10 Favorite Guitar Picks Ever Made • Acoustic Tuesday 252

Is a $50 guitar pick worth it? Is a wooden pick right for you? Does plastic reign supreme? All this and more will be revealed in this episode on my 10 favorite guitar picks ever made.

Guitar picks are the cheapest way to experiment with your sound. The thickness, material, and shape can all have huge impacts on your acoustic guitar’s tone.

From super-hard mandolin picks to sharper tortoiseshell picks, you’re going to hear how some of these picks impact your tone. Whether you want round, woody tones or piercing, steely tones, there’s a pick in this list for you.

In addition to talking about acoustic guitar pick tone, I’ll cover the comfort and usability of some of these picks as well. If you have trouble holding pick or if you find the pick is flying out of your hands all the time, you might just find something on this list that’ll help you.

In addition, you’ll see…

  • @Adam Grant
  • @Piedmont Blūz
  • @Folkway Music
  • @Emerald Guitars

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  1. Hi Tony! You featured several Dunlop picks but didn’t mention the Dunlop Primetone line. These are very similar to the Jazz III and Flow picks. They are a translucent, brown Ultex material with a very nice grip of raised letters (brand/style) and raised dots for added grip with speed bevels. They are the more expensive Dunlop picks at about $2 each. I have used the same 3 picks (1.0mm) for 5 years without chips or cracks and no wear. Thanks.

  2. Hey Tony… I appreciated your talk on picks… After many years of playing, I still have issues getting used to playing with them. However, since I’ve signed up with your course, I’m trying to make a greater effort. Primarily a nylon string player, 99% of the time I’m finger picking… or holding my fingers together, like I’m holding a pick, but use my thumb nail as the pick. It’s the only strong nail I have. Which brings me to my comment/request. I notice your picking hand during certain lessons, and it looks to me like you use something on your nails. or have fake nails. I’ve been considering getting my nails done but can’t bring myself to do so yet. I’m constantly working with my hands and breaking nails as I try to grow them out. And I imagine breaking off a fake nail along with my real nail. Not something I think would feel good. Finger tip cuts are bad enough… I’d love to hear how you take care of your picking hand and nails. Thank you so much for all the info you are sharing.

  3. Great topic! I love when AT covers accessories, etc. I’m always experimenting with various picks and like to try new brands/materials that come out in hopes of one day finding the miracle pick! Some good finds:
    * Bog Street — innovative styles and materials with various thicknesses and even variations in the same pick
    * Howling Monkey — made of Tagua nut, and are rather thick, but the material makes for good sound
    * Dava — not certain of the material but they have a thin rubberish grip layer and the rigidity is set by where you hold it
    * Thalia makes a variety of wooden picks — great to hear how different woods and thickness sound
    * anything that has texture, holes, or outer material to help with grip
    My standards are the D’Adario DuraGrip or Dunlop nylon using thicker for picking or thinner for strumming, but the Dava one is slowly becoming my strum standard.

  4. Hey Tony, Love your program. I love your program! I want to give a big YES to your question about thumb picks. I started playing guitar when I was 45 because I wanted to be able to play some of the amazing Country Blues that I love. Practiced a lot for 10 years and then life got in the way and I stopped for about 15 years. I finally started practicing again a year or so ago when I semi retired. We moved from Spokane, WA to the Piney Woods of Deep East Texas in December and haven’t had much practice time with getting settled in and all but we are getting some light at the end of the tunnel and my practice time should be increasing soon. I will be turning 72 in November and my favorite guitar player is Jorma Kaukonen. I feel he interprets Reverend Gary Davis better than anyone on the planet. All I play is the old fingerstyle blues. That makes me happy and there is enough to keep me going for the rest of my life! Keep up the great work!!!

  5. My favorite pick: Dunlop Big Stubby 3.0 (or 2.0). I like them in nylon (warmer) or polycarbonate (more articulate). I also like Molly Tuttle’s favorite – Dunlop Jazztone 207 (or 208 if you like a sharper pick).

  6. I know there is only a limited amount of time, but I wish Tony had talked about pick thickness, what to use for different situations, and the best picks for all players doing TAC every day.

  7. The is interesting I have recently started using Snarling Dogs Brain picks. Like thew the grip of them I use .73 and 1.14. I am starting to hear the difference in the small things.
    Thanks again I was about to give up before I tried TAC. I try to have some fun every day I play.

  8. The section on consistency is super relevant for me this week. Very odd but I seem over worked my index finger on my fretting hand and have had to take play very lightly or not at all recently and that has put me into a bit of a funk. It was a nice reminder today that just picking up the guitar and playing the little bit that I can will help keep the passion going!

  9. Hi, Tony!
    I thought I’d noticed you using a BlueChip pick in prior episodes. BC Picks are made from a material DuPont created that Matthew Goins at BC Picks patented, so you won’t find this material used on any other picks out there.
    The TP-1R has also been my “go-to” pick for several years, but I tend to stay within the 40-55 range depending on what I’m playing. I’ve heard picks being referred to as EQ’s for those of us who don’t play with electronics and I totally agree. BlueChip will make them in any thickness. Matthew Goins made a couple 42’s for me because I was looking for something between the 40 & 45 – they do not disappoint! They also make a brilliant wooden box (I use the large) for storing them as well.
    Also, no, I personally would not benefit from a section on thumb picks. Great show!
    Best,
    Jason

  10. Hi Tony, I’ve begin using the D’Andrea Pro-385 Pro Plec 1.5mm pick. This pick is similar to the Golden Gate mandolin pick, but with slightly more of a point – it is still very rounded. I like the feel (it seems much thicker than 1.5mm), and the tone it produces with my mahogany and cherry bodied Waterloo guitars. It’s also great for getting a more muted tone from my maple-body advanced jumbo guitar.
    Thanks for the show; such a variety of choices, most of which I hadn’t heard/seen before. I’m very interested in anything you have to say about thumb-picks too.
    Cheers.

  11. Hi Tony, I have gone into the rabbit hole with wood picks. I have settled on my two favorite woods. The first is Snakewood. Super hard, super dense. I have been playing a 3.0mm. Seems thick but I put a speed bevel on it, same as is found on Blue Chip picks. Man is it volume monster. My second favorite wood is African Blackwood 2.5mm. I had to bevel that one too. I tried a wide selection of woods some hard but not dense some dense but not hard and I found the combination of dense and hard showcased what wood picks can offer for tonal variety. Great show. Looking forward to experimenting with your list!