$20 for a hand-made pick is a good deal. I love to make picks, but I'd die of boredom doing it day in and day out for a living. If I had no choice though, I don't think I could sell one for less than $20, and I'm fast. That's why I keep telling people to buy an oversized ready-made, like those clownbarf jobs above, and work it to the right shape. It's not rocket science, it's a cheap education and a good way to get a good pick.
I agree,
The cost of a pick has absolutely no effect whatsoever on the sound of your mandolin wether it be a $2000 dollar mandolin or a £350 one as mine is (eastman 505 if your interested). You find your favourite type of pick constantly (depending on the day of the week or hour of the day sometimes)
And Yes, of course you should be able to spend $20 on whatever pick you like, I would love to have the funds . But what I am trying to say is that most picks follow a similar basic formula, I know there are many variations on thickness and material but the formula is pretty much along the same lines and produced for very little money.
A few holes drilled here, a bevel filed on a edge there but same as same as.
Its when 'names' come into it and it becomes expensive for a pretty basic product that it bugs me.
Fashion accessories???
Paul that is some purty clown barf --- I've never seen the pearlescent CB. Lp
J.Lane Pryce
Jeez, I thought someone would comment first on the covergirl from the new Elderly catalog, speaking of picks as a fashion statement. The 1-15/32" wide abaloneyoid pick is actually just a regular Fender Heavy 346 which I reshaped a bit. This is a smaller 351 of the same material:
It's more the shape I like, but it's too small, so I make or rework ones of this shape, but larger. Like a lot of folks, I use the stubbier upper corners, not the usual pointy tip.
The one at the left here is my current fave. The other two are the Fender 346, before and after.
Fantastic use of picks. In fact that gives me an idea!, I could make my wife a pair of earrings and a nice necklace with the golden gates. Perfect with christmas around the corner.
That cover girl sure looks a lot better than a bunch of picks taped to a mike stand.
My axe is used for choppin'.
Yes exactly!Originally Posted by (mikeyes @ Nov. 15 2006, 17:21)
(mikeyes @ Nov. 15 2006, 17:21)
It's like fish hooks.
You pay $600 for a rod, $300 for a reel, $$125 for line (these are all fly fishing analogies) and then balk at paying a quarter for a fish hook. The point where the rubber meets the road should have the best equipment. $20 for a Tortis pick when your mandolin is $2000 and your string budget is probably at least $60 a year for ? 10+ years. If you are careful, your picks will outlast you. Why skimp?
....
It's not the cost of a single pick. These things are small and light and easily misplaced or lost. Not to mention having extras around just in case.
After hunting around for a while, I finally found a pick manufacturer that'll make tri-corner delrin picks in a 2mm thickness. They come with rounded, textured edges, so I file a bevel with a nail file and buff out the bevel with a nail-polish brush. Delrin is a very "slick" hard plastic. The sound and feel are outstanding and comparable to tortis at less than a dollar a pick. They're at In Tune Guitar Picks
They will send a sample on request, but then have the picks printed with the logo or phrase of your choice. The down side: Minimum order is a gross.
Some who wander are actually lost
Hmmmmm no one has mentioned my favorite pick.....Jim Dunlop Big Stubbies 2mm thick
http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.p....ks
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