I realize it may be never-ending. But I'm curious. I'm now 2 years into my mandolin journey and switch between about 3 or 4 different picks ranging in thickness from 0.88 to 1.5 mm and in shape from the "standard" (dunlop tortex) to a triangle primetone. Can't seem to settle on one. I do find the large triangle to be more comfortable when doing tremolo and it feels like it won't slip in my hand. But it is not as bright as the thinner picks. Also, I wish I could find it in 1 or 1.3 mm. So, just curious if others still switch picks or if you have pretty much settled on one in particular. To be honest I almost wish that when I purchased my mandolin, that it had been supplied with a pick and told this is the only pick you can use with it. Kidding of course... -Bill
I have a bunch of picks but I rarely use most of them. I gravitate to three or four favorites. Three are predicatable: smooth primetone large triangle 1.4mm wegen large triange with holes (forgot the model number, but it is 1.35mm thick) bluechip TAD50 (1.20mm) large triangle Of the above I use the Primetone most. To my beginner's ear and feel, it is very very similar to the Blue Chip and WAY cheaper. The Wegen gives a little different tonal quality -- maybe a bit brighter. The surprise is a freebie I got from Redline Acoustics when I bought a Cumberland bridge a couple years ago. It is a standard guitar pick shape, 1.12mm thick, sort of a gray silver MOTS, typical freebie looking pick. Maybe made by D'Andrea. I don't know why I like it so much - I've got several picks of similar shape and thickness and material, but the others are all just, well, ok.
"So, just curious if others still switch picks or if you have pretty much settled on one in particular." Still switch, like HonketyHank, I have a few favorites that I use, though I now have a pretty large collection ... and the favorites are subject to change from time to time ... and I'm happy to try new ones. Cheap thrills.
I'm a prima donna and only use BlueChip. I just like them overall the others that I have tried. One thing for me about the BC is, I swear, that it seems to have better grip the more I play during a session. It's like it gets warm and gets tacky. But before settling on BC, I tried so many and was worried like you that I wouldn't find that "one" chip that I would stick with. BUT, I still buy different kinds and I'm always willing to find a better pick over the BC, but so far my fingers and playing like the BC's except the HAWK pick which was pretty close. They are out of UK and are as close to a BC that I've found.
I switch a lot. At about 1 1/2 years in I don't feel like I am anywhere near settling on just one. A Gravity found its way into my pick box recently, and it's getting a lot of playing time. The Dunlop Ultex, with the rhino on it, is on the short list. There's a fluorescent yellow Cool Pick that rises to the top, and the pearly Pyramids (MOTS, as Henry would have it) are nice. Other picks are better some days than others. Tonight, nothing seemed to work very well.
I'm settled for the moment on a Blue Chip TAD60-R for a couple of instruments, a Primetone 1.4 for another, and a D'Andrea ProPlec for yet another - which I used to hate. They feel "slow" to me, but have a nice, round sound - it used to sound dull, now it's "nice and round". Ha. All this will likely be different in 6 months.
I’ve kind of settled on a couple of V-Picks. Both are triangles, one is about 3mm thick then if that sounds not right I use an very thin one. Both are smooth and clean sounding. Both, being clear in color, are a pain in the neck to find when you drop one.
Thanks everyone. I appreciate the information.
Scootch, what pick is 3mm? I've never heard of one that thick, I'd like to hear that.
I keep going back to these: Dunlop Primetone Small Triangle Sculpted Plectra, 1.3
Switching is good. Also try putting a speed bevel on them to see how that changes the attack and tone. The possibilities are endless. Plus if you find 'the one' that gives you the sound you are searching for, then you are less likely to succumb to MAS, which seems to be a communicable disease on this website.
