After many years of trying to find the perfect pick, I did an analysis of the optimal dimensions for a round-cornered pick and came up with a very cheap process for making them. I am sharing my notes in case they are helpful to others.
After many years of trying to find the perfect pick, I did an analysis of the optimal dimensions for a round-cornered pick and came up with a very cheap process for making them. I am sharing my notes in case they are helpful to others.
Very nice.
Don’t a lot of players just use the rounded corners (you do get two per pick) of the classic Fender style celluloid pick? Or is that what you are saying?
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Do you use diamond file or what to shape it?
kind of like SRV https://srvarchive.com/picks
Kentucky km900
Yamaha piano, clarinet, violin; generic cello;
a pedal steel (highly recommended); banjo, dobro don't get played much cause i'm considerate ;}
Shopping/monitoring prices: vibraphone/marimbas, rhodes, synths, Yamaha brass and double reeds
Guilty confession - right now i am using the round corner on a Fender medium (not a heavy) and it is working really well. No need to sand a bevel when it's at that thickness.
i have wanted to post something to this effect for years because I will use Primetone, Golden Gate, the Dawg pick, etc., and they each have their outstanding features, but I keep coming back to cheap guitar picks on the rounded end after an impasse.
I heard Dan Crary on a guitar instructional video talk about ordering medium picks by the gross and playing on the rounded end. Then I heard Sam Bush on one of the Homespun videos saying that he plays a Fender medium using the rounded corner. I started to feel better about using a cheaper pick. And if my (probably faulty) memory serves me correctly, John McGann (RIP) also used to use a Dunlop tortoise teardrop pick on the rounded end with a somewhat thinnish pick width.
So I reflected on how I might design the perfect triangle pick - i would take it and sand the corners of at least two ends to make them more rounded. I would leave a a long end (the pointy part) to rest along the side of the thumb for stability and to remind my fingers which end is the rear. And I would include a second a round end on the other side of the first round end so that I would have a spare if the first round corner wore out.
Chaqu'un a son gout (i.e., use whatever works for you).
I must be playing too softly or not often enough. I’ve never worn a pick out, or even down much. Does everyone wear out their picks?
Like a Golden Gate IMHO.
Dave H
Eastman 615 mandola
2011 Weber Bitteroot A5
2012 Weber Bitteroot F5
Eastman MD 915V
Gibson F9
2016 Capek ' Bob ' standard scale tenor banjo
Ibanez Artist 5 string
2001 Paul Shippey oval hole
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
I really liked the detailed manufacturing instructions. And as an engineering manager I appreciated the careful verification that the finished product met your specs.
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