My 37-Year Journey To Find The Right Pick - Ask Zac 115

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The pick is how many of us strike the string and create a sound with the guitar. Like most of you, I have been on a pick journey for many years, and I must say an enjoyable one, as most picks cost a dollar or less. The pick we choose makes a huge difference in our tone, and also changes the way we feel and experience the guitar. Today I walk through the various picks that I have used over my 37-years of playing the guitar. What made each one good, but also why I moved on. I end on my favorite pick, a celluloid Medium-Heavy pick made by one of the original pick makers, D'Andrea.

These guys have some of the D'Andrea MH .84 picks

Gear Used:

1957 Fender Esquire with an added vintage neck pickup. Restoration and aging on the body by Dan "Danocaster" Strain. Rewind of bridge pickup by Ron Ellis.

Strings:

Pick:
D'Andrea Medium-Heavy

Amp:
1964 Vox AC10

Effects used:
MXR M300 Reverb on the Spring setting

#askzac #guitartech #guitarpicks

[guymansfield-smith]

Another great episode Zac. My wife’s getting into your stuff. She’s starting to play a bit of guitar (she plays upright bass usually) and she finds your shows to be very informative.

[stevenfrischling]

Zac is the only person I could imagine getting me to invest 18 minutes of my day to think about picks. Now I sit here questioning whether or not I even like the picks I I have been using ... maybe I don't like Ernie Ball Everlast .60 picks?

[stratjed]

Many years ago, 1980s. Discovered that Jerry Garcia used Adamas graphite 2.0 mm. Could not always find them, so tried The Dunlop Gator grip 2.0 mm. Fell in love and still happily married. As a Strat/Tele/ bluegrass acoustic player the extra horsepower when needed is like amp headroom. Thin picks have no headroom. I use very little of the pick and due to the design love the beveled edge. The exception is when playing a 12-string acoustic a thin pick is hard to beat. The Dunlop has less pick sound than the Adamas but for a bluegrass jam outdoors a D28 with an Adamas pick is as LOUD as you ever need to be. And someone might even ask you if you can turn your acoustic guitar down. LOL.

[timothydaniels]

The best pick I’ve ever had came to me from Jason Lollar’s company. I bought a couple of his pickups and each one came with a free pick made from the material used to make bobbins. It’s a black fibre material that’s impregnated with some kind of resin. It’s not that hard so it doesn’t sound too clicky. I think you can buy bags of them from JL. That said, I struggle with a pick because the person who started me on guitar was a great fingerpicker so I just copied her.

[fivewattworld]

I use two different Blue Chips these days. I thought I’d lost one…but then I found it. ;)

[chefbarona]

I first heard about tortoise shell picks in the early 70's. Most people heard of them but had never seen 1. I was given 1 by an older country guy & worked w/it until it was lost. Looked for years, no luck. I started using buffalo horn, as it was closer to the tortoise, but not quite right. It could be sanded to your flex preference. I used those until I found a source of Tortoise shell from Japan(pre-Cities). They were really expensive & illegal. I spread a few around until I had 1 left. I had no reason to "break the law" so I kept searching. My wife was into antiques & dragged me to shows. I was looking around & found a full set of tortoise shell "boudoir" sets(hair brushes, files & such). A bolt of lightning hit. I bought the set & took it home. I removed all the shell & cut/sanded to shape & haven't looked back! Now I pick up tortoise whenever I get the chance. There was a resurgence where manufacturers started making imitation tortoise(like the binding, pickguards & picks that you find everywhere) so you need to be careful. When you find 1 heat a pin & insert it in an inconspicuous place. If it smells like burnt hair, you win. Obvious smell. I have since lost nerves in my index finger & couldn't do much flat6picking. None of the thumbpicks had the same feel. I learned how they formed/bent shell(not as simple as it sounds) & have been trying to get it right ever since. Haven't made "the" pick I am seeking but the failures have been entertaining. I've used some pieces as small pickguards for the custom instruments I make, so no waste. Just another treasure hunt to find "that" tone/feel.
Great stuff Zac. I'm thrilled to have found your channel! Thanx for all the work you do!

[MrKevbo]

I went on a pick journey a few years ago looking for something that sounded better with acoustic and the two things that happened to me were, I started playing using the shoulder of the pick and before long physically couldn’t return to using the point. The way I describe it is when using the point you hear the pick, when using the shoulder you hear the note. The other change for me was using Dunlop’s prime tone picks. They really seem to sound good, feel good, last longer and not cost anything crazy. I always used a lighter gauge for acoustic vs electric and now I can just use the prime tone in a .73 for everything. Until I find the next thing to try, cause like you said, it’s a sickness.

[SirVicc]

On your recommendation, I ordered some D'Andrea MH picks and used them for about a month before commenting. They are fantastic! It's become my main pick for Fender guitars. Has all the best attributes of a medium and heavy celluloid. Retains the high end and pick attack of the medium, but adds the fullness and single note feel of the heavy. Tried the pick the TPS guys use and it's just too muted. No life to it. But I immediately noticed that my picking precision with the MH was improved the first time I used it. Thought it might be a placebo effect, but it remains until now. So much more precise. For Les Pauls, I still go to yelllo Tortex, but this is my main pick for almost everything else. Thanks!

[dhruvpatki]

Thanks for an awesome video!! As a pick enthusiast, finding good quality content is a struggle in itself. I’ve had the pleasure to play a blue chip before, and they are fantastic. Personally tho, I prefer the Ares from Purple Plectrums. Can’t recommend it enough.

[muckinfunday]

Even after playing for 56 years, I still have that bug for trying new picks. Now you've given me a reason to try yet another..LOL Thanks!

[brentgarner]

I started using the Eric Johnson pick when I found out that's what he used... and I love it... just shows, you gotta just try stuff out.

[j.rozman]

I tried many picks...many shapes and measures...I just ended up with Blue Chip Jazz LG 60..amazing sound...no string noise, glides through them smoothly...Just love it!!! Well worth it and I dont want to loose it! :)

[tball]

I have several picks I use. I'm always trying new ones. That using the shoulder of the pick has been a game changer for me. Thanks for the tip.

[Heavenreck]

Love the "ask zac" celluloid pics you kindly sent to me when I joined "friends of ask zac". I have recently started using the dunlop herco flat thumbpick after watching Brent Mason use them and those are a good hybrid between a flat pick and a thumbpick.

[ilias]

The trick is to get s heavy pick you like, and buff on 1000 grit sandpaper till its right, also dragging a pick through carpet, on edge is a perfect way to sculpt the tip, or refurbish a beat up or worn pick. Cheers Zac, you the mane

[richsackett]

I’ve played Fender Heavy 351 celluloid for 27 years. Bought my first gross in 1995.

[jasonaustin]

Great video Zak! I have always used a variety of different types of picks for different things. On bass I use tortex 1.5mm, on guitar medium heavy just like you, on acoustic I use many types depending on the sound I'm after. The most change to your tone for less than $20 is strings and picks.

[rosewoodsteel]

Thank you, Zac! I just ordered 24 of the MH picks. I am an old Fender Medium guy and just tried out a BlueChip TD-35 with a beveled edge. I sent it back, tonight, because of way too much pick noise with my acoustics. I discovered it was the bevel, so I requested an un-beveled replacement. But wow! $40 a pop is too rich for my blood. I'm looking forward to trying out the MH's.

[dennisflock]

I've settled on a brand called Star Picks. They've got a star-shape punched out of the middle for grippage. I use .73mm for electric and 1.14 mm for acoustics. They have tortex feel to it

[timchalmers]

Thanks for sharing your journey. I've been playing since 1965 and I'm still unsettled. At my local store I found a couple of Jim Dunlop variety packs for just a few bucks each: one is Light-Med, the other Medium-Heavy. Some are smooth, some are rough. I also found a variety pack of Clayton picks. So I'm trying them all. Cheers!