Mandolin Picks

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Songbob
Date: 22 Apr 10 - 08:49 PM

I have picked up several horn picks on eBay -- Asian buffalo horn, to be exact -- and find them a lot like tortoise-shell picks, but legal to buy and sell. Not perfect, of course, but very nice anyway.

I still have four or five tortoise picks which I bought in 1966 (when they were legal) at the old Des Moines Music House.

Bob

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: GUEST,lottarope
Date: 22 Apr 10 - 08:26 PM

I have an old closely guarded tortiose pick i pull out as a secret weapon once in a while i like it best. i should feel guilty endagered and all, but hell hes been dead a long time. Hope someone can find as good a use for my bones as making sweet music. For gigs i like a dunlop gator 1.5 they are grippy when your hands are sweaty and feel pretty good and at $.30, i don't cry when i lose one.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Stringsinger
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 02:42 PM

It depends on the instrument and the player. Every instrument sounds different depending on the pick you use. Some picks work better with specific instruments. It also depends on the speed, attack and musical conception of the player.

One size definitely does not fit all.

Frank

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: theleveller
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 03:21 AM

I don't play mandolin but mrsleveller does. I play octave mandola and cittern and we both use Jim Dunlop Delrin picks in different thicknesses. When I first used them I was amazed at the improvement in sound quality. They do wear out quite quickly so I get through about one a week but as they only cost 30p each I buy them by the dozen from StringsDirect online.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: astro
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 12:51 AM

I have enjoyed using the D'Andrea Pro 346 PRO PLEC 1.5 mm pick. It is relatively stiff and just the right size for me....I order a bushel from Elderly Instruments....

Astro

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Brother Crow
Date: 10 Dec 08 - 06:08 AM

Clayton picks every time. Tried all sorts, wegens, dunlops, Gibson, Fender etc....

...on mandolin, I use the 1.07 mm Teardrop Clayton - the yellow "tortex" one. You can see them here:

http://www.steveclayton.com/ultem.html

...we buy 'em from Eagle Music in Huddersfield.

Graeme,
Brother Crow,
www.myspace.com/brothercrowfolk

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 10 Dec 08 - 05:34 AM

Fairly new on the market are ' Blue Chip ' picks and they are selling well, seriously, $35 each, thats £17 in the UK, for a feckin plectrum for fecks sake, only in America.

eric

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Leadfingers
Date: 09 Dec 08 - 06:22 PM

Another of the 'This Suits Me' things ! I personally like the VERY pointed Dunlops - Tortex Sharp .88 mm - and they have the advantage that being bright green , you can usually see them on a Pub Carpet !

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: GUEST,a m green
Date: 09 Dec 08 - 06:07 PM

red bear trading co best picks

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Mooh
Date: 21 Oct 05 - 09:50 AM

Visited the local Fred Kelly Pick Display yesterday and brought home two .085" (not mm) flatpicks for consideration. Not bad for melody and single note lines and fills but pretty clanky for chordal stuff, at least in my hands. Nice shape and grip area. It won't be replacing the Ultex for me, but if you're looking for something else, maybe they'll fit the bill.

Fred Kelly has nice thumbpicks and I've been using them for a few years, replacing the old standby Nationals.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 16 Oct 05 - 10:39 AM

Thicker picks make less pick noise than thinner ones.

eric

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Grab
Date: 16 Oct 05 - 10:16 AM

Sure, nothing beats trying them out, but they're dirt-cheap so you can always restock from the net while you're getting strings.

As a friend of mine once said, "Guitars are a wonderful hobby to have - even if you can't afford a new instrument, you can still afford a new pick or some other widget to play with." :-)

Graham.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: mooman
Date: 16 Oct 05 - 10:04 AM

OK so I assume nobody wants the free small-size ones I offered on 13 October (17 in all: 4 thin, 1 medium-thin, 7 medium and 5 heavy). Please yourselves.

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: John Hardly
Date: 16 Oct 05 - 10:01 AM

It's my experience that the most "noiseless" pick I've used is the Wegen white pick.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: GUEST,vielleuse
Date: 16 Oct 05 - 09:56 AM

Can anyone offer me any advice on what sort of pick to go for to minimise the sound of the string being hit and maximise the ring, if that makes sense? It's sounding too percussive to me at the moment, I'm looking for a more musical sound.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 16 Oct 05 - 04:56 AM

Hobgoblin have the most amazing collection of instruments. I bbught my mandola from their and I buystrings and so on, but the picks are sold by the electric guitar part of the Johnny Roadhouse shop and they have only those little black Gibson picks and not always those.

Looks like a trip to Cleckheaton then. Thanks Eric

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 16 Oct 05 - 04:21 AM

Les, surely Hobgoblin in Manchester have a good selection, The Music Room in Cleckheaton also have a good range, the staff are all musicians too so they know what they are talking about.

eric

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 15 Oct 05 - 01:01 PM

True enough, lots on the Net but you can't beat trying them out inthe flesh, as it were

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Grab
Date: 15 Oct 05 - 12:39 PM

Most internet shops sell picks. StringsDirect have a good selection. I prefer the oversized triangular variety - I find them easier to hold onto. (I'm not a natural plectrum player, and I find that I need to grip small pleckies too hard to allow freedom of wrist movement.) The sharper triangles seem to give a better attack than the more rounded "Fender" shape. Usually I use .88 or 1.00, but I've got a 2mm as well which gives extra volume at the expense of tone.

Graham.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 15 Oct 05 - 12:05 PM

OK folks we know they are out their. Does anyone know a shop within 50 miles of Manchester that has lots of little picks to pick from, so to speak

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 14 Oct 05 - 11:35 AM

Mark -

I'll confess, you caught me on the decimal point error. I used a cheap caliper that I picked up to keep around the office. It has inch and metric vernier scales, but the "compromise" to fit them both on makes neither of them legible. The inch scale reads in 1/128 inch increments, and the metric supposedly is to .05 mm, but blem on the markings got misread as .5 mm.

I think I'll give that "mike" to one of the kids in the neighborhood to dig in the sandbox with and I'll walk out to the shop where I have some real tools when I need something measured from now on.

John

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: mooman
Date: 14 Oct 05 - 04:23 AM

Thanks for that Rich, excellent stuff. I think I understand the original language text much better!

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 11:23 PM

Not to be persnickety or anything, but a pick that is 8 mm thick is about the thickness of a pencil. And one that's 88 mm thick is roughly as thick as Harrison's Textbook of Medicine. Put a decimal point in front of the numbers and you'll be much more comfortable.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: RichM
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 01:04 PM

For my own curiousity, I went to the Kasho site Mooman suggested above.

I translated (through babelfish) a bit of the Kasho site's explanation:


Genuine zelluloid has to be replaced evenly by nothing. Most Plektren is nowadays from plastics. But some few manufacturers still hold to zelluloid. It sounds simply better. It lends the completely special crack to the notice. And it looks animal good. This material was invented 1864 by the brothers Hyatt and has not much with plastics to do, rather with wood. Wood is to forty per cent from cellulose, and this cellulose affects the sound more than other components of the wood. From the cellulose of the wood in one to complicate procedure the zelluloid is won. Kampfer, alcohol and cotton are further components. Thinly finished it is relatively problem-free. Still today of it motion picture films are manufactured. That is very difficult thicker things to process and needs alone for drying a half year! Kasho from Okinawa in Japan is one of the few still thereby delivers itself. Richly thereby in Japan their remaining will do nobody and the incomprehensible environmental regulations. But by a license agreement we can get Kasho Plecs, and at a very good price. Hopefully remains still for a long time in such a way...

Translation software has a long way to go...

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: BTMP
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 12:36 PM

I read recently that Jimmy Gaudreau uses the Dunlop 88mm, which I have used as well. I like to round off the point slightly, but still have enough of a point for good attack on the strings. For me, it also depends on the venue/situation where I'm playing - if it's a good, intimate jam setting, I will use the Dunlop. If I'm in a more raucus jam, I break out the heavy equipment - Tortex, Wegen, etc.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 09:43 AM

Me an' David Grisman.

eric

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: mooman
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 06:40 AM

You're entitled to your opinion of course Eric! I have managed quite well for about 40 years on thinner ones.

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 05:20 AM

I started out with a Dunlop .73 and went all the way through to 1mm
I now play exclusively with a heavy ' Dawg 'pick, thinner plectrums don't react fast enough and don't get the best tone out of a mandolin.

eric

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: mooman
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 04:52 AM

I might have an assorted bunch of those little ones, which I don't use, which I'd happily send to anyone for free (optional small donation to Mudcat always welcome of course). I'll see what I've got when I'm back home and post again. Feel free to PM me.

Peace,

moo

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 03:23 AM

Les -

I agree with you on liking the little mando picks. I have found them at US retailers by both Gibson and by Fender, so they both make them. I found a few once as "nonames;" but even here the availability in local shops is intermittent and unreliable. I don't recall ever seeing them at any of the web suppliers I look at occasionally, but I haven't gone looking for a place to have them shipped, since I've managed (barely) to get enough by patronizing my local buddies.

For those not familiar with what I think we're talking about, a Fender pulled out at random is 1.75 cm (11/16") wide x 2.49 cm (63/64") long. I use the "heavy" which is about 9 mm thick. A medium looks like about 8 mm thick.

In rough terms, 3/4" wide x 1" long. Once you get a grip on them, it's about like having a really tough fingernail right at the tip.

While it might seem like it would be hard to hold onto something so small, the fatty parts of the finger close down all the way around it and it's a very secure grip "close to the fist." You can control and vary how much "flexibility" you get just by tightening or loosening the squeeze, since the tiny pick lets the flexibility of your fingers participate.

On my last trip to "the guy most likely to have them" I bought all he had - which was 4.

John

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Davetnova
Date: 13 Oct 05 - 02:10 AM

i always liked Stubbies and big Stubbies but someone recently gave me a Dava pick. Its fairly stiff but has some flex and has textured rubber grips which make it almost impossible to drop. It plays and sounds really nice.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Mooh
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 11:15 PM

That site was kinda fun, especially since I'm essentially monolingual. Thanks moo.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: mooman
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 07:02 PM

Hi Mooh,

More about Kasho Picks here. Sorry the website is in German but they (Tonetoys) seem to be the main importer of these (and many other interesting things - I use a Jetslide from them) in Europe.

Peace,

moo

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Charmion
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 06:06 PM

Mooman, do you lose things in that space-time discontiuum, too? I find that the pick put in the jeans pocket never reappears until the jeans are in the washing machine. The discontinuum is the only answer.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: John Hardly
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 06:02 PM

I was just given one of those cool Tortis picks. I have one in the larger triangle (feels big as a dinner plate) and the new one that is a modified "Fender-like" shape with shoulders just about round enough to be like a Dawg (or Golden Gate).

It gives me the option (that I most often take) of playing with the point for cleaness, or using the shoulder (sounds good with sloppier sounding multi-string stuff).

Excellent quality pick.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Mooh
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 05:25 PM

moo...Thanks for the Kasho tip. I'll look for them. Mooh.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: mooman
Date: 12 Oct 05 - 03:12 PM

Dunlop nylon .60 (the light grey ones) out of choice. Occasionally a .73 on my OM if I feel like drowing everyone out.

I don't generally like heavy picks but have nevertheless been impressed with Japanese Kasho brand picks, several of which I got as samples.

Failing that, any pick I can retrieve from that discontinuum in space-time that seems to gobble most of mine up on a regular basis!

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 06:16 PM

Thanks Wesley I have passed through there but will return.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Wesley S
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 05:08 PM

Hey Aine - good to see you posting. I'll bet your Grandpas mandolin has really opened up by now. Are you still having fun with it ?

And Les - If you haven't seen it yet the forum at the Mandolin Cafe www.mandolincafe.com has had multiple threads on picks ect. It's a nice forum. Check it out.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Áine
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 04:55 PM

I play mostly Italian and Irish folk, so I prefer a good medium weight pic that's pretty small and non-beveled. I tried the Wegens; but, the bevel just got in the way of my tremelo. I rely on the good cheap ol' Fender mando pics that are about the size of the first thumb joint.

I've tried at least ten different styles of pic -- I think it all depends on your style of music, your style of playing, and of course, your instrument. One my mandos prefers a lighter touch than the Fender medium.

All the best, Áine

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Charmion
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 04:43 PM

I like Tortex picks, the tear-drop guitar type so you can use the pointy tip for quick picking and the rounded edge for trilling.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Mooh
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 04:18 PM

Yeah, I tried the Wegen picks, at least the thinner ones, and they're okay too. But for the same money you can buy alot of others. Mooh.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: mandotim
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 04:16 PM

I look for a big, fat sound from my mandolin, sort of a crossover between the woody bluegrass sound and the ringing celtic sound. The best picks for me are the Wegen mandolin picks. Not cheap, but they last virtually indefinitely and are pre-bevelled so they go 'through' the strings smoothly. (You have to state whether you are right or left handed, as the bevels are different!) The gypsy jazz site http://www.hotclub.co.uk/
has them in stock

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Mooh
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 04:16 PM

Dunlop Ultex .73, usually use the blunt point for mandolin. Have tried everything and just keep coming back to these. If you like a smaller or different size, get out the files and sandpaper.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Wesley S
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 03:42 PM

That should be the thickness. Most picks I've found that refer to a measurement are talking about the thickness. I think the picks that Danny is talking about are shaped like the average guitar pick.

I think you can see alot of these at www.elderly.com in the gear section.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 03:25 PM

Thanks Welsey, that's a kind offer. I will trawl for a while.

How big is a Dunlop Nylon 73mm Danny. I know that sounds like a really stupid question but I cannot imagine what dimension might come out out 73mm.

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: DannyC
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 03:14 PM

Dunlop Nylon 73mm
I shouldn't leave home without one
enuff bite to project the sound
and enuf flex to find the triplets

the Bluegrass players seem to prefer
thicker rigid picks
like little shaped stones
they're going after a different thing than me

Subject: RE: Mandolin Picks
From: Wesley S
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 02:48 PM

Lately I've been using Golden Gate picks and Dawg picks. I would think that someone would have or ship those to the UK. Doesn't Elderly ship there ? They carry some bone picks and other materials too. Is there something special you are looking for ? If you have no other resource PM me and I could stick some in an envelope to you.

Subject: Mandolin Picks
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 11 Oct 05 - 02:28 PM

Here I go again courting controversy and stuff but I can only seem to fing those little black Gibson picks - about the size of a finger nail (BS Fingernails 1946). I like the size but would like to try alternative makers, materials etc.

Any other source in the uk? I have Googled but it isn't easy to tell the size from a photo.