Speed Bevel vs. Round Bevel

[Paulindrome]

Hey guys,

I just ordered a KM-150 from Elderly, and while I'm waiting for it to come in I'm doing all my research on what kind of equipment and accessories to get. First up: picks!

After browsing the forums here quite a bit, it seems like a CT55 won't be a bad choice, so I think I'm going to go with that (otherwise, I'll always be wondering what it's like). Anyway, I was wondering what the difference is between a speed bevel and a round bevel, both in terms of what the physical difference actually is and in terms of what the effect is. Could anyone help me out?

Thanks in advance!

[Tobin]

The speed bevel is a directional bevel. Asymmetric. Each side of the pick will have a beveled area beside the point, and they are mirrored. Hard to describe in words, but you can see pics on the Blue Chip site. It's designed for an angled pick attack, either for right hand or left hand direction. It mimics the shape of a well worn in pick that would develop that shape over time.

A plain bevel is just a rounded smooth edge. Symmetrical all around, with no advantage for direction. Over time, it will start to wear unevenly and look like a speed bevel (for picks that wear down, anyway).

Basically, many players that use soft materials like the "material which shall not be named" prefer the speed and tone from a well played pick that has worn into the speed bevel shape. But you needn't play for years to get that shape. Now it comes like that from the factory.

[Paulindrome]

Great, thanks! Do you know what exactly the difference in tone is? Brighter? Darker? Clearer? Emphasizes certain frequencies?

[mandroid]

largely depends on the angle of the mandolin relative to your arm over the mandolin.

if you were holding your arm directly over the tailpiece, It would be neutral. & want bevels symmetrical on both sides.

If you hold the mandolin at an angle , arm well above the tail piece, w Armrest etc.

then a more directional bevel is Good ..

CT 55 is like that ..

[goose 2]

For my picking there is a significant tone difference between the two. The plain bevel gives me plenty of pop and the tone is round and thick. I really prefer this. The speed bevel to me sounds a bit thin and I don't seem to get as good of volume. To maximize either bevel your right hand technique will vary between the two bevels . You'll just have to fiddle around with it until you are getting the tone you want. I should probably say the I play with the XR or SR. 60 which is quite rounded compared to the CT 55.
A good inexpensive way to check out a non beveled pick is the Dawg pock which is actually my favorite of all. Have fun.

[Tobin]

Yeah, it will depend on your pick angle. I play with a typical angle of attack, not flat to the strings, so a speed bevel gives me great tone, volume, and clarity. When I use a regular bevel, it sounds muddy and dull. You really have to experiment with picks to find the right combination that works for you, between material, shape, thickness, bevel, etc. There is no golden rule when it comes to picks. A pick has a certain number of variables in the overall equation, but it's only a few, and the final result will depend on the other variables of the instrument, strings, and player.

[Paulindrome]

Thanks so much, guys, this is all really helpful.

Goose: are the Dawg picks the same as the Grismans? The guy at Elderly said he'd throw some Grisman picks in for me.

Also, I've heard that Blue Chip will make one or two of the corners beveled and leave the other rounded, if I ask. Which brings up another question: are the CT-55 picks rotationally symmetrical? Is each corner equally playable or are you really supposed to use one of them?

[mandroid]

I note (have 1) they are all 3 the same.. I suppose that is what CT wanted ..

Dawg is a nickname of David Grisman ... Ever the BusinessMan, perhaps he Trademarked it..

[Phil Goodson]

... are the CT-55 picks rotationally symmetrical? Is each corner equally playable or are you really supposed to use one of them?

Take a look at your choices: http://shop.bluechippick.net/

[mandobassman]

Thanks so much, guys, this is all really helpful.

are the CT-55 picks rotationally symmetrical? Is each corner equally playable or are you really supposed to use one of them?

The standard CT-55 is the same for each corner. However, if you ask for a different bevel configuration, then it's no longer a CT-55.

I know I'm in the minority of opinions here, but I have always found the beveled edge, especially the extreme bevel such as on the CT-55, to add too much brightness to the sound. Often the tone is very harsh sounding. I have owned a few Blue Chips and also the Wegen TF-140, all of which had "speed bevels". I tried the same model picks with a rounded bevel and found the tone to be much more pleasing. When you artificially wear down both sides of a point of a pick to create a wear pattern, it makes the pick much thinner at the striking point and thus makes the tone brighter. To me it's kind of like buying a 1.5mm pick and turning it into a 1mm pick. The bevel drastically changes the tone.

[mandobassman]

A good inexpensive way to check out a non beveled pick is the Dawg pock which is actually my favorite of all. Have fun.

There are quite a bit more to choose from than the Dawg pick if you want to try non-beveled picks. A few standard picks that come to mind are, almost any celluloid pick including the Fender Extra Heavy rounded triangle shape (346 shape) and the Planet Waves version that is sold trough D'Addario, which is exactly the same thing. Most of, if not all of the V-Picks are non-beveled. Pro-Plec picks by D'Andrea are non-beveled. The Clayton Ultum picks are non-beveled. I'm sure there's plenty more that I can't think of right now.

[Paulindrome]

Thanks again, everyone. I learned a lot about picks and just had another user contact me about purchasing his old one. Being on Mandolin Cafe has already paid off quite a bit for me!