Plectrum advice

[NancyJohnson]

I honestly don't get these type of what's-your-favourite-colour? type threads.  OP has used a pick previously, but is asking for plectrum recommendations and how to use them.  What follows will inevitably be dozens on well-intended posts suggesting plectrums of various makes/thicknesses etc.

 

Come on!  The OP purports to have been born in 1972.  They're 52-ish.  It's like riding a bike or tying your shoelaces.  If you've used one previously, you know what you've used, whether you were happy with it and you simply don't forget.

 

Please.

[SumOne]

33 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

I honestly don't get these type of what's-your-favourite-colour? type threads.  OP has used a pick previously, but is asking for plectrum recommendations and how to use them.  What follows will inevitably be dozens on well-intended posts suggesting plectrums of various makes/thicknesses etc.

 

Come on!  The OP purports to have been born in 1972.  They're 52-ish.  It's like riding a bike or tying your shoelaces.  If you've used one previously, you know what you've used, whether you were happy with it and you simply don't forget.

 

Please.

 

You're not wrong....didn't have to say it like it is though! I mean, life is futile, and Basschat more so, passes the time though! 

Edited September 6 by SumOne

[SimonK]

35 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

I honestly don't get these type of what's-your-favourite-colour? type threads.  OP has used a pick previously, but is asking for plectrum recommendations and how to use them.  What follows will inevitably be dozens on well-intended posts suggesting plectrums of various makes/thicknesses etc.

 

Come on!  The OP purports to have been born in 1972.  They're 52-ish.  It's like riding a bike or tying your shoelaces.  If you've used one previously, you know what you've used, whether you were happy with it and you simply don't forget.

 

Please.

 

...and yet I've used a thick pick on bass for so long, hearing that other people use 0.73s that I use for my acoustic guitar, I may well just try one next time I play just out of interest... so the benefit is not just to the OP (and yes, contributing to the forum also passes the time!!).

[NancyJohnson]

14 minutes ago, SumOne said:

 

You're not wrong....didn't have to say it like it is though! I mean, life is futile, and Basschat more so, passes the time though! 

 

Sometimes you just have to take a direct route and be the voice of reason; the thread has been viewed 350 times, I'm sure there's many who probably went, 'Really?' when they read it.

 

Perhaps it's just the way I'm wired, but there's little point in skirting around things, always be as direct as possible.

[ezbass]

16 hours ago, ardi100 said:

Secondly, how the hell do I use it?

My picks are the classic (teardrop?) shape, but I don’t use the pointy part. I use one of the more rounded corners. I picked (no pun intended) that technique up from Robben Ford (a guitarist yes, but what a guitarist!).

[Greg Edwards69]

16 hours ago, AxelF said:

A real revelation for me was moving to a thinner, more flexible pick. I've always been a fingerstyle player, but have tried briefly a couple of times over the years to play with a pick. As it's a bass I thought I needed a really thick inflexible pick and never got on with it, and stupidly never tried anything else.

 

Recently again I needed to use a pick for a couple of songs and I think on the back of something I read on here, I bought a multipack of Dunlop picks. I've now found I get on best with the orange .60 and particularly the red .50 ones. I'm still rubbish with a pick, but much better than I was!

I've had a similar experience as well. Like you, I was led to believe you needed to use a thick pick for bass. But it was only when I discovered that some of my pick bass players/lines achieved "that sound" with a thinner pick that the lightbulb went off. 

 

I got by with 1.14mm Dunlops for a few years but I wasn't totally happy with them - the attack was almost there but I didn't like the increase in volume over fingerstyle. So last years or so, bought a couple of multipacks and I've settled on 0.60mm Dunlop Flex. They give me "that sound" the right amount of flexibility that has a crisp attack without losing low-end, combined with a natural compression to avoid sounding louder than fingerstyle.

[pst62]

I'm mainly play finger style, but when I use a pick I use these.

IMHO They are far better for grip than any of the other brands I've tried.

Available in many thicknesses here.

https://www.guitarsuperstore.com/snarling-dogs-105-c.asp

 

[Greg Edwards69]

14 hours ago, ardi100 said:

Once you've found the right one, how many do you have at a gig? Do you lose or drop them? 

I keep a couple in my back pocket. I've never had an issue not being able to grab one in time. I've tried the scratchplate trick, but swiftly gave up when one slid inside the bass, and also because some of my basses don't have scratchplates!

[SimonK]

36 minutes ago, Greg Edwards69 said:

I keep a couple in my back pocket. I've never had an issue not being able to grab one in time. I've tried the scratchplate trick, but swiftly gave up when one slid inside the bass, and also because some of my basses don't have scratchplates!

 

So no one does the rock 'n roll thing of taping them to a mic stand?? Mind you I've gone wrong with that before (when playing guitar) as you have to put the tape on the opposite side from the direction you want to pull the pick off as othewise it gets a bit embarrassing...

[ezbass]

10 minutes ago, SimonK said:

 

So no one does the rock 'n roll thing of taping them to a mic stand?? Mind you I've gone wrong with that before (when playing guitar) as you have to put the tape on the opposite side from the direction you want to pull the pick off as othewise it gets a bit embarrassing...

Probably best to go with one of these…

[BigRedX]

15 hours ago, ardi100 said:

Once you've found the right one, how many do you have at a gig? Do you lose or drop them? 

 

I buy mine 100 at a time, and have at least one placed in every pocket of every bag or case I take to gigs. On stage I have a couple on the rack that holds the computer for our drums and second synth parts. At last night's gig that wasn't in a very convenient place for me to get at quickly so I had my spares on my Helix Floor pedal board.

[Beer of the Bass]

I use picks on guitar, mandolin and related instruments, but I've found I like them quite thin on bass, usually .88mm. I only use a pick on selected songs, I think it's three or four out of my band's repertoire, so when I use one it's specifically because I want that clicky attack. It's an electric instrument, I have to remind myself of that, not like playing acoustically where a stiff pick can help with projection and volume, and a tone that would be objectionably clicky unplugged is toned down a lot by magnetic pickups.

Discovering large triangles was a big help too, my grip is more relaxed with those. I don't really lose them, I'll have one or two tucked under the control plate on my bass, and a few more in the gigbag pocket just in case.

[ardi100]

6 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

I honestly don't get these type of what's-your-favourite-colour? type threads.  OP has used a pick previously, but is asking for plectrum recommendations and how to use them.  What follows will inevitably be dozens on well-intended posts suggesting plectrums of various makes/thicknesses etc.

 

Come on!  The OP purports to have been born in 1972.  They're 52-ish.  It's like riding a bike or tying your shoelaces.  If you've used one previously, you know what you've used, whether you were happy with it and you simply don't forget.

 

Please.

Not really. 

 

I last used one in the early 90s. I have no recollection of what thickness. I just wondered if things had moved on since then and if so, what were people's experiences.

 

No more or less.

[Munurmunuh]

2mm plectrum plucking a 110 Pro Steel E string picked up by a Dimarzio Model P is deeply satisfying.

[Rosie C]

On 06/09/2024 at 08:10, BigRedX said:

The only way to find out which pick is the right one for you and the right one for the sound that works with your band is to try a load. 

 

 

... and the yellow Dunlop pick that's been recommended can be purchased in a rainbow set of red (thinnest, .5mm?), through to the thickest purple. I found it useful to have the whole range when I started using a pick.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B016L291A0/ or possibly direct from the seller, but I couldn't find the exact item - https://www.dirtyriffs.co.uk/

 

[PaulThePlug]

Don't like the tortex, feel kind of powdery, and stiffer for the same thickness of the std nylon... though my Sons prefers em and i just got him a mix set in a tin.

 

I'd go for these...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281357852101?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=eUSAZaI-Tou&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=daj_hJ6fSo-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[BassAdder60]

Picks and shapes of / gauges / material were something I spent two years on looking for the right pick for playing rock 

Not only does triangle sized picks help I find when playing live ( never drop them ) but teardrop I found turn in your fingers slightly especially on fast picked songs. 
Material of pick makes a difference to tone IE Nylon picks are softer / warmer sounding and although I never tried them felt picks mimic finger tone.

 

Type of bass also makes a difference to best suited to pick playing ( in my experience)

Best bass by far seems to be a PBass as it’s got the deep bass and low mids already, back off the treble and it’s a perfect rock tone 

 

I find the thicker 2mm upwards added nothing apart from finger fatigue !

 

I agree thinner such as 0.73, 0.88,1.0, etc are better gauges for playing several songs or whole set with a pick 

 

Finally you may want to tweek your amp tone EQ if playing mostly with a pick and watch the input levels on the amp as pick playing in the main is louder than finger style for the majority of bassists 

Edited September 8 by BassAdder60

[LowB_FTW]

On 05/09/2024 at 23:07, vbance said:

I use a Herco flex 52 thumb pick....never dropped one yet, may be worth a try.

 

When I first started playing bass I had one of these, then the bit that goes over the top of the thumb snapped off, leaving me with the long flat bit from the bottom. I still have it and still use it on roundwound strings.

 

On my basses that have flatwound string, I use the Wedgie rubber 5mm plectrums. These shed like nobody's business on round wound strings, which is why I only use them on flats.

 

Mark

[Tokalo]

I feel very comfortable with Clayton nylon 0.8mm where I’m using a pick for power chords.
But I’ve also found that thicker, stubby Dunlop jazz IIs are best for aggressive single notes (like Foo Fighters).

 

[asingardenof]

On 05/09/2024 at 20:15, howdenspur said:

I found the thicker picks, while you'd think they'd be great for bass, transferred quite a lot of vibration into my hand, specifically the thumb joint. Got quite uncomfortable Thinner Dunlops as Lozz suggests, I found ideal.

Yeah, for songs that don't involve pounding out semiquavers and faster all over the place I like to use a Dunlop 1.14mm Tortex. If I need to go quicker then I use a 1mm Dunlop Max Grip because it's a lot more flexible, doesn't destroy my thumb, and also doesn't end up rotating in my fingers.

[Bassfinger]

On 05/09/2024 at 19:45, meterman said:

I like the Dunlop 0.73mm (yellow?) ones, they're a good balance between being too flimsy and they still have a decent percussive attack.

 

 

They're my new favourite tipple. After years of Tortes Triangle blue 1.0 I've switched to 0.73 Tortex Triangle on the advice of one Mr M. Dirnt and blowed if he wasn't spot on.  I use the orange 0.5mm on mando and guitar.

 

And the rest of the time I use two fingers and a thumb of varying thickness.

[NigeJ]

Took me thirty five yeaes to find my ideal pick. Always used .88, but different shapes and materials until I found Dunlop Ultex tri 0.88.

[bassmachine2112]

hiho,

Dunlop grey .73 used for over 3 decades and use same ones on guitar.

.88 and bigger hurts my thumbs.

[StickyDBRmf]

On 05/09/2024 at 16:17, ardi100 said:

And thanks for all the recommendations.

 

Once you've found the right one, how many do you have at a gig? Do you lose or drop them? 

 

I'm not worried about the audition, but I feel nervous about being left pick-less in the heat of the moment. I suppose I could always just play with fingers, but then the tone would be all different.

I swear this is the reason I stopped using picks. At gigs, always dropping them. Oh well, back to fingers. I guess I'll have to dig in a little deeper to get that Chris Squire sound on my Jazz...

[Lozz196]

Re spares, I put a couple in my back right hand side pocket, should I drop my pick I can get one from there in a matter of seconds.