Re: Chris Thile's new pick
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bob Buckingham
It seems that a large triangle pick can be had for a lot less than $25 and the difference in plectral tonality is not really worth the drastic difference in price.
That really depends on how one defines value. I've got half a dozen picks I paid $35-40 that I consider to be worth the difference both in terms of tone and longevity. I got my first Blue Chip around 08-09. I still have it, still use it, and it still sounds just as good. Recommend me a pick under $25 with that kinda lifespan.
That said, I use other inexpensive picks, primarily for guitar, but they wear out significantly faster. For example, I like Ultex teardrops for flatpicking acoustic guitar, but burn one out in a month or two of regular play. A 6 pack of them are $3. Let's say I go through one pack of those a year, 10 years is $30 of picks. Versus one $35 pick that lasts 10 years. 6 and one half dozen of the other, no?
Re: Chris Thile's new pick
I don't think there's any cause to be cynical about trying to find the strings, the pick, the instrument that works for you. And of course many top pros are always on the hunt. And others settle on something early and stick with it. And others are indifferent to the tools.
An excerpt from an interview I did with Chris a while back for the Cafe. I'll repost a link since the thread has revived. HERE
"Chris Thile: I love my Blue Chip picks, but sometimes I envy violinists. Hell, I envy violinists all the time — what with the amount of sound they can produce — but those bows... the amount of work that has gone into bow manufacturing. Sartory and Tourte, and Peccatte... those are bows that perform their function as well as anything made by humans can. I love how Michel at Wegen, and Matthew (Goins) at Blue Chip care so much about pick design. They're doing a killer job. But I hope they keep pushing, because I think there's another level. I don't know if it's a materials thing or shape thing, but it hasn't hit the level of sophistication that bows have by a long shot."
Re: Chris Thile's new pick
Impressed by what he knows about bows and his urging of pick manufacturers to think outside the box. I have an idea of gluing horsehair to a solid plastic pick and including a stick of rosin in the package. If that ever happens you heard it here first.:whistling:
Re: Chris Thile's new pick
I can see you and others had a lot of fun with this topic back in 2018.
Surely the question has been answered, yet I still wonder ... why didn't anyone Google "Chris Thile pick" and see what appeared? I just tried that. Both his signature D'Addario Casein (the "new pick") and his signature Blue Chip popped up.
To be clear, Google wastes millions (maybe billions) of user hours each year giving ridiculous and irrelevant links to searchers. Still, you can hit paydirt every now and then by simply Googlin' it.
Luv rambling through forum conversations like this. It's a hoot hearing from everybody. ;-)
Re: Chris Thile's new pick
D'Addario has a newish Chris Thile pick - could be that one.
Re: Chris Thile's new pick
FWIW, I Love the Blue Chip product and use it exclusively.
BUT the absolute best sound comes from my thumbnail and the strings.