# Instruments and Equipment > Equipment >  Again with the picks

## TonyT

Long-time watcher, first time poster. Guitar player, but always wanted to play mandolin.  Since I just bought one (used Eastman 505), I guess it's time to learn to play it. Since I've never even held one until this week, I know there is much to learn. 

Picks. I need some but have no idea what kind, thickness, etc. 5 YouTube videos will all tell a different story. I learned last night that playing with my guitar picks isn't going to cut it.
I could use some help on which pick to start with.

Looking forward to my new adventure.

Tony

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## Scott R

Tony, there are a billion people with a billion different opinions here.  But--having just switched over from fingerstyle guitar to playing Mandolin primarily, I can chime in.

Thin picks won't do it.

Most thick guitar picks won't do it either.

Dunlop makes a series of jazz picks that are pretty thick, and I think pretty good for getting proficient on the Mandolin.  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Many people who have been playing longer have strong preferences based on their style, but I think the JazzTone 207's have a pretty good tone, have enough of a rounded bevel to be able to get a tremolo to work, and generally feel pretty smooth.


*You can also skip all discussion and go order a Blue Chip CT55 for $35 plus $7 shipping here:*

http://shop.bluechippick.net/products/CT55.html

These are the Cadillac picks that you will be hearing everybody talk about if you hang around here long enough.  (Not an endorsement, just an observation--I like them fine, but I like my JazzTones and others just as much)


*But, for half that money you can have a 36 pack of JazzTones*

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

--

As an aside, do yourself a favor and join the Newbies social group here on the cafe:

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/group.php?groupid=76

Everybody there is super friendly and you can start working on some of their monthly tune projects in good company!


Welcome to the Cafe!

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Don Roon, 

yankees1

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## DavidKOS

As a player out of the Neapolitan mandolin school, I play professionally with a Ultex or Ultem sharp pointed pick, app. .73mm, but it is stiff - and I play bowlback and other non-Gibson style instruments.

The other extreme is the round poker chip sort of pick. What both picks have in common is that they are quite stiff. I could not use a .73mm pick that was not as stiff as a certain natural material pick that is no longer legal.

Top players have used all sorts of picks, but if you were using a thin or medium flexible guitar pick, that will not work on any mandolin.



This works on regular guitar, mandolin, Greek bouzouki, etc.

I do use a thicker pick for Gypsy jazz, a Dunlop 3mm nylon Big Stubby:



Both are very reasonably priced compared to some brands of picks, which have not proved to be any better to me - you can get bags of these for 35 bucks.

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ukenukem

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## FredK

All of the mentions above are good advice. Every player has a preference and the best way to find that preference is to play using a lot of different picks. Shape, thickness and material of the pick factors into the equation. If you haven't already, check out the thread and get on the list for the Travelling Pick Sampler. It's an inexpensive way of trying out a load of picks back-to-back to find out what suits your taste. Happy picking!

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## mrneil2

> All of the mentions above are good advice. Every player has a preference and the best way to find that preference is to play using a lot of different picks. Shape, thickness and material of the pick factors into the equation. If you haven't already, check out the thread and get on the list for the Travelling Pick Sampler. It's an inexpensive way of trying out a load of picks back-to-back to find out what suits your taste. Happy picking!


I second the Taveling Pick Sampler.  Was in the same spot you were a year ago.  Got the sampler and then got a CT55. Before that I thought $35 for a pick was insane but once I tried one I was a convert. Also look at JTs picks (also in the sampler). Happy picking

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## UsuallyPickin

Well … yeah you really do need a thicker pick to drive the dual courses of short strings a mandolin uses. The thicker / heavier those strings are the thicker the pick needed. And the looser the wrist and grip on that pick. As stated above a pick is a personal preference and they cost from a few cents to a goodly chunk of money for a piece of material easily lost. I prefer a large rounded triangle shape. Wegan, Primetone, Tortex, Blue Chip are some brands worth experimenting with. Enjoy the search. R/

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## DavidKOS

> The thicker / heavier those strings are the thicker the pick needed.


Correct.

Which is why the short scale/lightly strung European style instruments I favor work well with a stiff .73mm pick. (pointed of course!)

The Gibson scaled and heavier strung instruments need another approach. The bigger thicker picks work better for those mandolins. 

I find it interesting that the longer scale instruments typically use thicker strings, making a _lot_ higher string tension than Italian mandolins.

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thecelloronin

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## CWRoyds

I came to mandolin from guitar too. 
I find guitar picks to not be optimal for mandolin.
I play very heavy guitar picks (3mm big stubby)

I find the best mandolin picks to be the larger triangle shape, with a speed bevel.
1.5mm seems to work best for thickness on my mandolin.
That is a good thickness to get a nice string tone from a Mando.

As for brands, I currently use a Blue Chip CT55, but I also like Wegen TR150 picks. 
I had to try a bunch before i got to what I like.
I suggest buying a Blue Chip CT55 as a starting point, and then try whatever picks you come across.
A pack of Wegens are not that expensive, so grab a pack of those too.

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DavidKOS

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## MediumMando5722

When I started mandolin, I went through 25 years worth of collected guitar picks and hated them all. After spending a few years with the picks described above (Wegen, BC, Primetone, etc...), I can use anything. Even the thin single point guitar picks, like a yellow .73mm Tortex is fine if I flip it and use one of the rounded corners. 

The only thing I really dislike is a thick pick without a right-hand bevel.

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## Paul Busman

Picks can be pretty cheap. It might be worth finding a music store that sells individual picks and buy a handful to see what you like.

I like the Dunlop Primetone picks with the molded grip. They let you hold the pick without a very tight grip. This makes for more flowing,relaxed playing. Mine are 1.4mm

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DavidKOS

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## LadysSolo

It also depends on your style of playing what kind of pick suits you. I prefer a thinner pointed pick, and can't stand Golden Gate picks, but some people love Golden Gates. Due to the difference in how people play, and the sound they prefer from their mandolins, I would agree with the posters who recommend the traveling pick sampler, you can give lots of picks a try, then sent it on. The thread is under General Mandolin Discussions.

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DavidKOS

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## DavidKOS

> It also depends on your style of playing what kind of pick suits you. I prefer a thinner pointed pick, and can't stand Golden Gate picks, but some people love Golden Gates. Due to the difference in how people play, and the sound they prefer from their mandolins, I would agree with the posters who recommend the traveling pick sampler, you can give lots of picks a try, then sent it on. The thread is under General Mandolin Discussions.


Well put...it really depends on style, personal technical ability, and what you think is a good tone.

" I prefer a thinner pointed pick" - well, as long as the material is very stiff, I'm with you, but as I say, I am a remnant of the Neapolitan mandolin tradition, where all the pick options were pointed, app. .75 to 1-ish mm and made of the now rightfully banned material.

but can we say tortex...very good...ultex...better!

Remember the click test?

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## DavidKOS

> I like the Dunlop Primetone picks with the molded grip. They let you hold the pick without a very tight grip. This makes for more flowing,relaxed playing. Mine are 1.4mm


Sorry I forgot, thanks for making the point. Primetones are very fine picks at reasonable prices. Dunlop seems to have a good R and D dept.

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## Blues Healer

Tony,
the best pick depends a lot on your instrument and style of playing

I think the Dunlop variety pack is a good place to start looking at different materials and thicknesses:

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/acce...#productDetail

you didn't really explain why your guitar pick doesn't cut for you ...
someone recently posted about JT Pix, and I ended up getting a couple 'multi-packs' of their style 3, which is a beveled mandolin shape pick:
http://jtspix.com/buy.html
for the price, I think this is a good way to see if you like this syle

after years of playing guitar, I've experimented a lot lately with mandolin ... one benefit is that the time spent searching has improved my picking technique. Although I should be able to make do with a regular Dunlop Tortex, I do enjoy finding just a little bit more, so I'll mention a few of my favorite picks:

Wegan M100, or the same in a custom 1.2 thicknessDunlop classic celluloid , HeavyDunlop Tortex Flex, Blue - the tone is a little softer compared to regular tortex

I also like several Pickboy picks, such as their classic celluloid. Their picks are very well-crafted.

For the record, I play mostly jazz, Celtic, or Classical. For Classical, I sometimes like lighter strings and a lighter pick (0.7).

Enjoy your search!

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DavidKOS, 

Don Roon

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## Murphy Slaw

> Sorry I forgot, thanks for making the point. Primetones are very fine picks at reasonable prices. Dunlop seems to have a good R and D dept.


You know, with all of the boutique picks made from exotic and secret material you really have to respect Dunlop. They have made some darn decent picks over the years for a MORE than fair price.

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Blues Healer, 

Charles E., 

DavidKOS, 

Don Roon

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## Eric Platt

Another preference for stiffer picks, but also for thinner. Usually .80 to 1.0 thickness seems to work for me. I can go a bit thicker depending on the material. 

But, and this is the big thing - I don't play bluegrass. Or anything close to it. Mostly Scandinavian folk music and Midwest fiddle tunes. Not infrequently with accordions. So my needs are different than the vast majority of folks.

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Blues Healer, 

DavidKOS

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## yankees1

It's all in the touch of the fingers and the ears of the beholding !

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## themandocello

Everybody's different.  I use a jIm Dunlap 1mm nylon pick.  Some of my students use Wegman's.  Some use those expensive blue things.

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## rfd

music and its instruments are overloaded with copious amounts of personal subjectivity.  just use whatever feels best to You - not me or whomever -  and avoid drinking the inter-web-net koolaid rhetoric and be happy.  mando's are arguably the easiest, or amongst the easiest, of stringed instruments to play.  particularly so if yer coming from a guitar background, and in that case you have a huge jump on a rank newbie.  you will find that whatever initial diddling around you do with yer mando will sound just nice, if not wonderful.    

yankees1 said it best - "It's all in the touch of the fingers and the ears of the beholding !" - amen to that, brutha.

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## TonyT

Actually, I've found that a Star pick in a 1.0 seems to do just fine. I really like that hole in the middle.

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## rfd

starving dog picks work great with mando's too!  :Laughing:

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## JeffD

I am going to have to respectfully disagree with rfd a bit. I find the mandolin to be a major up hill challenge. Always was. Every gain I have made has been with much effort. 

I would conjecture (because i don't play guitar) that having a guitar background gives some advantage, in the basics of music, listening to others, jam etiquette, etc., but really, so many things are different, like how you hold the instrument, how you hold the pick, how you do the left hand, the sounds you go after, the sounds you make, that i would think unlearning the guitar is a real task. 

One can hear a mandolinner that is really just playing guitar on the mandolin. Nothing wrong with that in absolute terms, do what pleases you, but there is so much to a mandolin that would be a shame to miss.

One big difference between guitar and mandolin I have found, is that the type of pick makes a bigger difference on mandolin. You can hear it. You can feel it. 

Not that one is right or one is wrong, or that you have to pick just one. Try lots of stuff, even the high end stuff, and see what you like, what does the job you are trying to get done, and then stick with it. Change things up every once in a while to either discover something new, or to confirm you choices are correct.

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## DavidKOS

> music and its instruments are overloaded with copious amounts of personal subjectivity.  just use whatever feels best to You - not me or whomever -  and avoid drinking the inter-web-net koolaid rhetoric and be happy.  mando's are arguably the easiest, or amongst the easiest, of stringed instruments to play. .


Personal subjectivity? Sure...but there is also a great deal of well worked out musical material, history and facts behind traditional mandolin technique and repertoire.

As for being "amongst the easiest of stringed instruments to play", well if you consider just strumming a couple 2 finger chords 
playing", then I agree.

But really I do not agree.




> I am going to have to respectfully disagree with rfd a bit. I find the mandolin to be a major up hill challenge. Always was. Every gain I have made has been with much effort. 
> ......
> 
> One can hear a mandolinner that is really just playing guitar on the mandolin. Nothing wrong with that in absolute terms, do what pleases you, but there is so much to a mandolin that would be a shame to miss.


rfd, I find your "anything goes, it's all cool if it's yours" approach to be a way to a lowest-common denominator of mandolin playing.

Yes it easy to play a little mandolin - it is NOT easy to play up to the potential of the instrument. Playing really good mandolin, using the full capabilities of the instrument - as in knowing the whole fingerboard, all your open and closed fingering scales, chords in all positions, a good tremolo, use of dynamics and tonal shadings, and so on -  is by no means easy.

Set the bar low, and yes mandolin, ukulele, guitar, etc. are "easy".

But raise the bar of musical standards and no instrument is "easy" - they all take practice, and most of us learn best by using the methods developed by others that have proved to work, not re-invent the wheel on our own.

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Beanzy, 

Jesse Kinman, 

Mandoplumb, 

Mark Gunter, 

MontanaMatt

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## rfd

too many po' fretted folks done drunk da interweb koolaid.  dat's jus' da trooth.  it is what it is.

the bottom line will always be to see what works "best" fer you, not me, nor anyone else.  the sad part is that too many folks are influenced by outside pressures and keyboard gurus.  opinions of others are just that, most particularly when it comes to fretted instrument accoutrements.  

however, it's good to see what others are doing and using, then form yer own opinions based on the genre of music you like playing best, and experiment.  there is no substitute.  else you'll be on a don quixote guest for the "best" pick, or strings, or mando, or pickup/transducer, preamp, amp, whatever.  

all of this stuff will be tempered by yer musical chops, no matter what the instrument.  if you think that one of them thar expensive blue chop picks iz gonna make ya play better, it just might ... via the power of suggestion.  a seasoned pro may certainly have certain accoutrement talismans that are relied on, but losing a blue chop pick won't hold them back from making really good music.  i see this in the studio fairly often.  with really good musicians.

as always, food for thought, ymmv, life is good.  :Smile:

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DavidKOS

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## Pepe

I'd recommend you do this - TRY A *BUNCH* OF *DIFFERENT* PICKS. Over a good long spell.
If you're just starting out on mando and you've found on a pick you like, chances are very good you won't be playing it in a year if you experiment a bunch - especially with the more popular types/brands mentioned by seasoned players around here. And feel free to avoid buying into the premium pick world until you've got some solid opinions on picks that are easier on the wallet/psyche.

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Jesse Kinman, 

rfd

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## mandobassman

> Tony,
> the best pick depends a lot on your instrument and style of playing
> 
> I think the Dunlop variety pack is a good place to start looking at different materials and thicknesses:
> 
> https://www.musiciansfriend.com/acce...#productDetail
> 
> you didn't really explain why your guitar pick doesn't cut for you ...
> someone recently posted about JT Pix, and I ended up getting a couple 'multi-packs' of their style 3, which is a beveled mandolin shape pick:
> ...


Two comments. First-The only thing about the Dunlop variety pack is that most of the variety is in the material, They're all almost the same shape.  Lots of mandolin players out there prefer the larger triangular shape (346). They don't offer any of those.

Second, and this is just my opinion, I tried the variety pack of JT's picks and found them to be, by far, the worst sounding picks I have ever used. Four different materials and all of them had a terrible scratchy and bright sound. I sold them two days after I received them. 

I would think a good thing to do is go to a music jam somewhere and ask to try some of the picks that people are using. Different thicknesses, different shapes and sizes. Then you can narrow it down and buy a few that might be appealing.

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## JeffD

Don't fall for the other internet hype, the myth that it is all hype.

Not everything that costs more is pure hype, and not everything that costs less is adequate.

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## Charles E.

This thread got me thinking after I was down to one Primetone-sculpted 1.3 pick. I did some research into any new picks that might be out there and was considering trying some of the Radex "smoke" picks but after reading some reviews I went back to the Dunlops. I own a Bluechip but I like the Primetones better.

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## LadysSolo

Despite having picks I really like, I frequently buy and try new picks. PAS is WAY cheaper than MAS. Someday I have to go through and sell all the picks I really don't care for......

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Mark Gunter

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## rfd

it's not just the physicality of the pick - material, thickness, dimensions, shape, design, etc - it's also about holding it and using a specific part of it to strike a course of strings for single line legato, or multiple string courses to form chord, all for a specific type of playing effect.  there is no right or wrong pick or method of use, as long as the goal of its intent is successful.  it's always good to lift the lid and peer out of the box sometimes.  this can stir innovation and uniqueness, to set one apart from the herd.

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## dan in va

i'm still making the rounds on picks and have a little pouch of Blue Chips.  But i've gone back to the 1mm Wegan and have changed my angle, grip and tension and am more than happy with it and the Martin Monel strings on the A5...the tremolo is hard to beat also.  And that brings up another variable -- strings.  So there might be more to playing a certain pick might than one might assume.

Heck, i could just about put on a yard sale with the picks i've bought over the last 10 years.

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## ukenukem

This thread is interesting hearing the preferences of many players but it got me thinking that somewhere there is a mandolin player with a $49 Rogue and $3,000 worth of picks! :Disbelief: 

And they still cannot find the right pick!

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DavidKOS

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## rfd

> This thread is interesting hearing the preferences of many players but it got me thinking that somewhere there is a mandolin player with a $49 Rogue and $3,000 worth of picks!
> 
> And they still cannot find the right pick!


maybe not exactly a rogue mando but close enuf, and otherwise insanely true.  most typically, musicality trumps tools.

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## Br1ck

If you don't end up with 25 or 30 picks, you haven't approached the subject with the proper seriousnes.

If cost were no object, I'd probably have a bunch of Blue Chips. Wegens hit my cost/performance sweet spot. I like to have a pick for each instrument I own, so I need ten or so.

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Mark Gunter, 

MontanaMatt

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## rfd

> If you don't end up with 25 or 30 picks, you haven't approached the subject with the proper seriousnes. ...


that, sir, borders on insanity and within the realm of amateur wannabe land.

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## MontanaMatt

> that, sir, borders on insanity and within the realm of amateur wannabe land.


Do you really not hear a difference in sound output with different picks?  I do.  I have many different picks, some affordable, some $30+, all produce a different sound.  I also have two nice mandoz that sound different from each other, talk about extra cost for tone!yikes!

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## Eric Platt

> that, sir, borders on insanity and within the realm of amateur wannabe land.


Yup. And I probably have a couple hundred different picks. It's my money and my choice. 

I can hear a difference. And some I like better than others on certain instruments. Then again, I own 2 Gibson A style oval holes and can hear a difference. Guess that also makes me a wannabe.

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## rfd

> Do you really not hear a difference in sound output with different picks?  I do.  I have many different picks, some affordable, some $30+, all produce a different sound.  I also have two nice mandoz that sound different from each other, talk about extra cost for tone!yikes!


i think far Far FAR too much emphasis on picks is detrimental to actually spending time learning how best to actually play and produce meaningful music.  then again, most of these kinda posts are from amateurs who believe that gear is more important than musicality.  sure, mess around with different picks that will surely offer subtle differences, but it's your playing chops that will matter more than a $50 pick for a $500 mando.  this is so very like the guitarist who needs to have the flavor-of-the-month pickup in his tele, strat, les paul, ad nauseam.  yeesh, why do i even bother ....

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## LadysSolo

> i think far Far FAR too much emphasis on picks is detrimental to actually spending time learning how best to actually play and produce meaningful music.  then again, most of these kinda posts are from amateurs who believe that gear is more important than musicality.  sure, mess around with different picks that will surely offer subtle differences, but it's your playing chops that will matter more than a $50 pick for a $500 mando.  this is so very like the guitarist who needs to have the flavor-of-the-month pickup in his tele, strat, les paul, ad nauseam.  yeesh, why do i even bother ....


Yes and no. I have been a musician (on multiple instruments) for 54 yeas of my life. Maybe that's not enough experience, but my ear picks up things I just cannot stand with certain picks on my mandolins. For example, my church has two (theoretically) identical pianos -same make, bought at the same time, same model - but they have different sound and different action. Now I can make them both sound fine to the congregation, but they sound different to me and one is easier to play than the other. Same thing with mandolins and picks - to the average person, they may sound fine with whatever pick I use on whatever mandolin, but it does not sound the same to me. So call me a "wannabee" but if I want to hunt for a pick that helps me get the sound I want, it's my money and my life.

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MontanaMatt

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## MontanaMatt

> i think far Far FAR too much emphasis on picks is detrimental to actually spending time learning how best to actually play and produce meaningful music.  then again, most of these kinda posts are from amateurs who believe that gear is more important than musicality.  sure, mess around with different picks that will surely offer subtle differences, but it's your playing chops that will matter more than a $50 pick for a $500 mando.  this is so very like the guitarist who needs to have the flavor-of-the-month pickup in his tele, strat, les paul, ad nauseam.  yeesh, why do i even bother ....


I thought you sold flavor of the month pickups?

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## Stevo75

> i think far Far FAR too much emphasis on picks is detrimental to actually spending time learning how best to actually play and produce meaningful music.  then again, most of these kinda posts are from amateurs who believe that gear is more important than musicality.  sure, mess around with different picks that will surely offer subtle differences, but it's your playing chops that will matter more than a $50 pick for a $500 mando.  this is so very like the guitarist who needs to have the flavor-of-the-month pickup in his tele, strat, les paul, ad nauseam.  yeesh, why do i even bother ....


Are you a pro or an amateur?

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## PDMan

> *You can also skip all discussion and go order a Blue Chip CT55 for $35 plus $7 shipping here:*
> 
> http://shop.bluechippick.net/products/CT55.html
> 
> These are the Cadillac picks that you will be hearing everybody talk about if you hang around here long enough.  (Not an endorsement, just an observation--I like them fine, but I like my JazzTones and others just as much)


I've been using this pick for a few months and I really like it.  I had been using medium guitar picks prior, and it just didn't get the job done.

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## ukenukem

Sound differences - yes I hear those, mostly a variance of brightness and volume, but also differences in feel across the strings which (to me anyway) shows up in my (improving) tremolo. Strings/style must play a part. I use lighter strings than most (10's) and my style does not include BG.

Right now I am leaning towards the Dunlop Tortex .60/.73 normal point. What's great is that there are so many choices nowadays.

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## Charles E.

People, people, people! You are all stuck in the past with the "plectrum".

This is the wave of the future........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRPr...ature=youtu.be

 :Wink:

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MontanaMatt

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## ukenukem

Certainly harder to lose and less likely to jump into the soundhole. Would the mandolin version be proportionately shorter?

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## foldedpath

> i think far Far FAR too much emphasis on picks is detrimental to actually spending time learning how best to actually play and produce meaningful music.  then again, most of these kinda posts are from amateurs who believe that gear is more important than musicality.


That's a false dichotomy. It's possible to pursue musicality while at the same time experimenting to find the best gear to express that musicality. It's not either/or. 

The pick is the interface between your hand and the strings. It serves the same critical function as the bow for a fiddler. If you think mandolin players are constantly obsessing about finding the best interface, you haven't ever talked to a fiddler about their bows! As mandolin players, we just get to experiment for a lot less money than fiddlers. 

That word you keep using -- "musicality" -- is the end result of many factors. It's a result of how hard you practice, how well you learn to _listen_ to recordings and other musicians you play with, your natural affinity for a given style, and the gear you use to express it. It all goes into the pot, including that interface you're holding in your fingers. 

P.S. since this thread is also something of a survey, I use a Blue Chip TAD40-1R, playing Irish and Scottish traditional music. Probably too thin for a Bluegrasser, but it works for me with this music. I use the same pick for mandolin, octave mandolin, and acoustic guitar. I'm currently in a monogamous relationship with my BC picks, because I haven't found anything that works better for me. But I still keep a roving eye out for anything better that might come along.

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DavidKOS, 

MontanaMatt, 

sblock

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## MontanaMatt

Right on the mark foldedpath.  I’m a fiddler too, and my bow collection is in the range of a nice mando for expense.  I giggle when cafe members talk about how much picks or strings cost.  Many classical violin string sets cost over $100.
As for survey results
I have two favorite picks, Hense casin, and RedBear Med. big picker.  I enjoy the click tone of the casin for live performance attack and cut.
Second tier is onyx Itone, tp40BC, 1.4 primetone, redbear toughtone bigpicker med., john Pearce fast turtle med-light.
The second tier picks all have smother attach, and darker sound, which I prefer for practice time and playing at home.
I am a professional player, playing ~100 gig a year.  14yrs making a living with music.  I am a gear and tone fussy, and have tried most pick and string combinations on my mandolins.  Thus I have a strong opinion about how my gear works and the subtle nuances of the variables.

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DavidKOS

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## Murphy Slaw

> That's a false dichotomy. It's possible to pursue musicality while at the same time experimenting to find the best gear to express that musicality. It's not either/or. 
> 
> The pick is the interface between your hand and the strings. It serves the same critical function as the bow for a fiddler. If you think mandolin players are constantly obsessing about finding the best interface, you haven't ever talked to a fiddler about their bows!


I agree. Picks make a HUGE difference in tone, there are many youTube pick comparison videos that will prove that. Anybody who can't hear the difference in different picks should chose another profession. I honestly don't see how this can even be argued.

My choice changes with different instruments, songs, even humidity.

My taste bounce around Blue Chip TD35, Wegen Bluegrass 1.0, Primetone 1.0, Ultex 1.0 and even a Wegen m100 from time to time. I used to like Tortex, but my taste has obviously changed.

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DavidKOS, 

MontanaMatt

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## Eric Platt

Just had a nice pick experience yesterday playing a farmer's market. Was warming up with a certain pick and decided on a whim to get out one of my BC picks. Immediately both my wife (who was listening) and a band mate said "yes!" Much louder and more defined tone. Easier for the folks walking by to hear me play.

Now sure, was playing just my inexpensive Eastman OM, but on that instrument, a pick really can make a difference. 

But again, am just a wannabe who plays music because I want to play music and don't make a living by it.

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MontanaMatt, 

Rick Jones

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## catmandu2

> People, people, people! You are all stuck in the past with the "plectrum".
> 
> This is the wave of the future........
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRPr...ature=youtu.be


Ugh.  A rasqueado emulator.  Abhorrent.   :Popcorn:

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## Heady

Not sure where to ask this, but sure it doesn't warrant a new thread, so...

Does anyone know where to find the length/width (not thickness) of picks?  I have 2 that I love, but 1 is very small and the other is very big.  I feel like something made of the same material to the same thickness, but at a size in between might be worth trying, but I am having trouble finding specs.

The ones I use are the very tiny/pointy Fender 358 (heavy celluloid with tortoise shell design), and the big heavy Jim Dunlop in heavy/shell celluloid.  What's the same thickness and texture, but in between in size?

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## Bill McCall

Some boutique makers, (Blue Chip) show their sizes related to coins but I don't know of any who list dimensions.  I'm sure if there are, it'll be pointed out :Smile: 

Get on the pick sampler list.  With over 100 picks, you can easily identify sizes.

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Heady

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## Tate Ferguson

I always come back to the celluloid Fender Heavy or equivalent, in the 351 shape; a dozen for less than four bucks, last time I looked.  It might not be best, but it is likely all I need... something about its homely familiarity lets me forget its presence and focus on my music.  

But heck, try 'em all...

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## Jim Garber

Tony: You say your guitar picks don't cut it but what guitar picks are you using? And what it is about your picks that don't work or is it you are just not used to the different feel of a mandolin. Before you spend $35 for a Blue Chip...

When I first started mandolin from playing guitar I just used the guitar picks I was used to. Get yourself a bunch of possible picks but you may want to not spend a lot of time worrying about the nitpicking (no pun intended) stuff. Generally I would agree that a heavier pick is probably better.

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## Jim Garber

> People, people, people! You are all stuck in the past with the "plectrum".
> 
> This is the wave of the future........
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRPr...ature=youtu.be


Or the wave of the past... playing your guitar like a hammered dulcimer or cymbalom.

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## mojocaster

Well, I'm a newbie player, so that's my disclaimer.

A friend of mine who's been really helping me out a ton with learning the mandolin recommended a much thicker pick than the ones I was using - guitar picks, which I assume is the mistake we all make when we are already guitar players trying to learn the mandolin.

Anyway, I host open mics, and a week ago someone stole my one good pick. I know.

So I ordered these - Dunlop Primetone Triangle 1.5mm Sculpted Plectra (Grip) - 3 Pack - from Amazon and my word, the following is what I right away was able to realize:

1. Volume: my mando barks now, the volume I get out of it is much louder than anything I was getting before.
2. Tremolo: I couldn't get it down, but with this pick I'm well on my way to having a consistent tremolo
3. They're large, but they don't slip out of my hand
4 They were affordable: $5 for a 3-pack

I'm sure they're not the best thing out there and that more experience probably scoff at them, but for this newbie, they've been great - and I didn't have to mortgage the house or sell a kidney on the black market. Which is great, because I don't own a house, and I'd have no idea where to find potential buyers on said black market.

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## Phil Goodson

You mention in "3." that "They're large, but...."

If you like a slightly smaller pick, the Primetone triangles also come in a 'small' size, which I like a lot.

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mojocaster

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## CES

Mojocaster: Primetones are good picks, and I agree with everything you say about them, particularly compared with picks < 1 mm thick, but they do wear more than Wegen or Bluechip. Wegen may be a good next step when you get bored with the Primetones. I think theyre 15 bucks for 2 or 3 depending on what thickness you go for, but they wear so little its literally been years since I bought some (so if Im off on current pricing, I apologize).

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mojocaster

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## Jim Garber

My choice of picks has evolved over the 4+ decades of my playing mandolin. I usually liked a pointier and smaller pick for mandolin but over the last year or so I have started playing with rounder tips. I ended up with a BlueChip TPR50 which I liked a lot but then tried playing with my TAD40 (my main guitar pick) and decided to give my self an early Christmas present of a TP50 which sounds a little brighter with the pointier tips. I like the smaller size from the TAD and since my main mandolin is an oval hole I wanted a brighter sound. You can see the others I have tried and liked for different sounds. Sometimes it is just fun to list to the the same tune or phrase and see which one is pleasing at that time of day. For a time I liked the Wegens but i find them a little rougher sounding on my mandolin and with my playing than the BCs. 

A lot does depend on how you play, the angles that you may hit the strings, or want sweeter, brighter, or more mellow tone.

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Dusepo, 

Eric Platt, 

mojocaster

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## Bob Buckingham

I keep rethinking picks and have several times over the past 1/2 century.  We change and grow and with that so does our perspective on things.  The main thing is to feel comfortable and able to perform.  It all serves that mission.

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## Mando&Me

Despite my username, I play more guitar than mando. For the money, I really like the Wegen Bluegrassers and Triangles. I confess I haven't done an A and B with them versus. I tend to stick with one thing when I find something that works for me. 

M&M

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## JeffD

This article really explains the why's and how's of mandolin picks. Deserves a squint.

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Dusepo, 

Eric Platt

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## JeffD

So very much of pick choice depends on type of music, type of venue, type of mandolin. No one pick does everything, and it is better to get a pick for each thing you do, rather than a sort of good enough but not great pick for everything. (The swiss army knife of multiple tools might be a good idea in the glove box, or pocket, but I don't think anyone puts it in a tool box.)

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MontanaMatt

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## foldedpath

> So very much of pick choice depends on type of music, type of venue, type of mandolin. No one pick does everything, and it is better to get a pick for each thing you do, rather than a sort of good enough but not great pick for everything. (The swiss army knife of multiple tools might be a good idea in the glove box, or pocket, but I don't think anyone puts it in a tool box.)


Well, sometimes and for some people, the _One Pick to Rule Them Al_l does actually work.  :Smile: 

I use the same Blue Chip TAD40-1R for my mandolin, my octave mandolin, and my steel string acoustic guitar (when I'm not fingerpicking it). I honestly don't feel like I'm compromising anything, it just works. 

It probably wouldn't work if I played Bluegrass because I might want a heavier mandolin pick, but for the Irish/Scottish trad I play, and the occasional remembrance of life as a Blues guitar player years ago, it's a perfect fit for me. 

Using just one pick feels like an extension of my hand. I adapt the technique on different instruments with more angled attack on mandolin, more of a flat attack on guitar, but the pick doesn't change. I haven't dropped a pick while playing in years (knock on wood), and it might be because I'm not constantly changing the shape and feel.

As a side bonus, it saves me money. I just need one pick and a backup for all three instruments. I haven't bought a new pick in something like 4 years now, and I settled long ago on the brands and gauges of strings I use. With all that "finding the right gear" stuff behind me, I just focus on the music now. 

YMMV, and for anyone still on the path of trying to find your own best pick, strings, instruments, etc., keep looking! It might be out there somewhere. Or you might already own it, and just need to spend more time getting comfortable with it. When it feels like an extension of your hand, and you're not even thinking about it, the music just flows... then you've got the right one.

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Eric Platt

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## Eric Platt

I was that way for a long time, TAD40-1R on everything. As in, long enough my oldest just say BlueChip 40 on them. 

But in the past year, have been experimenting and changing. Now finding that BC TD 35 works best for both my Collings and A-50. A bit more snap to the tone and easier to get triplets and tremolo. Still haven't settled on what works best on the Kalamazoo KM-21. The deeper than normal body and mahogany b/s seems to need something with more treble. Been going back and forth between Tortex .88 and Wegen Bluegrass 1.0. Latter combination seems to get the most compliments. 

Then again, have also been modifying my pick grip after 20+ years. Have discovered that what used to work fine has now created a bad problem as I age and need to change the entire grip to get things to work again. 

But, yeah, if you find something that works for you, then keep it. Hopefully these latest adventures into pick and grip settle down and I can just concentrate on playing.

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## yankees1

I like various thickness of picks depending on the song I am playing or tempo of song. Normally I I prefer a thinner pick vs a thicker one.

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Eric Platt

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## Br1ck

Id start with a Wegen Dipper, which has three different points. 1.4 should do. I have a Blue Chip 1R 60 that would give you two choices. I like some of the Dunlops too. Primetones mainly.

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## SRNassif

Pick preference is an extremely personal thing, with no right or wrong choice. In general, it is preferable to use a heavy pick for the mandolin as it enables you to get a much better tone out of your instrument, and improves the playability of the mandolin. One advice I would give you is to give picks with a rounded edge a try, be it Bluechip, Primetone, or other Dunlop picks. Although you lose a bit of the clarity of notes with a rounded pick, you get a much warmer sound. Several of the bog names in the mandolin world use either a rounded pick or the round edge of a regularly shaped pick, people like Matt Flinner, Peter Ostroushko, Sam Bush, Tim O'Brien, John Reischman, Sharon Gilchrist, etc...I even saw a video of Roland White using the rounded edge of a pick. Additionally, even Dawg picks (or the older Golden Gate picks) have rounded edges.

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## Rob Roy

A third vote here for the TAD40-1R. It has become my go-to guitar pick for playing rhythm guitar in contra music, LOTS of control and just the right amount of give string noise in the chop. It'll do in a pinch on mando but I find it a bit on the bright side. I do keep an extra primetone 1.4 big triangle (smooth finish, speed bevel) in each of my cases for a backup. My preferred pick for mandolin remains the BC CT-55, flawless grip, great speed, and a just-right tone for me. The Primetones are a close second, but the Bluechip just takes less effort and glides through the strings like no other. Amazingly, I haven't lost this pick in 5 years or so, will buy again in a heartbeat.

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## mandroid

Shape  ala 346 Fender   big enough to hold onto   Heavy ,  because extra heavy I have to buy 72.

BC CT 55 is that shape .. 1 costs  same as 144  Fender picks s,

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## SRNassif

> Pick preference is an extremely personal thing, with no right or wrong choice. In general, it is preferable to use a heavy pick for the mandolin as it enables you to get a much better tone out of your instrument, and improves the playability of the mandolin. One advice I would give you is to give picks with a rounded edge a try, be it Bluechip, Primetone, or other Dunlop picks. Although you lose a bit of the clarity of notes with a rounded pick, you get a much warmer sound. Several of the bog names in the mandolin world use either a rounded pick or the round edge of a regularly shaped pick, people like Matt Flinner, Peter Ostroushko, Sam Bush, Tim O'Brien, John Reischman, Sharon Gilchrist, etc...I even saw a video of Roland White using the rounded edge of a pick. Additionally, even Dawg picks (or the older Golden Gate picks) have rounded edges.



I forgot to mention, however, that I recently tried the Dunlop FLOW picks, and these picks are incredible. Sharp point with no bevel, kind of remind me of the famous Jazztone 208 (one of the best picks I've ever used, tone wise), but seem to be more durable. Definitely worth a try.

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## Eric Platt

Interesting how we can play the same picks and hear them differently. Rob Roy mentions his TAD40-1R is bright on mandolin. I hear it as almost the opposite, dark. Brighter than a 50 or 55, but darker than a Wegen Bluegrass, IMO.

But it all relates to the sound you hear in your head that you try to get from the instrument. In my case it's brighter and more biting than a lot of folks want. Seems to be more common with folks who play Nordic, Irish or French Canadian music. At least that's been my experience so far. And yes, there are folks who do the exact opposite of that and have a great tone.

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## Nick Gellie

I use both a Wegen M150 bluegrass pick and a Jim Dunlop 1.0 mm standard black guitar pick on my Collings MT and Collings MT2.  I also use the Jim Dunlop 1.0 mm pick on my Irish Bouzouki.  I use the Jim Dunlop primarily for Irish or bluegrass fiddle tunes because I like the brightness and response playing these types of tunes.  I also play higher up the neck to get more treble response on my Collings MT and get a better response with the Jim Dunlop pick

I was wondering what other Collings MT or MT owners do in similar situations.  What is their pick of choice?  I prefer a smaller pick to a larger pick.  I have relatively small hands.  I was also wondering about a 1.2 mm pick in what sort of material and shape as it might be a worthwhile addition to my pick collection.

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## pheffernan

> I was wondering what other Collings MT or MT owners do in similar situations.  What is their pick of choice?  I prefer a smaller pick to a larger pick.  I have relatively small hands.  I was also wondering about a 1.2 mm pick in what sort of material and shape as it might be a worthwhile addition to my pick collection.


Hey Nic, when I still had my Collings MT, I really liked a casein Red Bear precisely because I was trying to tame some of that brightness. The Wegen TF140, which I really like for its handle, was simply too strident for my usual solo play, and the Blue Chip CT55 was a good compromise between the two. Have you noticed any unique differences among picks for the MT-O?

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## Nick Gellie

I actually don't mind the brightness at all with the Collings MT instruments whether an -O or a MT equivalent.  I was just checking to see if anyone had tried a 1.2 mm pick somewhere in between.  As I am in Spain it is pretty pricey to purchase a blue chip thick.  I usually ahve to go on Qnazon to get picks at a decent price.

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## pheffernan

> I actually don't mind the brightness at all with the Collings MT instruments whether an -O or a MT equivalent.  I was just checking to see if anyone had tried a 1.2 mm pick somewhere in between.  As I am in Spain it is pretty pricey to purchase a blue chip thick.  I usually ahve to go on Qnazon to get picks at a decent price.


I have the Wegen TF120 and TF100 that I typically employ for my lighter strung flattop or longer scaled instruments. They still have considerable stiffness and perhaps a bit more maneuverability. Since they are a Dutch product, I’d think that they’d be pretty accessible within the EU.

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## Nick Gellie

Thanks Pat, I will check out the TF120 Wegen picks.

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## JeffD

The kind of pick that works in a small group or playing at home, where the tone qualities can be heard may not be the optimum pick for a large jam session, where cutting through may be more important than the subtle beauty of the tone nobody can hear. 

The kind of pick you might use for a piece that is mostly chords and double stops might be different from what is best for the piece that is mostly single note melody, or tremolo.

The kind of pick you might use for old time might be different from what you would use for bluegrass, and especially, might be different from what you would use for classical and formal music.

The kind of pick you would use playing acoustically might be different from that you would use when playing amplified. The pick that works playing into a microphone might not be the pick that is best for when you use the bridge pickup.

The kind of pick that sounds great on this mandolin may not be what is best for that mandolin.


The pick you should use is the one that is best of course.  :Smile:

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Eric Platt

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## Gelsenbury

I'm not usually a pick geek, and I have no illusions about finding a pick of destiny that will make me play better. But a recent conversation made me realise how little I know about how my various picks sound from in front of the instrument, rather than my usual place behind it - and whether they make much difference at all. So I recorded this comparison of 31 picks. Perhaps some of you will find it useful. 



After listening back a couple of times, I still don't have a clear favourite, and I'd say the differences are small except for the round picks, which just don't seem to be for me in terms of melody playing.

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## Mike Romkey

Blue Chip!

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