help me build a pick set

[RichardF]

This is very interesting. I'd never really considered having a variety of plectrums. I've used the Dunlop teardrop 60mm on mandolin and octave mandola for years. I suspect it's because I'm a dedicated "plugger in" and need to avoid audible clicks. Interesting though.

[Nick Gellie]

Hi Daniel,

I really appreciate your thread although my pick set would be built on a budget of 50 Euros. I currently have

Wegen M150 round pick
Dunlop 1.0 black plastic pick (an all rounder for my bouzouki as well)

So I am looking to add

Wegen M120
Dunlop 207
Big Stubby 2.0

I had a big stubby once. I was amazed at how good it was pulling tone out of a mandolin.

I cannot afford a BC it is right out of my price range.

I want to thank those who recommended the 207s. I am waiting for Strings and Beyond to open up shipping to Spain again so that I can order big stubbies and 207s along with strings.

Anyone suggest any other affordable picks to go with a budget set? I prefer rounded to pointy picks or somewhere in between. I am surprised as to how well the standard Dunlop 1.0 pick can pull time out of a Collings MT.

[Daniel Infield]

Hi Daniel,

I really appreciate your thread although my pick set would be built on a budget of 50 Euros. I currently have

Wegen M150 round pick
Dunlop 1.0 black plastic pick (an all rounder for my bouzouki as well)

So I am looking to add

Wegen M120
Dunlop 207
Big Stubby 2.0

I had a big stubby once. I was amazed at how good it was pulling tone out of a mandolin.

I cannot afford a BC it is right out of my price range.

I want to thank those who recommended the 207s. I am waiting for Strings and Beyond to open up shipping to Spain again so that I can order big stubbies and 207s along with strings.

Anyone suggest any other affordable picks to go with a budget set? I prefer rounded to pointy picks or somewhere in between. I am surprised as to how well the standard Dunlop 1.0 pick can pull time out of a Collings MT.

Nick- I really appreciate your reply and that you have found some good info in this thread!

I would suggest the John Pearse fast turtle in addition to the above. Once I put a bevel on it with 800 grit followed by 1500 grit sandpaper and buffing, it really opened up and it sounds great. Also, the Dunlop Primetone triangle 1.4 mm is a good stab at the BC TAD sound and feel.... it's in the ballpark.

Lastly, understand that a bluechip pick is out of your price range, however I'll push back just for you to keep them in mind to at least TRY at some point. The ones I haven't kept I've been able to re-sell at ~85-90% of their purchase price, so the financial risk is actually very low if you're not really impressed with it.

Honestly, I don't actually have near the mandolin quality you list in your signature- I'm invested in guitars like you are in mandos. It's interesting that in all my years of playing those high end acoustics I never felt the need for a boutique pick. I think the relatively smaller size and register of a mandolin exaggerates the effect of the pick material/shape/bevel. I'm finding i like the casein (fender, john pearse) and blue chips for different reasons. I think a casein version will sound more different to what you have than a blue chip, depending on shape and bevel.

Lastly stay tuned as I'm getting in on more set of picks to try soon (only one of which is expensive at all). If those are knockouts, I'll be sure to pass along. Hang in there in Spain- hopefully everything opens up soon.

[Daniel Infield]

Last set of picks came in today- TAD48, a pair of gilchrist tri corner and a pair of buffalo horn beveled from an individual etsy craftsman. REALLY honing in now and the differences are smaller, so I plan to build a soundcloud registry recording phrases with all the picks. One issue has been that I changed my strings- went up a gauge in monel to 11's and now every pick sounds better.

But for now- from a subjective standpoint, I'll say that the TAD48 (right hand bev) is probably my absolute favorite if I combine feel-in-hand, maneuverability and pulling lows and highs. The gilchrist ($5) is one step closer to the BC performance (feel and sound) at its thickness as the primetone of similar size. Super nice. The buffalo horn ($5) are sounding great as well, bright and solid at the same time. I expected it to kinda suck based on other reviews of Buffalo horn picks I've heard. Perhaps this maker is better with the machining and material sourcing than others, or what I'm liking to hear is not what others like. Hence the sound cloud!

[mandroid]

any Dawg - Golden Gate scored in your quest yet?

[Daniel Infield]

any Dawg - Golden Gate scored in your quest yet?

great point- I haven't included those classics yet. I'm so biased in the direction of a pick with a point that I haven't gone out of my way to include one in a buy. That being said, I'm interested in trying the dawg II the next time i order something from somewhere that includes them. Or, of course when we are all able to go to regular music stores again, haha.

[RichardF]

This is a genuine question. Since I normally use the same pick, small Dunlop 60, on the Breedlove of, the Fylde flat top and the octave mandola how might a pick upgrade improve my tone? Also will being a plugger in influence my choice?

[Daniel Infield]

This is a genuine question. Since I normally use the same pick, small Dunlop 60, on the Breedlove of, the Fylde flat top and the octave mandola how might a pick upgrade improve my tone? Also will being a plugger in influence my choice?

You're going to get way more depth (volume / sustain of lows) as well as clarity/note separation from the "pluck" attack. What really sold me on the thicker, well polished/machined picks in general (whether BC, dunlop primetone, or gilchrist) was my breedlove instantly sounded less 'banjoey.'

Does that make sense? I've been dragging my feet a bit on the sound clips but hopefully they'll really illustrate the point better

[RichardF]

Thanks for that, I've never thought of my Breedlove sounding like a banjo. I'll have a try with a few mm more when we can go to shops again.

[Daniel Infield]

Richard- as a breedlove owner myself I realize that 'banjoey' was a really rough analog for what I meant. Think spectrum of instruments where banjo is on one end as midrangey and plucky, and something like a rosewood dreadnaught is on the other end- scooped mids and long sustain, and mandolin is in the middle.

Pick qualities of thick, beveled, round, hard etc tend to push the mandolin towards the guitar side, in my opinion of course.

[Alcluith]

Hey all,

long time lurker, first time poster.

I'm a guitarist who's recently become re-inspired to play the mando. Made some good progress during quarantine.

I'm playing on a Breedlove quartz ff sunburst; right now I'm using one of those 'cool' brand picks (1.2mm) with the sandpaper-y grip. The pick has been beveled over time from guitar play.

Want to try a bunch of picks; ideally all purchased at once to save on shipping etc.

This is what I've put together as a shopping cart during lunch break:

Blue chip CT55
Blue chip TP40-1R
Wegen bluegrass no holes
Dunlop primetone triangle and small triangle
JT's picks triangular black noryl

Anything I'm missing? Likely to re-sell all but my favorite few, but it'll be a fun experiment. I come from a music production background, where the devil is often in the details.

Having tried most of these picks, with varying success, there is one that is missing from this list Hawk picks, https://hawkpicks.co.uk with a variety of shapes and thickness or even bespoke to suit your needs. In my humble opinion they are the best out there.

[Daniel Infield]

Thank you! I will!

They don't happen to have a US dealer, do they?

[Captcardboard]

Might be late to the game, but my wife and I have been on a bit of a pick quest and we're both loving the Dunlop jazz iii picks in primetone or nylon max grip.

[cartershilts]

Good thinking! It's always a good idea to keep a healthy arsenal of picks so you can pull out a different tone when you're feeling uninspired. I think it helps us get out of our own heads a little bit. The list you've got now looks good, the only other pick I would add is the D'Andrea Pro Plec. It's very stiff, heavy, and dark sounding with a little bit of a glassy tone. Definitely a very unique pick.

[Mando&Me]

Daniel, sounds like you're on a pick adventure.

I'd second the emotion on Dunlop 207s and Primetones, plus Ultex, then Wegen, Golden Gate and Dawg. That oughta keep you busy for a while.

M&M