Picks- Acrylic

Started a celluloid topic recently. Wanted to start one specifically on acrylic. I have been doing a lot of experimenting as I slowly progress with the mandolin, and I noticed something I like about acrylic.

I’ve been using nylon, celluloid, ultem, ultex and many other types of picks- as well as small, large, round, pointed, thin, thick.....

But it’s when I grab one of my acrylic picks, that I hear that wonderful “bell” resonance on the A and E string. Love it! Do you all notice that as well? Even care?
Just seems to be that this is an area where acrylic shines on the mandolin.

Want the downside of acrylic? Strum a few chords.... but I’m trying to work on that.

So, I’d love to hear any thoughts, opinions, goods, bads, whatever with Acrylic.

Also, if anybody has any tips or tricks to taking care of acrylic picks, and maybe buffing the edges.

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Originally Posted by Medley12

Started a celluloid topic recently. Wanted to start one specifically on acrylic. I have been doing a lot of experimenting as I slowly progress with the mandolin, and I noticed something I like about acrylic.

I’ve been using nylon, celluloid, ultem, ultex and many other types of picks- as well as small, large, round, pointed, thin, thick.....

But it’s when I grab one of my acrylic picks, that I hear that wonderful “bell” resonance on the A and E string. Love it! Do you all notice that as well? Even care?
Just seems to be that this is an area where acrylic shines on the mandolin.

Want the downside of acrylic? Strum a few chords.... but I’m trying to work on that.

So, I’d love to hear any thoughts, opinions, goods, bads, whatever with Acrylic.

Also, if anybody has any tips or tricks to taking care of acrylic picks, and maybe buffing the edges.

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I'm not aware of any of my picks being acrylic. Which make is acrylic?

For buffing I play a nailfile at the angle I'd play the strings.

I believe v-picks are acrylic.

The acrylic picks that I have been using are from v-picks and gravity picks. With Gravity, you can get the edges buffed out for a nice, smooth finish.

I’m really liking both of these, have about 10 different picks between the 2

Gravity picks are quite nice to hear. I have a handful and although I tend to use my BlueChip picks the most these Gravity picks are not going to be tossed or removed from my pick inventory. They are acrylic and sound great but I like how the Blue Chips stick to my fingers and sound a bit better to me. But I would say Gravity can hold their own with most others.

Bluechip and Wegen remain my favorites, but I bought a V-Picks “Tree of Life” pick on a whim in the Classifieds a few weeks ago. Iirc it’s 2.78mm thick, which was a bit daunting given TAD 60 is the heaviest pick I have otherwise. Of course, with the bevel, the part hitting the strings isn’t that thick. I wish it had a right hand bevel and was the same size as my favs (it’s slightly smaller and has a neutral bevel), but I’m starting to bond a little with it. It feels as smooth through the strings, is a bit louder, and gives a brighter tone when compared to my CT 55s and TAD 601R. My only other gripe is that it doesn’t give pick click, but more like a pick squeak coming off the strings. Maybe it’s just my attack. My wife noticed the volume and brightness but didn’t really hear the squeak until I pointed it out. I don’t think it’ll replace my favs, but I’m going to give it some playing time. Initial impression is that it may be a good pick for raucous jams or other situations were volume/cut are more important than pure tone. I like it more than I thought I would, and the price allows a little room to experiment with other models.

Like my Bluechips, the V pick sticks well in my fingers, esp when warmed up. No slippage with either for me. OP, the strumming will come. I used to feel the same way going from light or medium celluloid or nylon picks to heavier gauges, but you’ll figure it out. If the pick doesn’t flex any you have to adjust your attack a little and make sure you’re not death gripping the pick.

I’ve never been able to bond with Big Stubbies or Golden Gate/Dawg style picks, and, though they have a lot of fans, Primetones have never done it for me. They were billed to me as an inexpensive alternative to Blue Chip. Their tone is different, feel is different, and they wear much more quickly than BC. Shape, size, and bevel are admittedly similar (speaking of their 1.5 mm large triangle). If I didn’t already have a BC when I tried them maybe I’d love them, who knows?

Appreciating the feedback. That Tree of Life pick is one of the ones I am eyeballing. Vpick has a few models on sale at the moment....

One of the things that I like best about Vpick and Gravity is that these picks do not move at all. Period. I have never tried a BC, but have tried just about everything else. Especially my Vpicks, they are just there, rock solid.

Yes, there is a little bit of a different sound to them. I think players themselves get a little alarmed, because they actually feel it a little. But listeners usually do not notice at all. I personally felt better about it once I did some recordings of different picks.

I believe that with use, what little noise is there goes away. I read that here somewhere. And, I have a Vpick Euro that somebody sent me to try out, and as far as pick noise (or lack there of) it sounds better than anything I have ever tried. Again I am not saying this about a vpick write out the factory. I am saying this about a V pick that has been used. It sounds incredible I absolutely love it and it’s the reason I’m falling in love with acrylic.

So I’m going to keep playing my favorites out of the bunch and hopefully I can get them sounding as good as that Euro. The Euro is just a touch small for me.

Going to go order some more now actually..... that Jester is calling my name, to go with my new oval hole that should FINALLY arrive this week...

Acrylic is kind of hard and brittle and if you strum a lot the edges will lose the polish very quickly and become scratchy. When freshly polished they sound good (I've got some Gravity and several I made myself) butonce the polish is lost they feel/sound scratchy especially on thin e strings. There are different kinds of acrylic so you need to try out... I've come across a kind of acrylic that could not be polished with standard methods (fine grits and polishing compound) and the edge just stays kinda sandblasted and only "flame polishing" works on that stuff.

Ya, I’m definitely noticing some differences with acrylics. I have talked to a Gravity Acrylic user, says his pick is still going strong after a year.

Something else I really like about Gravity is the Tripp pick. The 3 points are very different, one being sharp, one being very sharp, and one being rounded.

Been using the V-Pick Medium R for years. Best I have found for me. Never had to re-polish it. The response and sound are great. Cannot use a thin (under 1mm) on anything anymore. Just can't stand the thin tones.

acrylic No no say it ain’t so








Vpick traditional lite 1.5mm electric acoustic mandolin

I have not played the Gravity enough to wear an edge down. BC are still my go to.

I tried a bunch of acrylic picks and didn't end up really liking any of them. They're really scratchy sounding on acoustic instruments, and they chirp like rubbing metal on the strings of an electric guitar.

I had the same issues with most of the one s I tried. But the 1.10 from Gravity is my preferred pick lately

Acrylic picks don't work for me. I have a V Pick Lite tradition, but I never play with it. I like the Blue Chip picks I have and the Bobby Osborne picks that work well for me.

I use thick picks, 1.5mm to 3.0mm. The Gravity picks I've used are very good. They do show some wear after a bit of use, but not so much that it affects tone. I've never found that a high polish on the edge was required for good tone or feel. My picks start out with a polish, but wear to a matte/satin look, neither rough nor pitted. I don't do anything to maintain edges on my TS or other picks.