The "boutique" guitar pick....anyone take the plunge (Page 1 of 2)

I have only ever used cheaper picks, nylon about .88's. Then I tried the small jazz 3's. I actually like them for their size and feel. Even these are relatively cheap. Can't see what difference more can be made other than stiffness or construction material, all are plastic derivative or carbon. Can't see the point of wasting money.

Pick shapes and material have a significant influence on tone, volume and expression.
I started out using the round end of normal, up to 2.0mm cheap picks, 10 years ago I switched to Big Stubby 3.0mm and my playing got better, cleaner. Three years ago I switched to DuGain Delrin and Acetate picks and I haven't looked back. Sure they cost like € 8,-, but I haven't lost one.
The tip is twisted and makes playing fast runs easier and by adjusting the angle of string attack, tone and volume is much more expresive than with normal picks.

I'm in the same boat...just wondering if anyone out there has tried them and noticed a difference.  I love my d'andrea but I also like to try new things too.

No - I haven't tried picks made of exotic materials.  I totally accept that shape / size / stiffness of picks will change the tone but not really that you need more expensive materials to achieve this.

I haven't tried a speaker cab made of exotic hardwoods either but I can't see that making much of a change compared with just having a well sized and built cab made of pine of birch ply.

The pick is a tool and being in the hand of the player it is very easily manipulated and compensated for with skillful touch and feel.

Mine have thumb and index finger 'slots', so they're locked in pretty good. Once the Acetate warms up, it gets a little sticky, smells nice too.
For the last three years, I've been rotating three DuGain's. Two are always in my pocket, one is on my home studio desk. Being a heavy hitter, I have not worn out any of my DuGain's, once in a while I'll do some sanding to smooth out marks left by strings.

I switched to v-picks last year - I really like the extra 'bite' they have when picking.  They have a really well crafted edge that tend to 'grab' the string nicely without hanging up on it, plus I like the thicker picks as I find them easier to hold.

The downsides is a bit more string 'chirp' when picking, but that is really sloppy picking technique on my part, so in effect, the v-picks actually made me improve my picking style.  Other downside is that your picking dynamics are reduced a bit, as even when you hit the strings lightly, the edge tends to grab and release the string with a distinct twang.

Not a problem if you are playing hard rock etc. but can be a problem if you are playing, softer, more ambient styles.

My favourites in their range are the Screamer and Snake models (pointed).

I've also tried out the Red Bear picks and Gravity picks.  Not bad, but the v-picks are what I keep going back to.

Before a ruckus starts, he was a visionary, a great producer, a great song writer and a member of one of the greatest bands of all time, but he was sloppy.....

Please write me a solo resembling Stairway or even a quarter of a song like Ten Years Gone...then I will eat this 5kg of mahogany and maple.
Who wants to play like Vai every day of their life?
Cheers.