Best thickness plectrum for bass

[TheDisparities]

I've been playing with my fingers but some fast riffs i find hard to play with fingers. Recently i tried playing with a medium thickness plectrum but it snapped are the stubby ones any good? Any others you want to reccomend? Thanks,
Chris

[lojo]

[quote name='TheDisparities' post='830273' date='May 7 2010, 07:34 AM']I've been playing with my fingers but some fast riffs i find hard to play with fingers. Recently i tried playing with a medium thickness plectrum but it snapped are the stubby ones any good? Any others you want to reccomend? Thanks,
Chris[/quote]


I have been a mainly finger style playing but recently have started to use a pick more and more, mainly due to me playing styles which I have not before in covers bands

After trying a fair selection, I have settled on 0.88 dunlops, this may change, but as a fairly inexperienced pick player, these seem the most comfortable to date

Will follow this thread with interest also ......

[Paul S]

I use 1mm Dunlops. They are comfy, slightly flexible but pretty solid.

[Conan]

Like basses, amps, cabs, strings, etc - there are many out there. Try a few and see what you like best. THen buy loads of them - coz no matter how many you have, you will never be able to find one when you want one!

Seriously though, everyone's taste is slightly different, so rather than go for a particular brand/colour/thickness just because someone else uses them, try them out. It's the only way to know what YOU like.

[Delberthot]

Yeah, try as many as you can - I tried for years to find one that I liked and had almost given up hope of finding anything so just concentrated on fingerstyle until I read an article with Chris Squire of Yes where he mentioned thaat he used Herco heavy guage plectrums. Bought a couple to try and would not use anything else now.

My plectrum playing has come on leaps and bounds since then

[ronnus]

+1 for 1mm Dunlops... I tried many a pick and hated picking before eventually settling on the black Dunlops, and am now reasonably competant.

Stubbies have absolutely no flex and just kill my grip, even the 1mm ones. They may suit some folks, possibly with ape-like fingers and absolutely no sensation of pain in their hands

[Rosh]

[quote name='ronnus' post='830312' date='May 7 2010, 08:27 AM']+1 for 1mm Dunlops... I tried many a pick and hated picking before eventually settling on the black Dunlops, and am now reasonably competant.

Stubbies have absolutely no flex and just kill my grip, even the 1mm ones. They may suit some folks, possibly with ape-like fingers and absolutely no sensation of pain in their hands [/quote]

+2 for black Dunlops! Although I also use the red XL Jim Dunlops -- good solid pick as I find it it's too think or thin it can make your picking hand ache!

[yorick]

Dunlop Ultex Tri in 0.88 for me......

[Prime_BASS]

Dunlop USA nylon .60mm, but they wear down so fast, that's considered light for guitar!! But for me it's flexibilty and lightness improves my speed slightly. Plus if I use anything heavy I notice a stronger audible difference.

[RussFM]

1mm in my country band, and .73mm in my old punk band. Definitely feel I have more control with the 1mm, but need the thinner one for the faster stuff.

[Deep Thought]

Yeah, nylon Dunlop 1mm's, or Herco .75's. I like nylons ones as they have a bit of flex, and also a good grippy surface.

[Raggy]

Dunlop 88's for me, I 50/50 between fingerstyle and picks and the 88's have just enough give in them for the fast punky stuff.

[Big_Stu]

Dunlop 3mm for me, don't give me any problems for speed.
Where are you guys getting your Hercos from? I was told they weren't available by a few shops I tried.

[Adrenochrome]

[quote name='yorick' post='830347' date='May 7 2010, 09:01 AM']Dunlop Ultex Tri in 0.88 for me...... [/quote]

I was totally converted to Ultex about 3 years ago. They are slightly stiffer then nylon but have more resistance when you 'dig in' so don't flop over. I can get away with a 0.73 Ultex when I'd used 1mm floppy nylon in the past.

[lojo]

I stated before Im getting on with .88s

But just to mention I sometimes play parts with the nail of my first finger, like pick style without a pick

I tried it after learning Bernard Edwards did it, it really works, and can allow varying parts of songs to be fingered/picked, great fun anyway, find this easier to control than a real pick

[Bassassin]

Black nylon Dunlops, 1mm, not the Tortex ones because they don't flex and can snap if you're heavy-handed, like me. The springier nylons give a lot more feel than a rigid pick and I'd say a slightly more full & rounder tone.

Jon.

[Musicman20]

.88 Dunlops (Green) for the majority, but recently as Ive started using slightly thicker strings, Ive opted for a pack of the 0.60 (Orange) Dunlops. These are for use when im playing im my punk band....and I need that extra little bit of give in the pick. We play VERY fast, and sometimes the .88 really feels like its going to snap the strings!

Anything thicker/heavier just feels a little too awkward for me.

[Dave Vader]

I use the black dunlops on guitar, have done since 1989 (cripes DM!) but I prefer something bigger on bass, and use either big purple dunlop triangles (don't know the gauge but it is thick and nice) or the big triangle stubbys, which sound really great, but do kill your wristies and grips.
Big triangles are always better for bass, less chance of missing.

[Doddy]

On the occassions when use a pick,I usually go for either Dunlops between 1.1(I think) and 1.5mm or
Ibanez Steve Vai model. I've also used Stubbys at times.
I really can't do with thin picks that flex when you play. I find that I don't have as much control
with them and can't play as quickly or cleanly as when I'm using a heavier pick.

[dudewheresmybass]

guitar - jazz 3 max grip
bass - tortex ish 1.19 custom printed in none more black!

[throwoff]

Dunlop Delrin .96
Best.Pick.Ever.

[bassmachine2112]

grey dunlops .73 ideal for the fast stuff .88 can get sore after a few hours,very grippy and never drop them

[Marvin]

[quote name='Dave Vader' post='830499' date='May 7 2010, 11:33 AM']I use the black dunlops on guitar, have done since 1989 (cripes DM!) but I prefer something bigger on bass, and use either big purple dunlop triangles (don't know the gauge but it is thick and nice) or the big triangle stubbys, which sound really great, but do kill your wristies and grips.
Big triangles are always better for bass, less chance of missing.[/quote]

Do you buy your picks local? i.e Soundpad. The last time I went in there, rummaged through the picks and couldn't find any triangles.

If, and that's a big if, I use a pick, I've only got some little Fender things. Either .73mm or .88mm. I don't like either. I prefer triangles but don't really like using a pick.

Edited May 7, 2010 by Marvin

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='Marvin' post='830787' date='May 7 2010, 04:22 PM']Do you buy your picks local? i.e Soundpad. The last time I went in there, rummaged through the picks and couldn't find any triangles.

If, and that's a big if, I use a pick, I've only got some little Fender things. Either .73mm or .88mm. I don't like either. I prefer triangles but don't really like using a pick.[/quote]

Nope, I get them from stringsdirect.co.uk when I put in a heavy-duty string order, I get some more picks.
I don't use them much either on bass, but we do Adam and the Ants in one of my bands, and you got to get some pick in there for those funny rhythms, especially while shrieking BVs.
I think big Stu in Bideford does triangle picks, can't remember what he's called his shop though.

[Meenie]

My preference is the .73 tortex Dunlops,y'know the yellow one's.
They seem to be just about right for me.

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jim-Dunlop-Tortex-Standard-0-73mm/dp/B000Q87CZW"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jim-Dunlop-Tortex-...m/dp/B000Q87CZW[/url]