Guitar Picks - What's the Difference?
We all know that picks come in all shapes, sizes,
colours, materials and thicknesses but is there that much difference
between them all? You bet there is! Guitarists often spend inordinate
amounts of time obsessing over (and this is of course a good thing!)
the minutiae of equipment; string gauge and material, choice of wood,
bolt-on necks versus glued-in necks, fingerboard material, pickup height,
spruce versus cedar, rosewood versus mahogany, the list goes on but
how many players experiment with the myriad of picks available? I dare
say not a huge number. But renowned flatpickers such as Doc Watson,
Tony Rice, or Gordon Lightfoot will tell you that a huge part of their
sound - in fact their whole technical approach to playing the instrument
- is a by-product of the pick they use. (More on these chaps later).
Celluloid, the world's first commercial plastic, was at one time the
premier material for guitar picks (not to mention combs, fountain pens,
billiard balls, ping pong balls and more!). Only two manufacturers remain,
on in Italy and the other in Japan, which has led to decreased availability
and rising prices. The erratic and flammable character of celluloid
has also led to its being largely replaced by other more stable plastics
such as nylon and delrin. Genuine tortoise shell picks used to be quite
common but since an international ban on their manufacture and distribution
in the mid-70's they are virtually impossible to locate. This is certainly
better for the tortoises involved although many players lament their
disappearance. Tortoise shell picks were noted for their high stiffness
to thickness ratio, their exceptional durability (imagine using the
same pick for years!) and their rich complex tone. They were also quite
easy to reshape by sanding and filing. Alas, they are by and large gone
forever... Some players prefer the brash, bright sound that metal picks
offer. They can be made of copper, stainless steel, aluminum or even
a quarter! This type of pick is readily available in stores. Stone picks
also offer a unique tone. These usually come from Japan where they are
hand-shaped and polished to a high degree. They are inflexible but have
a surprisingly warm tone. Due to the method of manufacture they are
very expensive relative to plastic picks, often costing upwards of $
20. Felt picks are another unique choice. They have very little attack
and are the pick of choice for ukulele, autoharp and a number of bass
players. They offer a unique sound to guitarists as well and are readily
available. The most common picks these days are made of various types
of plastic; nylon, delrin and tortex are three of the most widely available.
Many companies offer different grips (from raised lettering to perforations)
that make it easier to hold on when your hands start to sweat. Aside
from the tonal differences that the various materials exhibit, are the
issues of thickness, edge bevel and flexibility. Generally speaking,
a sharp tipped thin pick will have a bright, pointed attack with a fair
amount of pick "flapping" sound inherent. On the other end of the spectrum
a thick (say 1.5mm) round cornered pick will have a very broad, warm
tone with a less pronounced attack and less pick noise on the string.
Then there are all the points between these extremes which must be explored
by the individual player to figure out what is best for their particular
sound or style. So what do the pros use? Well, Doc Watson, the grandfather
of American flatpicking swears by Herco medium picks. And Tony Rice,
arguably the most influential Bluegrass guitarist of the last 30 years,
swears by genuine tortoise shell picks which he buys as raw triangular
blanks from a Japan source. He shapes them himself and hopes that his
supplier never runs out. Gordon Lightfoot favours the multi-coloured
celluloid picks that were popular in the late 70's and early 80's. He
too has a large supply on hand and worries about the day he runs out
and has to find a replacement. The key to finding the right pick is
experimentation. Sometimes different styles require a different pick
choice so it's good to keep an open mind and have lots of different
picks on hand.
