone through my CTM100 using my PBass 

[KingBollock]

22 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said:

Don't like tortex... prefer Nylon.

Jim Dunlop Midi are a nice size.

Yeah, I prefer nylon to tortex. I briefly switched from standard 3mm big stubbies to the nylon version, before discovering Primetones. I actually have quite a large selection of picks, but the only ones I have in this size are these cheap, nasty ones. I would take Maude’s advice and alter them (I’d drill holes in them for extra grip) if I thought they’d last more than about five minutes.

 

I shall do some measuring on the morrow and do some research. If I have to I can take comparative photos and ask on here for suggestions.

[KingBollock]

Anyone know if the Dunlop Max Grip .60 nylon, are just standard size?

 

I’ve got one of the Max Grip Jazz III Carbons that is a nice size and very grippy (similar to the rather poorly made Lemmy signature picks that you get in the little tin. That I still took some sandpaper to to make usable, despite never intending to use them), but is too thick. The red Jazz III and the Ultex Jazz III are too small (and thick).

I need something flappier.

 

Annoyingly, this is one of those cases where my fingers are being stubborn. They like the .60mm and won’t hear any argument for fractions either side of that. Most troublesome!

[PaulThePlug]

Max Grip Jazz III v's JD Nylon 'Midi" 0.67

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281312505966?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=eUSAZaI-Tou&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=daj_hJ6fSo-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

Got some 0.97 as the 0.67 are a little flexi...

[MichaelDean]

I'm all about the black Dunlop nylon 1mm bad boys. Been using them for years, and they seem to last for ages and I've never dropped one live at a crucial moment! Plus a great tone. Not too flexible, not too hard. Perfek.

[PaulWarning]

12 minutes ago, MichaelDean said:

I'm all about the black Dunlop nylon 1mm bad boys. Been using them for years, and they seem to last for ages and I've never dropped one live at a crucial moment! Plus a great tone. Not too flexible, not too hard. Perfek.

used to use them, now switched to grey .60mm, less jarring of the (old)thumb joint, I've never dropped one either, they sometimes spin round so I'm playing with the wrong edge, a bit disconcerting but not a disaster

[Waddo Soqable]

J. Dunlop grey nylon .73  nothing else ever... 

[sky]

18 hours ago, KingBollock said:

Anyone know if the Dunlop Max Grip .60 nylon, are just standard size?

 

I’ve got one of the Max Grip Jazz III Carbons that is a nice size and very grippy (similar to the rather poorly made Lemmy signature picks that you get in the little tin. That I still took some sandpaper to to make usable, despite never intending to use them), but is too thick. The red Jazz III and the Ultex Jazz III are too small (and thick).

I need something flappier.

 

Annoyingly, this is one of those cases where my fingers are being stubborn. They like the .60mm and won’t hear any argument for fractions either side of that. Most troublesome!

pretty sure the max grip ones are the normal size i used to use the 88s and they seemed to be the same as regular nylon just with extra grip

[Baloney Balderdash]

On 07/01/2023 at 21:51, KingBollock said:

Anyone know if the Dunlop Max Grip .60 nylon, are just standard size?

 

I’ve got one of the Max Grip Jazz III Carbons that is a nice size and very grippy (similar to the rather poorly made Lemmy signature picks that you get in the little tin. That I still took some sandpaper to to make usable, despite never intending to use them), but is too thick. The red Jazz III and the Ultex Jazz III are too small (and thick).

I need something flappier.

 

Annoyingly, this is one of those cases where my fingers are being stubborn. They like the .60mm and won’t hear any argument for fractions either side of that. Most troublesome!

The Dunlop Max Grip .060mm Nylon is indeed the exact same standard size as the regular Dunlop USA Nylon .60mm pick, however for some strange reason it actually feels thicker than the regular one, it certainly is stiffer, somewhere in between the regular Nylon .60mm and the Nylon .73mm in terms of flexibility, same goes for the Max Grip .73mm which is also stiffer than the regular Nylon .73mm one.

 

I've found the regular USA Nylon .73mm perfect for me, the .60mm get's too floppy for my taste and I feel like starting to loose some control, articulation and speed using it.

 

Also the grip surface on the Max Grip picks annoys me, as it prevent me from manipulating and adjusting the pick between my fingers as I play according to what is needed, also prevents me swiftly to correct my grip if I loose it, got plenty of grip from the regular ones.

Edited January 8, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Aras]

I switched to Dunlop Pitch Black 0.60 after i saw Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood interview. Truly, sound is consistent over all strings, it is impossible to overpluck a string, pick works like a compressor in some way. And it doesn't fight with our fat strings. Pitch black series picks are more comfy for me than regulat orange 

[Kiwi]

Dunlop Tortex 0.50mm (red triangles) because I have a fairly light touch and I find the flexibility forgiving of an occasionally errant technique.

[Baloney Balderdash]

On 18/09/2022 at 07:53, Baloney Balderdash said:

So if you use a pick to pluck the strings of your bass, weather that be always or ooccasionally, which pick do you then prefer to use?

 

 

Personally I prefer the tone a pick gives me, that specific snappy emphasis on the attack that only a pick will give you, and while I do actually know how to use my fingers, even several different fingerpicking techniques, I will use a pick 90% of the time.

 

After trying out a lot of different picks, materials and thicknesses, I always come back to the standard gray Dunlop Nylon USA .73mm one, either using the tip, after having pre rounded it slightly with fine grained sandpaper, or one of the round corners, depending (picking with one of the round corners gives a fuller tone with a cleaner attack, but is not as nuanced and snappy sounding. And the slight pre-rounding of the tip improves my control over the pick slightly, and allows for slightly smoother up/down stroke strumming).

 

Just what feels and sounds best to me, the one pick that allows me to pick fastest, and for most dynamic range and nuances, and overall just giving me most control over my picking, while at the same time giving me the tone I desire.

 

 

This one, as said though with a slightly pre rounded tip:

My new favorite pick is the Dunlop Nylon Max Grip .60mm (I know, I know, this seems in sharp contrast to my last response in this thread, but please read on), which is actually a good deal stiffer for some reason than the regular USA Nylon .60mm pick, but using one of the rounded corners of the pick, which is actually a bit stiffer than the regular USA Nylon .73mm pick, and well, obviously rounded.

Edited January 16, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[BassAdder60]

I’m still loving the Tortex Triangles Blue  1mm 

 

Interestingly I found a pick and PBass a better match for my all tube amp 

 

Fingerstyle just didn’t cut it ! 

[dmc79]

On 08/01/2023 at 23:02, Baloney Balderdash said:

Also the grip surface on the Max Grip picks annoys me, as it prevent me from manipulating and adjusting the pick between my fingers as I play according to what is needed, also prevents me swiftly to correct my grip if I loose it, got plenty of grip from the regular ones.

 

I found this too with the Dunlop Max Grips. I wanted to like them but just wasn't keen on that grip surface. The normal Dunlop USA Nylon feels better and grippy enough to me. I actually played Tortex triangles (going between yellow .73 & green .88) for a good while, then I ordered a variety of picks from Dirty Riffs Guitar Shop on eBay as I wanted to try some different ones. I really like that seller, you can buy loads of picks in any quantity (including selection packs if you aren't sure exactly what you want), and if you need a tin (like the one near the top of this page), just make sure you order a set of picks that comes with one. I have one on my pedalboard. 

 

Another one I tried was Dunlop Gator Grip triangles. Again, I wanted to like these as they are slightly smaller than a Tortex triangle (I find those just a bit too big now having tried others), but the very first time I used one, it slipped out of my hand onto a black stage and I never saw it again, and I hardly ever drop picks. There was just something I disliked about that grip (the fact that it wasn't very good!). Also the nice picture wore off pretty fast. Probably a silly thing to complain about, but I prefer something plain like the Dunlop Nylon, as there is no picture to fade/blur/wear away! The only others I haven't tried yet from that batch were the Tortex Jazz III XL, they just seem a little too small for me (I'd seen them recommended on another bass site). 

 

I haven't tried and may do sometime: Tortex Flex, Tortex Sharp, Nylon Midi, Ultex (rhino) triangles, Clayton Acetal rounded triangles (duraplex), Fender Heavy 346 rounded triangles. 

 

Anyway, I really like the Dunlop USA Nylon and don't feel I'd ever need to go below .88 or above 1mm, so I plan on sticking with those two. I like that there's a little flex compared to the more rigid Tortex, the grip feels perfect, they don't feel clicky, it's just great all round. Another one I don't mind is the Fender 351 Heavy .96. 

 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2023 by dmc79

[Baloney Balderdash]

18 minutes ago, dmc79 said:

 

I found this too with the Dunlop Max Grips. I wanted to like them but just wasn't keen on that grip surface. The normal Dunlop USA Nylon feels better and grippy enough to me. I actually played Tortex triangles (going between yellow .73 & green .88) for a good while, then I ordered a few from Dirty Riffs Guitar Shop on eBay as I wanted to try some different ones. I really like that seller, you can buy loads of picks in any quantity, and if you need a tin (like the one near the top of this page), just make sure you order a set of picks that comes with one. I have one on my pedalboard. 

 

Another one I tried was Dunlop Gator Grip triangles. Again, I wanted to like these as they are slightly smaller than a Tortex triangle (I find those just a bit too big now having tried others), but the very first time I used one, it slipped out of my hand onto a black stage and I never saw it again, and I hardly ever drop picks. There was just something I disliked about that grip (the fact that it wasn't very good!). Also the nice picture wore off pretty fast. Probably a silly thing to complain about, but I prefer something plain like the Dunlop Nylon, as there is no picture to fade/blur/wear away! The only others I haven't tried yet from that batch were the Tortex Jazz III XL, they just seem a little too small for me (I'd seen them recommended on another bass site). 

 

I haven't tried and may do sometime: Tortex Flex, Tortex Sharp, Nylon Midi, Ultex (rhino) triangles, Clayton Acetal rounded triangles (duraplex), Fender Heavy 346 rounded triangles. 

 

Anyway, I really like the Dunlop Nylon and don't feel I'd ever need to go below .88 or above 1mm, so I plan on sticking with those two. I like that there's a little flex compared to the more rigid Tortex, the grip feels perfect, they don't feel clicky, it's just great all round. Another one I don't mind is the Fender 351 Heavy .96. 

 

 

 

Exactly.

 

With Nylon you do get that specific snappy emphasis of the attack only possible to achieve by using a pick, but without the click sound, which you may or may not like, that comes with harder and stiffer materials like Tortex for instance.

 

Nylon has a slightly rounder tone to it, but without loosing that very specific signature emphasis of the attack that for me at least is one of the absolute main reason for using a pick rather than my fingers, which you would loose using something like a rubber, leather or filt pick, making those seem a bit pointless to me.

 

Edited January 28, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[MartinB]

On 16/10/2022 at 12:01, MartinB said:

I like a plectrum that doesn't shift around in my fingers, and I like the pointy tip of a Jazz III. Unfortunately they only make really thick, rigid Max Grip Jazz IIIs, so my compromise is to get standard Max Grip 1.14s, and sandpaper the tips to a point. The final shape is basically like a TIII.
 

 

I've now switched to Max Grip 0.88s, as I'm tuning down to D standard and the strings are a lot floppier. Still sharpening the ends though!
To me, a nylon 0.88 feels about as flexible as a tortex 0.73 (yellow)

[BassAdder60]

I’m back using Ultex Triangle 1.14mm 

 

There is a definite nice tone created using these picks and sound better than Tortex with my gear.

 

They are very comfortable to hold and large so you don’t drop them !! 
 

Try as I may to get the better tone using fingers only it just doesn’t match the clarity and punch of the pick when running into an all valve amp ( CTM100) 

 

[BassAdder60]

I’m liking these now 

The 0.88 gives a little more flex for faster picking 

[sky]

ive recently started using the fender 355 the big massive triangle ones, although mainly on guitar. i like them

[Greg Edwards69]

My picks have been getting thinner and thinner over the years. I used to use thick stubbies years ago, then thick 1 or 2mm gator grips, then I went down to 0.71mm gator grips when I realised I wanted to accentuate that crisp "snap" that only thinner pick gives, but I was still finding it was considerably louder than my finger style playing, and the gator grip material wore out very quickly.

 

I bought a couple of mixed packs last year and after auditioning several at home and at band rehearsal I've settled on Dunlop Flex 0.60mm.  They have the durability of tortex and the warmth and flexibilty of nylon. I found the 0.60mm gauge to be the right balance between volume, crisp and snappy attack, and not losing too much low end.

[dmc79]

Has anyone tried the D'Andrea Snarling Dogs Brain picks? Just wondering if they are like a Dunlop USA Nylon, or more like a Dunlop Max Grip

 

Moving from a 1mm Dunlop USA Nylon to the same in .88, that extra flex / speed in the .88 really suits me.

 

I also found a tin of Tortex .60 orange triangles. Ordered them as I read that Simon Gallup from The Cure uses them. I can see how they work for some of his faster basslines. I recently heard about the trick of loosening a couple of screws at the top of the pickguard a little so you can put a plectrum in the gap. Whilst having a go with a new orange Tortex triangle, as I pulled it out of the gap, that weird stuff that's on the grip surface when they're new left some scratches on my black P bass body. Ouch! I forgot how a black body shows the slightest mark.

[jimmyb625]

I thought I'd try to increase my merchandising potential by getting these printed. 🤣

Ridiculously expensive (because I didn't do any research as to the alternatives, alcohol may have clouded my judgement...) and entirely superfluous, as I rarely ever use plectrums when playing!

[Rob Bisby]

On 08/01/2023 at 00:08, Waddo Soqable said:

J. Dunlop grey nylon .73  nothing else ever... 

I use orange .60 tortex, wouldn't mind a warmer alternative.. is .73 nylon as flexible?

[Waddo Soqable]

8 minutes ago, Rob Bisby said:

I use orange .60 tortex, wouldn't mind a warmer alternative.. is .73 nylon as flexible?

I'd say the 73 is reasonably flexible, it's certainly not a solid lump anyway, I've occasionally rubbed one down with a bit of emery / sand paper if I've wanted a bit more flex for a particular purpose which worked well I found. 

I really like the JD 73 and since being introduced to them about 1978 I've used nowt else!