Anyone compared Fender 346 EXTRA HEAVY with Blue Chip CT55

[Cheryl Watson]

I have not compared those two exact picks, but close. I have compared a Fender extra heavy to a non-beveled (round bevel) Bluechip TAD 60, which is just a bit thicker than the CT55. The Bluechip is more fluid off the strings, being that the material contains graphite and has a more polished surface. The Bluechip gives me more dynamic range than a celluloid pick and stays in my hand better. You would need to be certain that the bevel you have worn on your Fender pick is a right-hand bevel before you order. If it is beveled the other way, then you will need to order a left-hand bevel, even if you are technically right-handed, but you probably already know that.

[dhergert]

That's true about the bevel. I've compared the bevel forming on my Fender to the right hand bevel on my wife's BC CT-55, and it's in the same position on the pick, but slightly wider, and it does not have the same angle against the edge of the pick -- it's more flat against the edge, sort of making somewhat of a square edge, instead of angled slightly downward against the edge like the bevel on the CT-55. Clearly the one on my Fender is generally where I hit the strings, so that identifies the angles and areas of the pick that my hand chooses, which is an interesting study in itself.

With the bevel on my Fender pick, the celluloid that hits the strings is raw, having worn below the normal outer finish where there was a gloss, an effect that doesn't seem to occur in areas of the pick that are not beveled. The raw celluloid is smooth, but seemingly no longer glossy in that area, almost reminding me of the difference between a speed neck and a varnished neck.

It strikes me that we can learn a lot about our picking hand by looking at the bevel on the flatpicks that we use.

[Tom Haywood]

I've said this kind of thing about other picks before: While my Fender costs about 34 cents per pick, I'd probably gladly spend $35 for the same pick with a bevel custom pre-installed on it for me. Getting a pick that my hand is used to would be worth it. That is one of the charms of Blue Chip and other companies that provide a built-in bevel on request.

I'll suggest that you try taking an emery board file and put a right hand bevel on a new Fender Extra Heavy pick. Make it roughly a 45 degree angle to the two edges. See how it feels immediately. Play it a few days and compare the bevel to the 45 you put on it. I find this to be a quicker way to get to my natural bevel.

[HoGo]

I've played a celluloid pick just like the 346 for more than a decade. Extra heavy was not available around here but I always took two (or three) thinner picks, sanded one surface to reduce the rounded edge a bit and laminated them with acetone (made small form for holding them aligned in a vice for gluing). Then reshaped edges to slight symmetric bevels and polished. Result was tiny bit smaller than the 346 but I loved it and even my picking buddies asked me to make them one (or couple) when they tried it...
I don't like the "speed bevel" on modern picks as well. It works well if you hold the pick with hard grip under the knuckle and attack string at quite and angle but if you hold pick more loosely under the flesh of thiumb and lay your pick more parallel to string (like I do) the sharp edge of the speed bevel can sound scratchy on wound strings. The edge will round over over time btu it takes long with BC picks (few months of picking).
I'm using some Primetone picks together with my old Celluloids these days which when polished and bevel reshaped to match my preference are indistinguishable, the PT holds the edge far longer than celluloid before it needs some polishing.

[Eric Platt]

This thread caused me to get a six pack of the 346 Extra Heavy. Been using the heavy version (in white) off and on for a decade on guitar.

Ended up comparing it to - Golden Gate X-Stiff confetti pick (aka clown b*rf) and The Mandolin Store 346 shape pick. All three are different with the Fender being the middle ground in thickness. Golden Gate has a nice tone and seems to be my most go to pick at home. TMS is thickest and maybe gives me the least volume playing. Although this could easily be my technique. More used to medium heavy on both mandolin and guitar. The Fender seems to be a very nice compromise. Can't compare directly to a BC CT as the thickest I own is an old 50 which is probably now a TAD-1R. That has more snap and oomph. But again, that can probably be attributed to my technique. (Or complete lack thereof).

Am using the Fender at gigs and jams when I might lose a BC. And will probably start out leading a jam tomorrow using it. Like all celluloid and variations, they still don't stick to my fingers the way a BC or even a Wegen does.

[Mandoplumb]

I bought a gross of the Fender Xtra heavy (144) for about what 1blue chip would cost. Yeah the wear more than BC but I bet the gross outlasts 1 BC, even if I lose a couple.

[mandroid]

There was some pick exchanges, here, years ago - the source of my lower cost BC...

the Fender ones lasted longer than the music stores in town.