# Instruments and Equipment > Equipment >  Anyone NOT like Blue Chip picks?

## Paul Busman

Well, the thread is up to 62 pages of people mainly gushing about this costly little babies.
Could this be, at least in part, folks justifying their spending so much for a little hunk o' plastic?
Please understand, I don't mean to sound snarky about this.  It's kind of human nature to do that, and I know I've done it myself about some purchases I've made over the years.
I'll admit that I haven't tried Blue Chips yet, but I find it hard to believe that they are THAT much better than my current favorites which ran a princely $4.50 for a 3 pack.
Anyone in the NY Capital District have a BC and want to change my mind?

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bobbywolfe

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## Mike Bunting

You do sound snarky. If you don't want to spend the money, then don't, it doesn't matter.

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## mandobassman

Just try one to find out for sure.  I you still don't like it, you can send it back.

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## baptist mando55

I dont like it very much bought a  rounded triangle 50 and its too bright for my taste plays good i like the grip but just too bright. I use  wegen m50 on guitar and Dawg2 pn the mando :Mandosmiley:

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## George R. Lane

I have have a TP50-1R and it sounds just fine to me and it glides through the strings smoothly. It is well worth the money. And yes I have tried the Wegans, Red Bear, Ultek, Jazzmando, Fender and many others, I still like the Blue Chip the best.

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## Brent Hutto

A person who builds really expensive (and nice, I must say!) musical instruments could be said to "live in a glass house" when it comes to throwing stones. One can most certainly make awesome music with a 75-cent Fender Heavy mandolin pick...or with a $29.95 plastic alto recorder.

If I bought a $35 pick, or a $350 pick for that matter, and it did not produce a pleasing sound I would get rid of it just as certainly as a 75-cent one. Why on earth would you think someone who likes an expensive pick is lying just to justify having spent a little bit of money? I've spent more than $35 on a meal or a bottle of wine before. It does not require justification.

Someone told me Red Bear picks were awesome. Expensive but worth it. I tried a couple of them, didn't really care much for the sound (or the lack of durability) so I got rid of them. Someone told me Blue Chip picks were awesome. Expensive but worth it. So I tried a couple of them and loved the sound, feel and durability. So I still own and use them. Both brands are similarly expensive, one is worth it and the other isn't to me. Might be other way 'round for the next guy.

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fredfrank, 

sblock

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## Mandobart

I just got a TPR-60 for Christmas that is a very nice pick.  I like the shape, thickness, feel, etc.  No complaints.  But, I do not like it better than my Wegens of same shape and size.  I personally don't hear much of a difference, at least not a $30 difference.  Of course, I spend a WHOLE lot more for my fiddle bows...

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## John Flynn

I got one as a gift. It is a great pick. I doubt I would ever buy one though.

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## baptist mando55

I might have liked a thicker one ai bought a pack of m100 wegens and hated them but loved m150s

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## Ron McMillan

Y-a-w-n z-z-z-z-z--z-z-z-

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## mandobassman

I really don't understand all of this fuss over the price.  Many of us have $2K or $3K mandolins (or maybe even more), a $75 Tone Gard, a $55 Cumberland Acoustics bridge.  All of these things can make a big difference in the sound of the music we make.  But mention a $35 pick, which can make just as big of a difference, and everyone goes nuts about the cost.  Is it just because it's small.  I know several people who who easily fork over $75 - $100 for a tortoise shell pick, yet a Blue Chip doesn't harm any animals and lasts about 100 times longer.  I, personally, think it is one of the best picks made.  It's smoother than any pick I have ever used, it has a fantastic grip, and has a wonderful tone IMO.  However, after using one for several months, I found I couldn't get the volume I needed from it and I found myself playing harder and sloppier, so I tried a few other things and discovered I like the Gravity Picks the most.  But at least I tried it.  I am not going to sit back and complain about a product I haven't tried.  As far as the cost is concerned, if it makes my mandolin sing, than it's worth every penny.

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## sdmandomj

I love my Blue Chip pick.  I have the TAD 50.  It feels great - doesn't slip even though the surface is smooth.  It sounds much better to me than any other pick I have tried so far, including Wegen.  It slides across the strings easily.  I'm no pro, and I'm not concerned about playing super-loud, so the Blue Chip is fine with me.  Makes me feel like I'm getting my money's worth of sound from my Collings. :Smile:

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## Loretta Callahan

Me for one.  The BC seemed to get stuck in my fingers.  I had a TPR or TAD 60 that just didn't float my boat.  Traded it with a cafe member for an assortment of picks.  If I had realized I didn't like before the 30 day return policy was up, I might have swapped it with the BC folks for a thinner pick.

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## Lance K.

I agree with Mandobart. I have one. I like it better than the Wegens I used to use, but I don't think it's $30 better. If I lost it tomorrow I wouldn't pay another $35 to replace it. I'd go back to using Wegens.

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## woodwizard

I have a TPR60 in bolth of my mandolin cases and if I lost one I'd get another one. No big deal ... I just like them a lot.

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## JeffD

> Well, the thread is up to 62 pages of people mainly gushing about this costly little babies.
> Could this be, at least in part, folks justifying their spending so much for a little hunk o' plastic?


Nah.




> Please understand, I don't mean to sound snarky about this.


Not a problem.




> I'll admit that I haven't tried Blue Chips yet, but I find it hard to believe that they are THAT much better than my current favorites which ran a princely $4.50 for a 3 pack.


Many folks find that they are THAT much better. Seriously.


At $4.50 for 3, thats a savings of $33.50 per pick, but since you would only buy one, and you only need one at a time, you saved $30.50. Once. One time savings. You can take someone out to dinner, (twice if its a diner), and spend the rest of your life with what may be an inferior pick.


Picks are not a commodity, like strings, that need to be replaced on a regular basis. Unless you lose them. So don't lose them.

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## Ivan Kelsall

With Blue Chip picks not being available in the UK,i've only had the chance to try the one belonging to a fellow UK 'Cafe member.It was thicker than my _Wegen 1.0 mm_ pick & as usual with all the 'thick'(er) picks i've tried,i found the tone very 'rounded' & lacking in 'attack' (to me). Right now,the 1.0 mm Wegen Bluegrass picks,are the best sounding 'to my ears' for me.I thought that the Blue Chip pick material seemed 'very similar' to the material used in the Dunlop 'Tortex' picks that i have 3 of,& they had the same 'feel' to them as well - once again,it's all a matter of personal choice & opinion,
                                                                                       Ivan :Chicken:

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## Dave Hanson

The first 2 replies to this question were immediately on the attack, this alone seems to confirm what Paul was talking about,

Dave H

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## Mike Bunting

Mine was a response to another pointless question.

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## John Flynn

> I really don't understand all of this fuss over the price.  Many of us have $2K or $3K mandolins (or maybe even more), a $75 Tone Gard, a $55 Cumberland Acoustics bridge.  All of these things can make a big difference in the sound of the music we make.  But mention a $35 pick, which can make just as big of a difference, and everyone goes nuts about the cost.  Is it just because it's small


Two reasons: 1) Because it's just a piece of plastic. Might be a really nice, high-tech, well made piece of plastic, but that's all it is. and 2) Picks don't make mandolins sound better, players do. I get Compton to play my mandolin with a $0.35 pick and I guarantee he will still sound like Compton. I play it with a $35 pick and I will still sound like me (unfortunately!). Like I said, I got a BC as a gift, I use it, it's a great pick, but it does not make me sound better. I make me sound better.

"It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools."

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Jamie-boy, 

Mark Gunter

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## mandobassman

> The first 2 replies to this question were immediately on the attack, this alone seems to confirm what Paul was talking about,
> 
> Dave H


I was one of those first two posts and I don't think my response was on the "attack" at all.  I am just simply saying that I find it hard to criticize others comments about a particular product unless you try it yourself.  They have a return policy for goodness sake.  What other pick maker does that?  I do believe people sometimes have pre-conceived ideas about something that influences their opinion.  I find that is true with tailpieces.  But, I have tried a cast tailpiece and formed my own opinion.  I have also tried 3 different Blue Chip Picks and formed my own opinion.  Paul admits he hasn't tried a BC, yet hes criticizes and questions others' opinions.  Try one, form your own opinion, then post!

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## Scott Tichenor

> Well, the thread is up to 62 pages of people mainly gushing about this costly little babies.
> Could this be, at least in part, folks justifying their spending so much for a little hunk o' plastic?
> Please understand, I don't mean to sound snarky about this.  It's kind of human nature to do that, and I know I've done it myself about some purchases I've made over the years.
> I'll admit that I haven't tried Blue Chips yet, but I find it hard to believe that they are THAT much better than my current favorites which ran a princely $4.50 for a 3 pack.
> Anyone in the NY Capital District have a BC and want to change my mind?


You're charging $250 for a pennywhistle on your web site and out here busting chops because of a $35 pick? You're certainly the expert on all things pricing in my book.

(psssst. It's just a piece of wood and a bit of metal).

Carry on.

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## mandobassman

> Two reasons: 1) Because it's just a piece of plastic. Might be a really nice, high-tech, well made piece of plastic, but that's all it is. and 2) Picks don't make mandolins sound better, players do. I get Compton to play my mandolin with a $0.35 pick and I guarantee he will still sound like Compton. I play it with a $35 pick and I will still sound like me (unfortunately!). Like I said, I got a BC as a gift, I use it, it's a great pick, but it does not make me sound better. I make me sound better.
> 
> "It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools."


Nobody is blaming a tool for anything.  But a pick is just that, a tool.  It has a tremendous effect on tone, just as strings do.  No one is saying the BC will suddenly make you be a better player.  It is simply another choice.  If it gives you the tone and feel you need then the cost is not an issue.  The cost only seems to be an issue for those who haven't tried them and want to tell everyone else they are wasting their money.  At least you did try one.  But no one has made claims of BC making them sound better.  It's just a personal preference.

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## mandobassman

> You're charging $250 for a pennywhistle on your web site and out here busting chops because of a $35 pick? You're certainly the expert on all things pricing in my book.
> 
> (psssst. It's just a piece of wood and a bit of metal).
> 
> Carry on.


Amen!

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## Canoedad

Now if someone could just show me how to make my left hand just as happy for another $35, I'd be very grateful.   :Mandosmiley:

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## JeffD

> 2) Picks don't make mandolins sound better, players do.


John I beg to differ. In theory someone could make a pie chart and divide up how much a given better sound was due to a better player, a better pick, and a better instrument. Player would take the lion's share, and on the pick and instrument there would be some judgement calls as to taste, but there is no doubt all three make a difference. (And there is no doubt that 99.99% of us would see more improvement woodshedding more and yammering on about picks less.) 

That being said, a better instrument sounds better. A better pick makes an instrument sound better, (and makes a better instrument sound even better). A better player makes an instrument sound better, (and makes a better instrument sound awesome).


There are four possible response to the 62 page thread on picks - 

1 - these folks are fooling themselves. I haven't tried it, but come on.
2 - I tried it and found no great advantage. These folks must be fooling themselves.
3 - I tried it and found no great advantage. Perhaps it doesn't work for me and my picking style, or my tastes are different. But I can't speak to the experience of others. There may be some fools, but not 62 pages of fools.
4 - I tried it and it makes a difference. I can hear it.  Yee Ha!

One's response is one's response, but I think 3 and 4 above are the most reasonable.

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## AlanN

All I Ever Loved Was You
You Broke A Heart That Cried For You
I've Wasted All My Tears On You
For All I Ever Loved Was You.

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## Connor_Briggs

Danny Roberts led me to the idea of having a BlueChip. He got me a TD50 a couple of years ago. When I was in Galax last year at the Fiddler's convention, I was playing with Adam Steffey and we actually got the same pick that day, a STP 40. I like the STP for my Mandolin, and TD-50 a little more for the guitar. BlueChip's are by far the best. The Wegen BigCity comes as my second choice.

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## Malcolm G.

> I really don't understand all of this fuss over the price.  Many of us have $2K or $3K mandolins (or maybe even more), a $75 Tone Gard, a $55 Cumberland Acoustics bridge.  All of these things can make a big difference in the sound of the music we make.  But mention a $35 pick, which can make just as big of a difference, and everyone goes nuts about the cost.  Is it just because it's small.  I know several people who who easily fork over $75 - $100 for a tortoise shell pick, yet a Blue Chip doesn't harm any animals and lasts about 100 times longer.  I, personally, think it is one of the best picks made.  It's smoother than any pick I have ever used, it has a fantastic grip, and has a wonderful tone IMO.  However, after using one for several months, I found I couldn't get the volume I needed from it and I found myself playing harder and sloppier, so I tried a few other things and discovered I like the Gravity Picks the most.  But at least I tried it.  I am not going to sit back and complain about a product I haven't tried.  As far as the cost is concerned, if it makes my mandolin sing, than it's worth every penny.


Amen!

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## JonZ

The psychological relationship between pricing and perception of quality are well established. So you could be right that people are fooling themselves. 

On the other hand, some things are actually better than others.

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## FloridaCracker

Im new to mandolin. But my instructor has Blue Chip picks. They are awesome. Im using a Golden Gate gm12. The Golden Gates are pretty good but dont compare to the BC's in my ever-so-humble opinion.

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## Kip Carter

> Now if someone could just show me how to make my left hand just as happy for another $35, I'd be very grateful.


Here ya go!! Try This for the left hand!

*Just kidding!!!!!!!!*
Kip...

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## John McGann

If good players think it makes a difference (and many good players use Blue Chip picks, ToneGards etc.), then there just might be something to it.

If you can play, and something makes you sound even better, it's probably good.  :Wink:

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## Justus True Waldron

> "It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools."


Not sure who first said that, and I do think I know what they were trying to say. However, tools do make a difference. I know a man who builds high class furniture with only hand tools, and has made furniture for the white house. He's actually happy with moderately priced chisels, as long as the steel is good. Give him a cheap chisel made of Chinese steel that won't hold an edge, however, and suddenly things are just going to be an exercise in frustration. Having the right tool IS important.

I said that to say, if we use the tool analogy, picks are tools and in our craft they do make a difference. There was a time where I couldn't hear the difference and I'd play with any pick. Then as I started getting serious, I started to notice things more. Then a friend gave me a TS pick, and suddenly I found both my tone and playability vastly improving. I don't always use them, actually for the past year I've used Clayton Ravens ($4 for 12 I think?) almost exclusively. Lately I started using TS again. I've never had a chance to try a Blue Chip, but if I did and liked it I wouldn't balk at the price. I can make myself play with any pick, but I guarantee anybody could tell the difference between me playing with my favorite pick and me playing with a Fender Heavy. Tools do make a difference, and for those that can tell and care, there are options. For those that don't, there are 25 cent fenders. I wouldn't judge a player for using a $40 pick any more than I do someone using a cheapo... I just hate blanket statements!

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## John Flynn

deleted by author - see below

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## John Flynn

JeffD

I would add a 5th possible response:

5 - I've tried the $35 pick, but I lost a lot in the last recession, perhaps my job, my house and my retirement. Yet I'm grateful, because I know there are people a lot worse off than me. No matter how much better the $35 pick sounds, a 35 cent pick is just fine for me. But others should do what they like. I have no problem with that. But the OP asked and I gave my opinion. No one should have any problem with that, either.

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## baptist mando55

the 35 dollars is not a big deal and I truly wish I liked it I have tried to go to it Many times but it is too bright for my tastes. if I knew for certain a thicker one would suit me I would order it today.It is the best feeling pick ever but just brightI dont Like Collings mandos and guitars for the same reason. I cant like it just because everbody else does :Mandosmiley:

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## Brent Hutto

We all have some point where a pick is just too expensive. I don't think any of us would pay a thousand dollars for a pick no matter how much we liked it. If the $35 is too much for whatever reason, it's too much. Fortunately as I mentioned earlier, an awful lot of great music has been made with picks that cost a few cents. 

I'd add, likewise with mandolins. If someone looks at a $2,000 mandolin and says that's more than they would spend they're fortunate that it doesn't take $2,000 to get a great sounding instrument. But that doesn't mean the folks who do spend $2,000 or $20,000 or whatever are being stupid. 

Nor does spending $35 on a pick say anything bad about a person, any more than spending 35 cents does.

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## neil argonaut

I'd like to try one some day, but although they may have a returns policy, by the time it gets shipped here and returned there, I'd end up $35 down even if i did return it probably. Certainly spending $35 on a pick would be a good incentive for me not to lose a pick like i normally do.

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## Canoedad

> Certainly spending $35 on a pick would be a good incentive for me not to lose a pick like i normally do.


If I sold a pick that people felt justified paying $35 for and that pick lasted for a very, very long time, you know what color I'd make it???   Brown.   Just sayin'.   I momentariliy misplaced mine yesterday and felt a tinge of mild panic.

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## JeffD

> but I lost a lot in the last recession, perhaps my job, my house and my retirement. .


Oh I understand that. I don't want to go into how and why, but I do understand.  And what happened is that $35 became more dear to you.

I can fully see that the response might be that I've tried 'em, and the pick makes a discernable difference, but that difference is not worth it to me right now. (Or maybe just not worth it period).

That is a reasonable response. What would not, in my mind be reasonable is to say the difference is not worth the price to me, and those that think it is worth it are deluding themselves.

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## JeffD

> I cant like it just because everbody else does


Nobody would want that. See, but you tried it and have an experienced based opinion about it, and are not trying to impune a herd mentality to those who like them.

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## JeffD

> "It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools."


Yes, but I have known craftsmen, in various industries, and the good ones pick their tools with great care, not always going with the cheapest cost.

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## JonZ

> If good players think it makes a difference (and many good players use Blue Chip picks, ToneGards etc.), then there just might be something to it.
> 
> If you can play, and something makes you sound even better, it's probably good.


Some thoughts on this:
Many experts also use cheap picks.
Experts are also subject to the "pricing effect".
Experts might obtain their picks for free.
Expert opinion creates an "expert effect" further inflating perceived quality among consumers.

None of this proves anything about the actual value of the pick--just food for thought.

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## Markus

> 3 - I tried it and found no great advantage. Perhaps it doesn't work for me and my picking style, or my tastes are different. But I can't speak to the experience of others.


This is where I fall.

It's not my favorite pick, but it's one of two picks I keep with me for when I `want something different'. 

I have no dislike of it, but for my mandolin/strings/technique/repertoire it's not what I'm looking for right now. 

With only one mandolin it's hard to make some definitive statement - every so often it just sounds better to my ear and I use it, but I prefer the feel sound of my usual just a slight bit better.

Every few months I seem to have a day when I drop the pick regularly ... and the Blue Chip works great there. I'm not sure if it sticks to my fingers better or if it makes my fingers more miserly, but it conquers my droppy-days.

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## jaycat

> You're charging $250 for a pennywhistle on your web site and out here busting chops because of a $35 pick? You're certainly the expert on all things pricing in my book. . . .


Hey, you can get a pennywhistle in the key of D+. Just like my high school report card!

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## Canoedad

I'm hesitant to say this but ... I play (at) the tin whistle a bit.  You know what kind "the pros" play?  $8 Generations or Feadógs.  In fact, I ran over my Feadóg not long ago and completely flattened it.  I didn't even mind all that much.  I saw it as a sign.  But I'd sure hate to run over my Blue Chip.  I might mess up the bevel!

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## abuteague

I'm in the capital district. I have some blue chip picks. I'm not on any personal mission to convert anyone or change anyone's mind about picks. If we happened to meet up, you could try one out. I happen to like them very much.

I can see where you are coming from. I can totally relate. Although I'm a blue chip player, I like the straight up $5 strings. There are people who play $40. I think they are nuts. I mean $40 for strings!!! But I haven't tried $40 strings, nor do I see myself putting down $40 for a set of strings in the near future... I'd like to try them out on someone else's dollar because I don't understand what the fuss is about. Coatings? Flatwound? Heavy gauge? Brands I've never tried. I'm just like you, only for me it is the strings and for you it is the picks.

I've chased after a pick that works for me and this is what I've found:

For some a pick is either you have one or you don't. For that person, $.35 is a good price for a pick and $35 is not. I was in this camp for many years.

For others, a pick of a particular variety enhances play when compared to another pick. For that person, they shop around and play what it takes to get the sound and experience they are looking for. Perhaps they are willing to go as far as $5 for a pick and no more, or maybe $35 is not out of the question. Depends.

If you don't experience a big difference between picks, then save your money and be glad. If you do, then maybe $35 is worth it.

I don't see any reason to argue much over it. People are different.

For me, I've tried different picks. I had a passage I just couldn't get right for ages despite months of trying. It was difficult. I had it memorized, but it would never come out right. My beloved dunlop got caught up every time and I'd miss a beat. My dawg had too much friction and my fingers would sweat and I'd drop it. I tried different things to help my grip to no avail. In 2 minutes of playing, if I still had the dawg in my hand it was sideways! The blue chip slid just right across the strings and I could play that passage every time. It stuck between my thumb and finger and gave me good control. I tried all the picks again and again on a variety of pieces. I noticed a real difference. Things that were too hard for me to play were now manageable. I decided that blue chip 40s work for me. The whole thing is that your mileage may vary. It has nothing to do with your ability, level, or your self worth. 

Hey, I'll trade you a blue chip pick for a set of Thomastik-Infeld flat wounds!

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## Justus True Waldron

nice post, abuteague. I am also in the capitol region, although I don't have any blue chips to offer to demo anyone. I'm hoping I'll get a chance to try some at Joe Val in a couple weeks...

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## Jim Garber

I use BC picks and I use others. It depends on what music I am playing on what instrument. I have posted this before, but just to justify the price -- a small sheet of this plastic (I can't recall the size but maybe 12X12 inches) goes for about $1300 BION. 

As far as playing: I generally like the tone on mandolin and for my guitar playing it is essential for me. I play old time rhythm for dances and used to wear out my favorite tricorner picks very quickly -- I was using Ultem picks which are pretty hard plastic. The BC pick I use has barely worn out at all and I have had it for over and year.

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## Paul Busman

> You're charging $250 for a pennywhistle on your web site and out here busting chops because of a $35 pick? You're certainly the expert on all things pricing in my book.
> 
> (psssst. It's just a piece of wood and a bit of metal).
> 
> Carry on.


Hey, since when does asking a simple question become busting chops???
Second-- that piece of wood and metal takes me about 6-8 hours of my so called free time to make from scratch.  That's a LOT of hand labor, and time that could be spent with my family.  At $250, these are up in the pretty high end of the whistle world.  Maybe not Dude high, but maybe Collings high, percentage wise.
I'd be the last to tell people that they "need" a $250 whistle, and the point is well taken that you can make perfectly good music on a cheap one (although the comment that "all the pros play an $8 whistle" is a bit of a stretch-- some do, others play high  end ones, including mine).
Thanks to the relatively few people who actually answered my question, rather than just reacting with ruffled feathers.

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## neil argonaut

Abuteugue's post mentioning $40 strings got me thinking of the plectrum pricing thing in a new way; If you change your strings say once a month, and your plectrum lasts a decade due to you being careful not to lose it, then getting a blue chip will cost less than getting strings that cost just 30 cents more, and will probably make more difference than 30 cents dearer strings, never mind $40 strings.

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## Tom Wright

The question inspired me to contact BC instead of just complaining about the mud-brown floor-camouflage color, but all the bluechippick.net addresses are not responding, including "contact" and "questions?".

Not that I'm a fan of the tone (tried one), actually liking Fender celluloid, but a pick that doesn't wear is appealing, if it were an easy-to see color. Almost any material can be electroplated now; red would be my choice.

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## Paul Kotapish

I like 'em a lot--just not as much as my Wegen's, which are also no particular bargain but worth every cent to me. 

I'd take either over genuine tortoiseshell--karmic repercussions notwithstanding--any day, but if you like that real TS sound, the Bluechips come closest to my ear and hand. And they really do seem to be indestructable.

I certainly don't begrudge Bluechip their pound of flesh any more than  do Paul's fees for his handmade, labor-intensive whistles.

Bluechip has a great product with an extremely limited market, and pricing them competively would probably result in one-way trip to bankruptcy court.  

Same thing with handwound brass or handmade gut strings. They don't work for me, but I've heard them work wonders for others, and I'm happy that someone is out there making them. Selling a few thousand sets a year means the price is going to be high to keep the shop open.

It kind of reminds me of the argument over the price of CDs--remember them? Lots of folks would complain that $15 was ridiculous for a product that only cost a dollar and change to manufacture. But that equation never took into consideration the many thousands of dollars ($10K isn't that unusual for a small project) in recording costs, mastering, session fees, artwork, etc., not to mention the countless hours of coordinating it all. Couple that with realistic sales numbers (a few thousand would be a smash success for many acoustic acts), and that $15 price tag starts to make sense.

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## greg_tsam

Once I tried one I knew I had to buy one.  CT55 works for me.  I like the way it sticks to my fingers and slides off the strings.  It changes the tone of my mando so it's not so bright and combined with my string choice it sounds great.  Personal preference is all that matters here.  And as long as I don't lose it, $35 dollars for my BC will last me a long time and give me great pleasure so it's a lot of bang for my buck.  I even refused to entertain an offer to trade for a tortoise shell pic.  I like it that much.

And as a simple disclaimer, I was one of the folks that thought spending so much for a BC was ridiculous but that was before I tried it.

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## GRW3

I can easily see why the BC chip would not satisfy. For instance, in my terms, it's very bright compared to the fat, rounded tone one gets with a Dawg pick. If using the Dawg gives you the tone you hear from the mandolin in your head, you won't be happy with the BC. There are other similar comparisons that can be made, even with 35¢ picks. I lucked out because the BC falls right in with the tone of the syn tortoise I was using. The material is much faster off the strings and I can use the help.

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## mandobassman

> Bluechip has a great product with an extremely limited market, and pricing them competively would probably result in one-way trip to bankruptcy court...


I do remember reading an article about Blue Chip when I first found out about them, and in an interview with Matthew Goins he said the reason for the price was because of the incredible cost of the material (a .062" thick sheet of 12x12 inch material costs $1355.63).



He said that although the price was high that his profit margin was not that great.  He's not charging that price just because it's a premium pick and he thinks it should cost that much.

----------


## G. Fisher

> The question inspired me to contact BC instead of just complaining about the mud-brown floor-camouflage color, but all the bluechippick.net addresses are not responding, including "contact" and "questions?".
> 
> Not that I'm a fan of the tone (tried one), actually liking Fender celluloid, but a pick that doesn't wear is appealing, if it were an easy-to see color. Almost any material can be electroplated now; red would be my choice.


I believe the picks are brown because that is the color of the material they use to make them. In some cases it's not possible to add color to a material. 

This is the material that has been mentioned that the picks are made from. 

http://www.professionalplastics.com/MELDIN7001

----------


## lukmanohnz

Such passion!  I just recently bought a TAD60-1R.  As I worked my way through successively pricier picks (from 35 cent Fenders through $10 V-picks) I kept getting rewarded with better tone so I finally took the leap of faith and bought a BC for $38 (with shipping).  It's extremely smooth, loud, and bright.  That said, I use my JazzMando v-pick more often when practicing because I really love the feel and tone of that pick.  But I will keep my BC and use it for jams when I want the added brightness and volume.

----------


## mandobassman

> I use my JazzMando v-pick more often when practicing because I really love the feel and tone of that pick.  But I will keep my BC and use it for jams when I want the added brightness and volume.


Interesting!  I had exactly the opposite experience.  I found the JazzMando V-Pick to be louder and brighter than the BC, and I was using the XR60, which is very similar in shape and thickness to the JM V-Pick.

----------


## lukmanohnz

That is curious.  I suspect that the bevel plays a big role in brightness and volume.  I have a Dawg pick that was my first foray into the mysterious world of picks designed specifically for mandolin, and found it to be very low volume at first.  But after playing with it for a few days I started getting much more volume out of it, so clearly the way the pick is held and used to attack the strings also plays a big role in tone and volume.  My v-picks don't have much of a bevel to speak of - just a rounded edge.  But the BC has a very pronounced and sculpted bevel, and I think that is part of their magic.  FYI - I hardly ever use that Dawg pick, but I'll hang on to it.  Grisman is one of my all-time favorite players.

----------


## Ivan Kelsall

No pick on this earth wil make any of us 'better' players.What they will do is to make what you play ''sound different'' according to the thickness & shape of the picking point/bevel.Whether you like the difference or not, is your personal decision.I play as well as i can play with every pick i've tried out,some like the Wegens work on my instruments & some,like the Dawg & Golden Gate picks, don't.The1.0mm Wegen Bluegrass pick is my favourite,but,the Weber picks that came with my "Fern" sound just as good,but a tad more 'clicky' because they flex more. The Gibson 'Pure XH' picks also sound very similar indeed to the Wegens on my instruments.
                                                 Ivan

----------


## abuteague

I'm in the "I think a pick can make you a better player" camp. 

I'm no professional, but for me, moving away from this dunlop pick made me a better player. I started with it because I liked its percussive and snappy sound. As much as I had grown to love it, other picks got me through musical phrases with better tone and fewer errors. I could also play faster with other picks. The old big stubby punished imprecision by getting hung up and not sliding well over strings. Too much friction made it difficult to play at speed with others. I started looking for new picks after 13 years because I recognized a problem. The pick was fine for playing slow by myself, but it was holding me back when I started playing out with others. Now I'm delighted that I took this journey. I wouldn't discourage anyone from trying something new to see if they get better performance. 

Now if you are like my father-in-law and have a couple thousand fishing lures and I can catch just as many fish with a worm on a hook, well, that is a different kettle of fish altogether.

----------


## Ken Willms

That was my problem with the BC pick.  My right hand played so much faster with it, that the right hand would finish the tune before the left hand finished. (LOL) It has finally caught up but it took awile.
I love my TPR50 for mando and TPR 40 for guitar.

----------


## JeffD

> He said that although the price was high that his profit margin was not that great.  He's not charging that price just because it's a premium pick and he thinks it should cost that much.


I don't care. Let him make a good buck. His product is well liked and apparently sells well at the price he charges. The market can bear it. He would be a fool to charge less, even if he could make a profit at a lower price.

That being said, when I am asked why I charge so much for what I do for a living I usually say the same types of things. Customers like to hear that.   :Smile:

----------


## JeffD

Everything I do on the mandolin that sounds great is my raw talent. Everything that sucks is because of the pick, or the mandolin, or the strings, or the sound man, or the change in humidity, or the magnetic field, or the end of the Mayan Calendar. (Why didn't they just buy a new calendar by the way - they have quite a selection at Barnes and Noble.)

----------


## Kip Carter

> Why didn't they just buy a new calendar by the way


From what I've heard it was a Friday afternoon and had been a long week. They had Finished up on the future Mayan year and opted to cut out for an early weekend before proceeding with the following year on Monday.  As he was walking home there was a solar eclipse and he fell off a cliff and broke his neck.  All the other stone cutters took this as a bad omen and ran off to join the Mayan military and were consequently executed when they tried to fight with their chisels.  If only they would have used their hammers the world might be going past this year!

At least.. that's what I heard...
Kip...

----------


## Paul Kotapish

[QUOTE=JeffD;1016788]Everything I do on the mandolin that sounds great is my raw talent. Everything that sucks is because of the pick, or the mandolin, or the strings, or the sound man, or the change in humidity, or the magnetic field, or the end of the Mayan Calendar. . . QUOTE]

Me, too!

----------


## mandroid

Doubt the Mayans were on Julius Caesar or  Pope Gregory's calendar.. what year is it really ? 
say on the Pagan calendar of 13 lunar cycles, rather than  numbers according to a nemonic,
 30 days hath september, april june and..  , etc..

 by the way I can play the same notes on my instrument with what pick I have in my hand..
never was into 64th notes anyhow..

----------


## Jim Garber

As I mentioned in my post above, the raw materials alone to make these are incredibly expensive, so I can believe that the profit margin may not be very high. AFAIK the plastic is some formula of Meldin. You can see on this web page that a 1/16" X 12" X12" sheet cost over $1300. I would also imagine that it is not that easy to form and cut this stuff. It is pretty tough material.

So for those who want to try their had at making their own...

----------


## JeffD

I tried the DAWG picks and I was not able to get much volume with them. They did enable me to pick a little faster, but I found it harder to pull a good loud tone with them. That shape is just not pointy enough for me.

----------


## Brent Hutto

Yeah, when I first started mandolin lessons I showed the teacher a couple different picks and said I found the "Dawg" style pretty easy to play. My teacher's comment was "Might be easy to play but you're not getting any sound out it". So I went back to the picks with a bit of a point.

----------


## Ignatius

> I would also imagine that it is not that easy to form and cut this stuff. It is pretty tough material.


I don't know about cutting a piece up, but I can say that I managed to ruin one of the picks quite easily with just a handful of well-placed strokes from a common emery board when I tried to change the bevel. I had assumed that the pick would be more resistant to me than it was, and the results were much more than I expected.  :Frown: 

Ignatius

----------


## Markus

> the end of the Mayan Calendar. (Why didn't they just buy a new calendar by the way - they have quite a selection at Barnes and Noble.)


They did. I believe this is the end of the 12th cycle of the `Mayan' calendar. 

It's those north of the border who seem unaware that it's prophesizing a trip to Barnes and Noble, not fiery doom. You don't hear stories out of the Mayan regions of Mexico of bunkers and the like ... I'm betting it's party horns, extra food, and having people over.

----------


## bratsche

I have one (TAD60) that I ordered unfinished, as in with just a blunt edge, and then beveled to (my sense of) perfection.  However, it is collecting dust for the most part these days.  The main reason is that I seldom use that shape of pick anymore, preferring the elongated Roman plectrum shape, which I have to make from scratch due to their rarity.  But even when I do go for the triangle, the Blue Chip is just too bright for my taste.

bratsche

----------


## Kip Carter

> I have one (TAD60) that I ordered unfinished, as in with just a blunt edge, and then beveled to (my sense of) perfection.  However, it is collecting dust for the most part these days.  The main reason is that I seldom use that shape of pick anymore, preferring the elongated Roman plectrum shape, which I have to make from scratch due to their rarity.  But even when I do go for the triangle, the Blue Chip is just too bright for my taste.
> 
> bratsche


How do you hold those???  I looked it up here and I'm mystified!


Kip...

----------


## Justus True Waldron

That looks like quite the pick, Kip... I'm as lost as you are! 

Well, after so much buzz on both sides of the isle about these picks, I just put in an order for a CT55 (the chris thile pick I guess). I just checked out their website and saw the perfect example of the pick I've been wanting: a decent sized triangle with a speed bevel. Kind of like my clayton ravens once they finally wear in... just so happens it was the Chris Thile pick. I figure I try to play enough of his stuff, and I'm getting tired of messing with bevels on my TS picks all day. We'll see if I like it, I've never tried one before. If not, I'll just chalk it up to science...

----------


## JeffD

> How do you hold those???  I looked it up here and I'm mystified!
> 
> Kip...


Well here is one way: 




Check 3:15 for close up.


Here are some other pictures:





They take some getting used to. At first my tremolo went all to pieces. But I finally got the hang of it. Very bright sparkly sound.

----------


## Kip Carter

Thanks Jeff..(I think)... I'm no longer confused... disturbed.. but not confused!
Kip...

----------


## woodwizard

> Once I tried one I knew I had to buy one. ...... 
> .


Not everyone mind you but a very high percentage of people come to that same conclusion.

----------


## Bertram Henze

They are too thick for me - I need something around 0.78 mm which in their system would be a TAD30 or so, I guess, and they don't make that. So I stick with what works for me so far (Dunlop Ultex - wear down fast, but are cheap to replace).

----------


## Jill McAuley

> They are too thick for me - I need something around 0.78 mm which in their system would be a TAD30 or so, I guess, and they don't make that. So I stick with what works for me so far (Dunlop Ultex - wear down fast, but are cheap to replace).


I use a TPR35, which is .89mm I think - I had initially assumed that Blue Chips wouldn't even be on the agenda for me because of being heavier than I prefer, but once I found out they did a .89mm one I had to try it out and have never looked back, love 'em.

Cheers,
Jill

----------


## barney 59

After many years of playing one tends to top out in their ability,at least I think so for me. Add to that a little stiffness in the joints and maybe your hearing isn't what it once was. You have the best mandolin that you can afford. You practice,attend a workshop from time to time,listen and watch but there aren't any great leaps forward like there was at the beginning. You hope that you will improve but maybe the fact is at some point you may be as good as your ever going to get and the only place left to go is backward. If something costs $35 and improves your playing even the tiniest little bit that is money well spent. The improved grip on the Bluechip really helps me with controlling the pick. I don't know if pick to string the tone is that much improved over some other picks but being able to hold onto the thing is worth a lot!

----------


## Psyberbilly

> Well here is one way: 
> 
> 
> F
> Check 3:15 for close up.
> 
> 
> Here are some other pictures:
> 
> ...


You'll never get a decent chop with that grip.......   
;-)

----------


## Justus True Waldron

Just an update on the blue chip thing, I got mine in the mail today. I haven't been fully able to flog it yet because my good mandolin is in the shop  :Frown:  I did try it out on my Kentucky and my martin guitar, and I have to say it's my favorite pick I've used. As long as it lives up to its promise of not wearing out, and I don't loose it, I'm sold. It is a little brighter than my TS picks, but it's also thinner, and with the speed bevel it seems to zip right along. I'd almost swear it's made me more accurate. Can't wait to get my mando back and really try it out. Note to the OP, I'm in the capital district (I work in Troy) and I now have a blue chip... so if we ever cross paths somehow you're welcome to try it out.

----------


## Paul Busman

> Note to the OP, I'm in the capital district (I work in Troy) and I now have a blue chip... so if we ever cross paths somehow you're welcome to try it out.


Excellent!  Do you ever get to the Fiddler's Tour?  They're at Carney's in Ballston Spa this month, every Tues. Let me know if you plan on one of those.
On 2/18 I'll be playing for a Dance Flurry Irish Singalong at the Parting Glass at 5:15.  Hope our musical paths cross soon.

----------


## maki

You know you want one Paul.
 :Laughing:

----------


## Caleb

I bought a BC a few years, sort of shrugged my shoulders, and ended up selling it a few days later here on the Cafe.  The price didn't really bother me, and I ended corresponding with the fellow I sold it to, which was nice (the whole experience really only cost me $5, since that was the loss I took).  I like my old plastic picks just as well, but I'm glad I tried the BC.  If I have any regrets, it would be from a guitarists perspective: it really was a killer guitar pick.

----------


## Douglas McMullin

I also purchased one a couple of years ago, and was completely underwhelmed by it.  I thought perhaps it was the shape, but I tried two others at a jam and found them to be similar.  I did like the grippy feel of the material, but it did not produce the tone I was looking for.  Needless to say, I passed the one I had on.  No regrets giving it a try.  I am sure for some they are the ideal pick, but not for me.

----------


## Paul Busman

> You know you want one Paul.


I'm open to being convinced.  I was skeptical of the ToneGard until I actually tried one just about a year ago.  I went right home and ordered one and am very happy with it.

----------


## Lynn Dudenbostel

Just stumbled on this thread.... I notice the price discussion was quite a few posts back, and I'm not intending on opening up a can of worms here.  But... take a look....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/National-Pat...item2319796c87

Kind of makes our $35 picks look cheap!  Puts a whole new perspective on the issue.

Carry on...
Lynn
(Blue Chip user)

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## Paul Busman

Wow!  What a bargain!  Gotta get my bid in on those puppies...

----------


## Bertram Henze

I am sure these must be made of platinum.

----------


## Jim Garber

I think a lot of the bidding on those picks has to do with collectibility and rarity rather than utility.

----------


## Lee

Even at $35, I do misplace a pick. I play all over the house and will loose them everywhere. If $150 each, I might get cured.

----------


## JeffD

Tape a $100 bill to the pick. You won't lose it.

----------


## Caleb

I've had some of the same picks for twenty years.

----------


## Lee

Kinda related to picks; few people realize the price of a decent violin bow, at any level. 
(They sure aren't something you'll loose around the house.)

----------


## Brent Hutto

> Kinda related to picks; few people realize the price of a decent violin bow, at any level. 
> (They sure aren't something you'll loose around the house.)


No but you can break them surprisingly easily.

----------


## Barry Wilson

I lost my favourite pick the other night. got out of the car and pulled out my key fob from pocket to lock the car. I heard it bounce in the rocks. I searched and searched. dam. if that had been a blue chip I'd have been crawling on the ground with a bic lighter

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## Lee

If you'd been travelling with your pick stored in a pocket-size hardshell pick case it would have been easily found amongst the rocks where it lay. Even in the darkness at night if you'd clicked the button on the keychain search fitting the hardshell case's battery powered beeps and blinking lights would have assisted in a succesfull search. The hardshell pick cases are a bit pricey at $350 each, but I understand the new ones will have room for two picks, which really brings the price down by half! The new dual pick cases have viton seals and vacuum lined top and bottom shells so the case will protect against harsh chemicals and extreme temperatures. They're just a tad larger fitted with an automatic opener activated by a second button on the keychain search fitting. The remote opener will keep your fingers from touching any nasty chemicals or organic wastes wherever the pick case has landed.

----------


## Justus True Waldron

I think I should make a "chipped" blue chip with an actual chip in it so you can track it with your iphone. Sure, it might make it cost as much as $100... but it would be worth it for the satisfaction of tracking down your pick to the pocket of your loose handed jamming buddy! In all seriousness though, I haven't lost any picks since I started keeping all mine in a little altoids tin in the storage compartment in my case. They come out one at a time when I need them for jamming, and go right back in afterwards. They aren't in the strings for people to steal after they check out my mando, and they aren't in my pocket to go through the wash. At this point I've got my blue chip, two TS, one buffalo horn, one wood, some clayton ravens and a couple junk picks I have around for known pick thieves (You know they ones - Hey can I try your mandy??), all stashed safely away. So far so good, I just hope it keeps working so I don't loose my blue chip - after jamming tonight I'm really liking it. It is definitely brighter, and I wouldn't even say its COMPLETELY free of pick noise. But in the mix of things it cuts and sounds really good, and it's so easy to control. I had at least one guy I played with comment on how he liked my tone better with the new pick...

----------


## Joe Mendel

I have to admit I was skeptical, I bought a Blue Chip a couple of years ago (forgot which model) and was unimpressed & sold it a couple of days after I got it. All it cost me was the shipping, so I didn't lose much. I acquired another one cheap and few weeks ago, it just says Blue Chip 50 on it, I don't think it sounded much different than the Wegens I've been using, but I liked the feel enough that I bought a CT 55, figuring I could pass it along if it didn't thrill me. However, it does thrill me. The sound might be a little better to my ears, I don't think anyone else would notice, but it feels great in my hand and slides on the strings so well, I'm sure I can play noticeably faster with it, that surprised me. I'm going to keep it and maybe sell some of my other boutique picks to get another CT 55. Like most accessories, it makes a much bigger difference to the player to the player than to anyone else, but hey, playing  is fun and if something makes it even more fun, it's worth $35 to me.

----------


## JeffD

> I haven't lost any picks since I started keeping all mine in a little altoids tin in the storage compartment in my case. They come out one at a time when I need them for jamming, and go right back in afterwards. They aren't in the strings for people to steal after they check out my mando, and they aren't in my pocket to go through the wash...


That'l work.

I keep my tin in a gig bag that goes with me whenever I go to play. The gig bag has picks, strings, tuner etc. My mandolin cases contain nothing but the mandolin and a wiping cloth.

I know many guitar players who keep a pick in their pocket. In fact I have been told that the little extra pocket in Levi's is a pick pocket. I never played guitar and just never got into that habit. 

I had a girlfriend once who I encouraged to start playing guitar. Within a couple of months she was carrying a pick in her pocket. Not her pocketbook, but that little extra pick pocket in her jeans! And not just when she had a guitar with her, but all the time. She never carries anything in her pockets.  How does this stuff happen?

I never played guitar and so I never go in that

----------


## Elliot Luber

A good craftsman credits his tools.

----------


## Bertram Henze

> I had a girlfriend once who I encouraged to start playing guitar. Within a couple of months she was carrying a pick in her pocket. Not her pocketbook, but that little extra pick pocket in her jeans! And not just when she had a guitar with her, but all the time. She never carries anything in her pockets.  How does this stuff happen?


All it takes is resourcefulness  :Wink:  NFI

----------


## Rodney Riley

> That was my problem with the BC pick.  My right hand played so much faster with it, that the right hand would finish the tune before the left hand finished. (LOL) It has finally caught up but it took awile.
> I love my TPR50 for mando and TPR 40 for guitar.


 :Laughing:   :Laughing:   :Laughing:   :Laughing:  Love it.... Just Love it!!!!!

----------


## Jim Garber

Funny how this thread has turned into the BC fan club even tho the OP asked for the opposite.

----------


## Lee

Reading on their site about the material, it seems it was chemically engineered for this purpose only.  Asking a chemical manufacturer to knock off just a little by weight is astronomically expensive.  The picks are then hand made surely due to small quantities. I've worked in related industries and the price of such a pick is not outlandish. Rather fascinating actually. Honestly,  makes me rather curious...

----------


## Rodney Riley

Hopefully the material cost will go down as more is made and used. If I remember right, the pointed piece that caps the Washington monument at the time it was built, was more expensive than gold. It's made of aluminum. :Smile:

----------


## Gardog

I've been using a BC for about a year now, I used Dawg picks prior to that. In my opinion $35 is not outlandish for a pick that has points that don't wear out and need reshaping. I know the BC will show wear eventually but it hasn't yet. I always try to strike the strings at a bit of an angle which follows the contour of the speed bevel and allows one to get a nice chimey high end out of a thick pick. And the great thing about it is the angle of the nice thin tip on this thick heavy pick is consistent every time I play without wasting valuable playing time reshaping the bevel. With my Dawg picks I would keep a few within reach during jams because as the tips wear away the action off the string and the tone of the note picked would change, they in turn would all sound different to me so I was constantly switching them out and/or working on the tips. Now I just spend my practice time playing.

----------


## mandobassman

> Funny how this thread has turned into the BC fan club even tho the OP asked for the opposite.


Good!  I really don't see the point in having a thread about what people don't like about a certain product.

----------


## Jeff Budz

I keep gravitating towards my CT55 pick, but on recordings it sounds too bright.  Gonna give the rounded side of my TAD-601R a try this week and see if it helps calm it down a bit.  

I keep trying other picks but BC keeps calling me back.

----------


## Paul Busman

> Funny how this thread has turned into the BC fan club even tho the OP asked for the opposite.


OP here-- boy am I gonna be embarrassed if this thread goes up to 62 pages.

----------


## JonZ

> Reading on their site about the material, it seems it was chemically engineered for this purpose only.  Asking a chemical manufacturer to knock off just a little by weight is astronomically expensive.  The picks are then hand made surely due to small quantities. I've worked in related industries and the price of such a pick is not outlandish. Rather fascinating actually. Honestly,  makes me rather curious...


Hire a few of those Keebler elves to do the hand work and you have a _really_ special pick.

----------


## Ben Milne

I find it interesting that some people convey that the tone of the blue chip is a bit bright, others say dull. This highlights that the tone we are looking for is different for all of us, and differs along with playing styles.
While I havent made a decision on if I like or dislike my newly acquired pick (CT55), but it is a nice pick.
 I found I lost some of the ping I get from thinner picks.  Makes me wonder if I got a thinner TAD model if I would regain some top end back. 
Maybe I'll just keep switching been my old large triangles and the blue chip depending on mood.

----------


## Gelsenbury

> I find it interesting that some people convey that the tone of the blue chip is a bit bright, others say dull. This highlights that the tone we are looking for is different for all of us, and differs along with playing styles.


... and mandolins?

----------


## G7MOF

I don't like the prices, It's still expensive for a piece of plastic, (IMHO) of course!!!

----------


## AW Meyer

> I find it interesting that some people convey that the tone of the blue chip is a bit bright, others say dull. This highlights that the tone we are looking for is different for all of us, and differs along with playing styles.
> While I havent made a decision on if I like or dislike my newly acquired pick (CT55), but it is a nice pick.
>  I found I lost some of the ping I get from thinner picks.  Makes me wonder if I got a thinner TAD model if I would regain some top end back. 
> Maybe I'll just keep switching been my old large triangles and the blue chip depending on mood.


It depends on the thickness of the pick and the bevel. I have a TP-1R 50, that is a bit too bright for my liking unless I use the one rounded bevel. I also have a TPR 60 that has all rounded bevels and is too dull for my taste.

----------


## Jeffff

I have a TP-1R 60 that I ordered with the round bevel. I found it a bit dull so I sanded a slight bevel into one tip. It made all the difference.

If you try this at home don't use anything heavier than 1000 grit and go very slowly. The material sands very easily. VERY easily.

----------


## JeffD

> I don't like the prices, It's still expensive for a piece of plastic, (IMHO) of course!!!


The mandolin is pretty pricey for some chunks of wood and some wire.

----------


## Gardog

I have a TAD60-1R and I bought a TAD80-1R to try to cut back on the brightness I was getting with the 60. The 80 definitely has more body and low end (b/c of the extra mass of the pick?) but it can be just as bright when I want it to be. The bevel on the 80 is at more of an angle since the pick is thicker and I can grab the strings just right with the tip of it to get a nice chimey high, or not so much if you turn it slightly. I really thought I would wind up not liking such a thick plectrum, but I have to say I am really pleased with it. Considering BC's return policy it might be worth a try for some of you that want to back off the brightness you're getting with some of the thinner BC's.

----------


## Gardog

> The mandolin is pretty pricey for some chunks of wood and some wire.


Oh too True!! Looking at it just from the standpoint of materials, not much in the music world is worth what you have to pay for it.

----------


## Joe Mendel

I was just pricing tickets to see Peter Frampton, $55 & $100, with service charges. I may go, but the cheap seat ticket would more than cover another Blue Chip. That definitely brought a little perspective to the price for me. Doesn't seem too bad considering that I can get more than a few hours of use from the pick.

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

> If you'd been travelling with your pick stored in a pocket-size hardshell pick case it would have been easily found amongst the rocks where it lay. Even in the darkness at night if you'd clicked the button on the keychain search fitting the hardshell case's battery powered beeps and blinking lights would have assisted in a succesfull search. The hardshell pick cases are a bit pricey at $350 each, but I understand the new ones will have room for two picks, which really brings the price down by half! The new dual pick cases have viton seals and vacuum lined top and bottom shells so the case will protect against harsh chemicals and extreme temperatures. They're just a tad larger fitted with an automatic opener activated by a second button on the keychain search fitting. The remote opener will keep your fingers from touching any nasty chemicals or organic wastes wherever the pick case has landed.


 I have one of those...
I found it....

----------


## Eddie Sheehy

I have one of those brown blue chip picks with the regular corners.  I had a jazz blue chip pick - also brown - but I gave it away.  I like the regular-cornered one and would probably trade a bunch of my round-cornered ones (Dawg, Golden-Gate, JazzMando, Wegen...) for another one...

----------


## Dave Hanson

Despite my earlier comments, if they were available in the UK I would probably try one, but I'd like to try them in a shop, not through the mail.

Dave H

----------


## mee

I would have no problem spending the $35 on a pick if it worked for me, but I don't have $35 to spend on another pick that would not work for me. I have spent money on different picks that have disappointed me, but they were cheap. The most I spent on one pick was the Wegman which I like ok but not my favorite. I find my favorite so far is the Dunlop Ultex 1.0, not expensive and I keep going back to it after trying every other new pick I come across. 
I would love to try the Blue Chip BEFORE purchasing and hope someday to come across one to try. My motto is don't knock it until you try it. 
Oh and as I write this I started thinking about my Wegman... and searching for it...I guess I lost it...not surprising. Maybe I would be more careful if I paid $35.  :Disbelief:

----------


## JeffD

It is interesting to see my thoughts of four years ago. My opinion has moved a little bit, but not as much as I would have thought.

In the interim I have widened my playing experience and opportunities considerably, and it has been driven home to me that the music and playing it is much bigger than any one pick can handle. _Like every pick_, the Blue Chip cannot do it all. In certain situations I have other preferences. And it is surprising me more than somewhat.

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## Jim Garber

> The most I spent on one pick was the Wegman which I like ok but not my favorite.


I love Wegman's. There is one in my daughter's college town. They have excellent produce and carry some products that my hometown supermarket do not carry. I have not found the department that carries picks tho.  :Smile: 

I assume you are talking about *Wegen picks*.

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## pops1

I played a BC for years, even had a couple custom made before he put them in the line, but now using the Wegen. I ended up going thinner on the BC and was using a 35, loved the glide, but I find it interesting some people find them too bright. I went to the Wegen because they were brighter, I found the BC too dark. Maybe on a brighter mandolin I would go back, but on mine it is too dark and muddies the G string.

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## mandroid

I only got 2nd hand BCs that someone else did Not Like..

----------

Mark Wilson, 

Sheryl McDonald

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## foldedpath

> In the interim I have widened my playing experience and opportunities considerably, and it has been driven home to me that the music and playing it is much bigger than any one pick can handle. _Like every pick_, the Blue Chip cannot do it all. In certain situations I have other preferences. And it is surprising me more than somewhat.


This is another illustration of how personal the choice of pick can can be, because one BC pick _does_ do it all for me. I use the same TAD40-1R pick for mandolin, octave mandolin, and acoustic guitar, and for all the styles of music I play, which admittedly is a fairly narrow range these days. Mostly Irish/Scottish melodies on mandolin and OM, and backing Irish trad and OldTime on flatpicked guitar. Also some fingerstyle stuff on acoustic guitar and resonator slide guitar, but that's not relevant. 

Someone else playing the same instruments and music might use a different pick (and they often do!), so I'm under no illusions that what works for me will work for anyone else. The choice of flatpick as the interface between your hand and the strings is too personal, and subject to many variables. 

In my case there might even be a degree of laziness involved.  :Smile:  I like only having to keep track of one pick for all the flatpicked instruments I play. Once I found the BC shape and thickness that worked well enough on all three main instruments I play with a flatpick, it was "Okay, that's one less thing to think about, now on to the music." Is that laziness, efficiency, or just Kismet in finding the "right" pick? I dunno... it just works for me. 

It's fun to read these threads, and it's no different from fiddlers talking about their choice of bows. But I do wonder how much useful information can be drawn from the discussion, other than "hey, here's something you might want to try." And I guess that's valuable enough!

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## Pittsburgh Bill

I have one that I do not like, but it is only one of several options available from Blue Chip and am not eager to spend $35.00 on another that I may not like. My current favorite is a $2.50 Dunlop.

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## Jeff Mando

> I have one that I do not like, but it is only one of several options available from Blue Chip and am not eager to spend $35.00 on another that I may not like.


Kind of like Starbucks.  This was not an issue when coffee was 15 cents a cup........well actually refills were free at 15 cents!  But, then again, they only had one flavor.

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## Jill McAuley

I swore by my Blue Chip TPR35, but then after a 5 year gap of not playing plus getting a different mandolin I disliked it, found it too thin sounding. Auditioned a bunch of other picks, had a few I liked, but have now settled on a Blue Chip again - a Kenny Smith 40, which I love. Hanging on to the TPR35 though because with a different mandolin it might sound great again, just not a fan of it with my A-jr is all.

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## Bill Slovin

I have a TAD60 that I got about a year ago.  I keep giving it another try but I always end up liking my Wegen TF140 or Proplec 1.5 triangle better.  This gear stuff is very personal and depends on so many factors (players technique, type of mandolin, the sound the player is going after, style of music, etc).  I'm hoping one day I'll use the BC more since I did spend $35 on it.

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## Pete Martin

> Now if someone could just show me how to make my left hand just as happy for another $35, I'd be very grateful.


Practice. Now you can send me $35.   :Laughing:  :Mandosmiley:  :Grin:

----------

hank, 

Mark Wilson

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## JeffD

> This is another illustration of how personal the choice of pick can can be, because one BC pick _does_ do it all for me. I use the same TAD40-1R pick for mandolin, octave mandolin, and acoustic guitar, and for all the styles of music I play, which admittedly is a fairly narrow range these days. Mostly Irish/Scottish melodies on mandolin and OM, and backing Irish trad and OldTime on flatpicked guitar. Also some fingerstyle stuff on acoustic guitar and resonator slide guitar, but that's not relevant. 
> 
> Someone else playing the same instruments and music might use a different pick (and they often do!), so I'm under no illusions that what works for me will work for anyone else. The choice of flatpick as the interface between your hand and the strings is too personal, and subject to many variables. 
> 
> In my case there might even be a degree of laziness involved.  I like only having to keep track of one pick for all the flatpicked instruments I play. Once I found the BC shape and thickness that worked well enough on all three main instruments I play with a flatpick, it was "Okay, that's one less thing to think about, now on to the music." Is that laziness, efficiency, or just Kismet in finding the "right" pick? I dunno... it just works for me.


It is true, there is a lot of individual taste, individual playing style. Here is my story.

I liked the Blue Chip TAD60 and the Red Bear C style Heavy with the speed bevel - as my go to picks. Very close in tone, and creamy beautiful. In cases where I need more punch, like a large room or a large jam, where the tone quality is not as important as being heard, I prefer the Wegen TF140. Great tone, just not as beautiful to me as the others.

Then came the Dunlop Primetone. One amazing pick. Great tone and a little punchier than the BC. I like the 140 mm. But - for my playing, it sticks in the strings a bit too much. So for fast playing with great tone the BC still wins.

Then my whole world changed. Playing classical at FMCM VII I really got an appreciation for the beautiful highs a mandolin is capable of. I played my L&H Style A, instead of my Stiver. And I use those pickboys 0.75 mm pointy picks.

And when I came home my Stiver, with Primetone pick or with BC, sounded muffled and dark. Like the highes were eq'ed out. No more soaring high notes. 

I am reminded of a quote from Thile, something to the effect that if all you want is lows, play guitar.

So now, for classical, regardless of which mandolin I play, I like the thinner pointier picks. The pickboy picks are a little to soft, I think something in the 0.8 mm might be better, but pointy. Still searching. I have a few Pettine picks I found on Ebay, and I really like their sound, but they are hard to get. I need something commercially available.

It is astonishing how much difference a pick makes. Even non musical friends can tell the difference. (Their preference is irrelevant, but their discernment need not be refined to hear there is something different.)

But everyone has different instruments, and plays them differently, playing different types of music, and with different tonal preferences. There is no universal best.

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## Mark Gunter

> I have widened my playing experience and opportunities considerably, and it has been driven home to me that the music and playing it is much bigger than any one pick can handle. _Like every pick_, the Blue Chip cannot do it all. In certain situations I have other preferences. And it is surprising me more than somewhat.





> The choice of flatpick as the interface between your hand and the strings is too personal, and subject to many variables.


I love reading through these threads, too. Having been a recipient of the Mandolin Cafe Pick Sampler and having read many such threads, my education, preferences and habits have changed substantially. First, I was really amazed at how much difference in tone a pick can make and how much a person's technique can be improved by trying a wide variety of plectrums (read, by find the "right" pick for _you_ for accomplishing different techniques and making different sounds). Second, I've found (after just a little more than a year with mandolin) that no one pick does it all for me. My current Altoids tin carries 11 different picks that I use, although there are only a couple that get the most use. There are another nearly two dozen that don't do anything for me in a drawer somewhere.

At any rate, these posts by JeffD and foldedpath resonate with me. I hear ya, brothas  :Mandosmiley:

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## Paul Busman

> I would have no problem spending the $35 on a pick if it worked for me, but I don't have $35 to spend on another pick that would not work for me.


That was what was on my mind when I started this thread 4 years ago. If I was blown away by a BC I wouldn't have minded spending the money but if not I'd be pretty unhappy.
I finally got to try a couple of Blue Chips in the early days of the pick tour.  While I liked them,I didn't like them enough to pay their cost. I had my wife, who is a musician with a good ear, blind listen to me playing with a few of my favorites from the tour package, and she didn't have a consistent favorite. Lately I play mainly a sculpted ProPlec triangle.  I've somewhat rounded one point so I get two different sounds from one relatively inexpensive pick. Others I play are a V-Pic Storyteller, and a Dunlop Americana.

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## Mark Gunter

> Others I play are a V-Pic Storyteller, and a Dunlop Americana.


I took this photo a while back, inspired by the "pick family" thread. The 11 flat picks pictured here live in my mando pick tin (I use the fingerpicks for geetar). The center three picks get the most use: A modified Primetone, 1.4 Wegen and 1.0 Wegen. The 1.4 black Wegen has a more rounded top left corner in this pic; at present all three corners have been rounded a shade more than that.



To the OP question, I tried two of the BC picks when I had the pick sampler, and they were good but not good enough to justify the investment, as I found other picks in there that I liked as well as, or more than, the BC. That would be Wegens and Primetones.

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## JeffD

I tried a Dogal, which I quite liked, but it was transparent, so one drop and I am done.

I would like to try one of those Woll picks that Caterina Lichtenberg uses.

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## Shelagh Moore

At £38 per pick here in the UK, with just one supplier here I can find and none in any shop, it is an experiment I cannot afford to make, particularly if I end up not liking it. So I'll have to stick with the Primetones, V-picks, Wegens, Ultexes, Kashos, Proplecs and unmentionables that I have at the moment. Like some others, I find I prefer different picks on different instruments, much like string brands and gauges.

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## kjbllc

never tried one, but $35 seems  way to much for a piece of plastic , but if it does the trick for you then it is worth it.

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## LadysSolo

I am always up to try something new, but I just searched around for Woll picks and can't find them anywhere. Where can you get them?

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## foldedpath

> never tried one, but $35 seems  way to much for a piece of plastic , but if it does the trick for you then it is worth it.


The price is related to the high cost of the material. It's a composite used by the aerospace industry for things like non-radar-reflecting bearings on drones. Extremely tough and "self lubricating." It's been discussed in other threads here, and I can't remember the name of it. 

BC picks don't show any significant wear or change in shape over time (at least for me), so if you can manage to hang onto them, the actual expense over a period of years probably averages out compared to treating picks as disposable/replaceable items. 

The two I rotate between now are 2 and 3 years old, and I only lost one in the first year I used 'em, before I re-thought how I store and travel with the picks. I'll grab something cheap and disposable like a Dunlop Ultex if I'm playing on the deck outside our house, or anywhere else where dropping one might mean losing it.

I think the only other costly pick I've tried is a Red Bear. Didn't like it, partly because the tone was a little darker than I liked, but it also arrived ever so slightly bent. It would rock a little when placed on a table on one side, and wouldn't rock on the other. Just the tiniest bend, but I could feel it in my fingers when using it and it drove me nuts. Between that and the extra care needed to avoid water, it was easy to decide on a Blue Chip instead.

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## Demetrius

It depends the mandolin and song...

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## bingoccc

I have a BC TAD-1R 60.  I love it.  It's a great pick but, on mandolin, my favorite are Wegen Trimus picks.  2.5 or 3.5.  I should add that I have fairly large hands.

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## kjbllc

yeah I can see by your photo, your hands are big!

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## Russ Donahue

> I love Wegman's. There is one in my daughter's college town. They have excellent produce and carry some products that my hometown supermarket do not carry. I have not found the department that carries picks tho. 
> 
> I assume you are talking about *Wegen picks*.


Wegmans are the Walmarts of grocery stores. When we get out of Maine we love finding these stores. When I was growing up in Syracuse these stores even had clothing departments! No picks though. Pity.

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## Paul Busman

After hearing about Wegman's for so many years, one of the things I'm looking forward to when we move to Maryland is getting to actually shop at one.

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## raycan2

Living in Wyoming we do not have Wegmans but when I was working in PA I come across one in Williamspoer PA and I did like that store,...lots of Google fresh food but I know I they did not have Guitar picks because I asked the kid tha was working their about netting some and he pouted me across the street to a music store....By that was a bad idea go in for some picks and come out with a Taylor guitar.......

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## Jim Garber

> The price is related to the high cost of the material. It's a composite used by the aerospace industry for things like non-radar-reflecting bearings on drones. Extremely tough and "self lubricating." It's been discussed in other threads here, and I can't remember the name of it.


I believe it is called Meldin.

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## mee

:Redface: HaHa yes I was referring to Wegans, at least I know someone cares to read my post

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## Nashville

I got a couple BC's at Carters in Nashville, because they let me try before buying which really helps. After using them for the last year or more I can say that I like them but they are not necessarily better than any other pick out there of similar shape & weight. Yes they last forever and tone is slightly different, but I could be just as happy with a $1.00 pick (or less).

However I keep using my BC and do like it. Will I buy another if I lose the two I have? Probably not. I will continue to change picks from time to time as my playing skills change.

There was a lot of great mandolin music recorded before Blue Chip picks were invented. There are more important things than the brand of the pick.

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DavidKOS

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## dhergert

An amazing thread, in that it is gone so long...

My wife uses a BC with her guitar and loves it.

I can't rationalize using something so expensive and hard to replace if lost.  $35 is a lot of money.  

I use a Fender Heavy.  After a month or two of use, it shapes to my fingers very nicely.  While it doesn't seem to wear much at all,  the edges round a bit and it starts sounding really smooth.  And after a short while I can glance at it and see which side is up for holding it properly...  So yes, it becomes broken in and comfortable to a point where I really like it.

But I really fear loosing it, as it will take at least a couple of months to break in another Fender Heavy so it feels and sounds just like this one that I love to use.

I'd easily pay $50 to get another Fender Heavy just like it.

 :Grin: 

-- Don

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## Roger Moss

> An amazing thread, in that it is gone so long...
> 
> My wife uses a BC with her guitar and loves it.
> 
> I can't rationalize using something so expensive and hard to replace if lost.  $35 is a lot of money.  
> 
> I use a Fender Heavy.  After a month or two of use, it shapes to my fingers very nicely.  While it doesn't seem to wear much at all,  the edges round a bit and it starts sounding really smooth.  And after a short while I can glance at it and see which side is up for holding it properly...  So yes, it becomes broken in and comfortable to a point where I really like it.
> 
> But I really fear loosing it, as it will take at least a couple of months to break in another Fender Heavy so it feels and sounds just like this one that I love to use.
> ...


So you can't justify spending $35 for a pick but you can $50?

Just kidding.

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## dhergert

Hmmm, me too.  Maybe I was too subtle?

-- Don

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## Roger Moss

Probably not. I  am notoriously immunne to nuance.

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## Fingers

Tone is in your hands. Has anyone said that already? I haven't gone through the volumes of comments yet. 
I will say that my taste in picks have gone through some many changes since I picked up a stringed instrument at 9 years old. There was a time were I told myself that if I could play with a quarter, I would have honed a special kind of right hand technique. Right now I love the Bluechip because it delivers what I want. I'll likely move on to something else at some point; perhaps a chunk of abused saw-blade or a tooth from a comb a la Django.

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## MediumMando5722

There's a flaw with pointing out a legendary figure not needing whatever modern product to sound good. It was not available to him, but had it been, he may very well have used it. People who drive cars in the 1960s did just fine with drum brakes, because disc brakes weren't available. That does not mean modern drivers don't benefit from disc brakes. 

Or maybe I'm just trying to justify the BC I'm about to buy  :Smile:

----------

Paul Statman

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## mandroid

I dont know why the last guy got rid of them. My BC are 2nd Hand.

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## Jess L.

> There's a flaw with pointing out a legendary figure not needing whatever modern product to sound good. It was not available to him, but had it been, he may very well have used it. People who drive cars in the *1960s* did just fine with drum brakes, because *disc brakes weren't available*. That does not mean modern drivers don't benefit from disc brakes. ...


Slight technical correction:  :Smile:  Disc brakes *were* available as factory-standard equipment in the 1960s on at least one model of car that I know of, the 1966 Volvo 1800s. Only on the front though, the back still had drum brakes. Dunno about other cars from the 1960s. My focus the last couple of decades has been the decades prior to that, 1940s and 1950s cars, where disc brakes weren't seen (at least I haven't seen any, for whatever that might be worth, except as after-market addons, although there are probably exceptions if I were to research it).  :Smile: 

But yeah, I see your point,  :Smile:  it's a good one.  :Mandosmiley:

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## Jeff Hildreth

"Disc brakes *were* available as factory-standard equipment in the 1960s on at least one model of car that I know of, the 1966 Volvo 1800s."

Many cars had disc brakes as standard equipment including , and beginning with, the 1962 MGB. My 1964 MGB has disc brakes.
America was years behind England and Europe on many things including auto engineering.

"My focus the last couple of decades has been the decades prior to that, 1940s and 1950s cars, where disc brakes weren't seen"

Might I suggest looking at European/Brit and some remarkable American cars... you would be surprised.

As to BC picks. I have used them and  find them adequate but did not say "buy me".

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## Jess L.

> ... European/Brit and some remarkable American cars... you would be surprised. ...


Indeed I was, thanks  :Smile:  for spurring me on to look it up (been putting it off for eons). According to Hemmings, the *1949 Crosley*  :Disbelief:  (or 1950, says Wikipedia) was the first U.S. production vehicle with disc brakes. Although the articles say that the design was troublesome and was pulled from production after a little over six months. 

Hemmings and Wikipedia are in agreement that the very first-ever disc brake car was built by the English company Lanchester in *1902*.  :Disbelief:  So, to put that in mandolin  :Mandosmiley:  perspective, about *22 years *before* Lloyd Loar left Gibson*.  :Disbelief:  Although the disc brake thing didn't go mainstream until years later, some fascinating historical stuff in those articles.  :Smile:  

The original poster wrote: 




> ... I haven't tried Blue Chips yet...


Me neither. 

I used to look for the magic pick, especially when I was first learning and had the usual issues that everyone has at first, but I finally realized that the best sound *and* the easiest picks for me to play with, were just regular ol' cheap guitar-store generics. 

Price not a factor, I just like the sound and playability of the cheapies. 

That was after a brief flirtation with Tortex extra-heavies when they first became available. I always played them upside down, using the round end instead of the pointed end (on mandolin as well as tenor banjo and anything else I could tune in 5ths).  :Grin:  

But now... if my fave cheapies suddenly jumped to $50 each, well... I guess I'd be buying $50 picks, and just not losing so many of them.  :Laughing: 

But I would likely not be a happy BC user if they sound *bright*,  :Confused:  as some other people have mentioned. A bright pick sound wouldn't work well with my current crop of instruments. 

Might be different if I still had my old high-end Gibson and Steve Grimes mandos, those had such a sweet mellow sound that they could probably tolerate a brighter pick without any adverse effects. But my current batch of instruments, not so much. 

Well, I guess if nothing else, these types of threads get people's curiosity going about Blue Chip and other brands of picks. No harm in learning about new stuff.  :Smile:

----------


## foldedpath

> Tone is in your hands. Has anyone said that already?


Up to a point, sure, but we still have that last wee bit of artifice between our hands and the strings. Just like a fiddler and their bow. 

Try talking to a fiddler about their choice of bow.  :Smile:

----------


## MediumMando5722

Thanks to a very generous individual, I'm test driving a TAD60. I opened the envelope, intended to pick a few notes, and spent 20 minutes playing. It's my favorite parts of Wegen and V-Pick, and I'm sold.

----------


## Shelagh Moore

As an update to my post on 30 July, I eventually saved up (but avoided re-mortgaging my house fortunately such is the cost of BCs in the UK) and bought one (TP40).

I must say that I do like it.

----------


## Polecat

I had the opportunity to try a BC a while back, and whilst I had no complaints (it was a good pick and both felt and sounded pretty good), I did not have the revelatory experience others have reported. It did the job it was designed for well enough, but that was it. I also bought some Prime-Tone picks on the strength of forum posts here. Same result - once I had smoothed away the asymmetrical edges (I dislike bevels, and all Prime-Tones seem to have then) and reshaped and repolished the business end, they were a very good pick, but that was it.
I make my own picks, basically because that is the easiest way of getting what I want in the material I want (galalith) - half an hour with a piercing saw, emery paper, a micrometer and a buffing wheel and I'm  good for another year. My favorite off-the-shelf picks are the pro-plecs from D'Andrea (although I used to reshape them, too).
Fingers, you are right, tone is indeed in your hands, but with a 0.6 mm pick I can't make a mandolin sing - can you?

----------


## mandroid

I have more than 1 Mandolin*,  for each  a different pick seems 'Best'...

* lighter strings,  I use a bit more flexible Pick..

----------


## PhilGox

Hello,

As a new to mandolin, I read lot of discutions about picks.
It often says "this one is good for me" but doesn't really help to make an idea.
I think that audio tests would talk much more than hundred of pages.
Same player playing the same tune with the same instrument with different picks.
Then we would all be able to ear if the difference is worth 35 dollars or not.

Has anynone tried this?

----------


## MediumMando5722

> Hello,
> 
> As a new to mandolin, I read lot of discutions about picks.
> It often says "this one is good for me" but doesn't really help to make an idea.
> I think that audio tests would talk much more than hundred of pages.
> Same player playing the same tune with the same instrument with different picks.
> Then we would all be able to ear if the difference is worth 35 dollars or not.
> 
> Has anynone tried this?


The problem is so much of what makes a pick a favorite is how it feels. For me, BC, Wegen, and Primetones aren't worlds apart sonically, but the BC stays in place better than the others.

----------


## Jim Garber

> I make my own picks, basically because that is the easiest way of getting what I want in the material I want (galalith) - half an hour with a piercing saw, emery paper, a micrometer and a buffing wheel and I'm  good for another year. My favorite off-the-shelf picks are the pro-plecs from D'Andrea (although I used to reshape them, too).


Do you make your own galalith? Like this? *Turn Milk to Stone*

I guess the *John Pearse Fast Turtle picks* are made of galalith (casein plastic)




> Hello,
> 
> I think that audio tests would talk much more than hundred of pages.
> Same player playing the same tune with the same instrument with different picks.
> Then we would all be able to ear if the difference is worth 35 dollars or not.
> 
> Has anynone tried this?


I doubt the recording will tell you much either. For one thing, sound over the Internet changes depending on how you play it through your computer or device. Second, just because one person plays a certain doesn't mean you will have the same results. Better to try each pick on your own. Of course, with these high end ones like BCs this could run into some money.




> The problem is so much of what makes a pick a favorite is how it feels. For me, BC, Wegen, and Primetones aren't worlds apart sonically, but the BC stays in place better than the others.


I am not sure what you mean by "stays in place better than the others." Do you mean doesn't fall out of your hands?

------------------

BTW I have been playing with a BC large jazz on various mandolins for quite a few years now but recently found a couple of Wegen picks that someone gave me and I have to say that I am enjoying playing with those also. I usually lean to the pointier picks but these Wegens work quite nicely and sound slightly mellower to me on my '83 Flatiron A5-2 and my '23 Gibson snakehead A-2 than the BCs I have. I think the Wegens are TF100B picks. They look like this:

----------


## raycan2

I tried one out today and used another that was $1.99 the difference? I played with them both and would put them in my pocket and take them out with out knowing which one I had and not look at them and I or others could not here the difference.

----------


## LadysSolo

That's why I always end with "YMMV." I played my mandolins and my guitar with several different picks for my SO and asked for each instrument which pick sounded best (I also never said how much the BC cost.) In every case the BC was reportedly the best sounding, WITH HOW I PLAY. You (and everyone else) play differently. I was pleased that what I heard was heard by others too. Just proves my ears aren't lying to me.

----------


## MediumMando5722

> I am not sure what you mean by "stays in place better than the others." Do you mean doesn't fall out of your hand?


Yes. Other picks move around to varying degrees. I can hold the BC with a much more relaxed grip and it stays put.

----------


## Polecat

> Do you make your own galalith? Like this? *Turn Milk to Stone*
> 
> I guess the *John Pearse Fast Turtle picks* are made of galalith (casein plastic)


Jim, I haven't tried making my own plastic, I bought a sheet of galalith here. The shipping was as expensive as the galalith, which is a bit crazy, but I've now got enough of the material to last the rest of my life. Modifying the business end of a plectrum is a very educational thing to do - tiny changes in geometry have a profound impact on the perceived sound (although theoretically it can only be the attack that is different), and learning this has changed the way I use my right hand.

----------


## DavidKOS

> I like them but they are not necessarily better than any other pick out there of similar shape & weight. Yes they last forever and tone is slightly different, but I could be just as happy with a $1.00 pick (or less).
> .


This sums up my feelings too. I'm just as happy with a Primetone.

----------

