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[DesmoBob]

Dunlop Jazz III, red. Also Dunlop delrin 1.14, hand filed to a sharp point and polished by running it through the carpet. Occasionally use Dunlop stubby & big stubby.

[rnolan]

Hey DesmoBob, you just gave me an idea. I compared 3 picks recently and quite liked the Tortex H3's, they have a sharper point and sound nice and "sharp", good, bight, but are smaller than the Tortex 1.14s I normally use (so harder to hold onto with the way I play  ). But if I file the 1.14s  to a sharper tip,  best of both worlds LOL

[DesmoBob]

LOL I got that idea from Paul Gilbert at a clinic, ~1987 ish. Right down to buffing it in the carpet. These days I think he uses regular rounded tips.

[Soloist]

I tens to mostly use Fender 351 classic celluloid mediums. They just feel right, for metal!

[rabidgerry]

I coat my picks with rubber.  I also find fattish picks eaiser to hold and less fatiguing on my hand.

I used to refile small stubbies when the point wore away (which was after a gig for me) but I ditched them altogehter years ago for the awe in one profound.

[rnolan]

My preference was real shell (I still have a small piece) and I made my own picks, reshaping between gigs/playing (Like RG I burn picks), but running out over time and can't get any more. Tried metal picks, lots of fun, sound great but cripples your strings (though doesn't Brian May use a penny for his pick ?).

[rabidgerry]

My preference was real shell (I still have a small piece) and I made my own picks, reshaping between gigs/playing (Like RG I burn picks), but running out over time and can't get any more. Tried metal picks, lots of fun, sound great but cripples your strings (though doesn't Brian May use a penny for his pick ?).

Yeah he does, I have no f**king idea how that works.  I have tried metal picks and it's impossible.  Just scratchy awkward awfulness!!!  I could not play fast with a metal pick.  Hell I could not play at all with a metal pick.  They are not contoured enough.  I prefer finger nail best, it is the best sound for me personally but I cannot alt pick fast for lead stuff using my fingers so I have to use a pick.  Awe in one Profound in the fibre material is the closest thing I have come to the humain finger nail sound.  It bites without any effort at all and there is very little drag.  I do go between this and a hard nylon version though.  The materials really do change the sound a lot.

[rnolan]

Someone gave me the metal pick and I gave it a run, very bright, I liked it but it was really destroying the strings (with the way I play). I also had a stone pick once (bit of a novelty when they came out), I liked it allot too but it broke (was sposed to be unbreakable LoL).
The real shell is the closest to finger nail I've come across, they are probably similar material (keratin) but if I hadn't switched I'd have run out of shell long ago. Not to sound gross, but (thought bubble) you could grow your big toe nails really long, cut of carefully and shape to be picks, ready made indent for thumb..

[DesmoBob]

I tried metal picks, even filed one to a point. Couldn't get used to the ultra thin feeling, yet with no flexibility. Funny side effect is they turn coated strings nice and furry. 

Can't believe I forgot to mention fingernails. My right hand is like a bear claw. I usually fingerpick on acoustic. Tradeoff is I have zero right hand tapping skill.

[rabidgerry]

I tried metal picks, even filed one to a point. Couldn't get used to the ultra thin feeling, yet with no flexibility. Funny side effect is they turn coated strings nice and furry. 

Can't believe I forgot to mention fingernails. My right hand is like a bear claw. I usually fingerpick on acoustic. Tradeoff is I have zero right hand tapping skill.

yeah some picks will shred those coated strings.  I use Elixirs so I know what ya mean.  The picks I use now don't damage the coating at all.  I've had strings last 6-7 months!!  Still sound good and still feel nice and slick 

[rnolan]

When I was gigging I changed strings every 2nd gig or 85% chance I'd bust a D string on 3rd gig, and with floating FR, put down and pick up spare guitar.

If you shape your right hand nails (not too long), you get the best of both worlds and can still tap ok, I tend to destroy my index finger nail though when I'm playing allot. Use to use tissues and super glue to repair it..

[rabidgerry]

How do you stop breaking strings now then Richard?  I noticed elixirs are definitley stronger, or else I play in such a way that strings break once evey hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm well I broke one about 6 months ago and the last one before that was about 5 years ago.

I can't still tap and I have long nails, just about getting the right length and using more the under side of your finger tip.  Sometimes I let them get to freddy krueger though lol

[rnolan]

Hey RG, I don't play nearly as much these days so breaking strings isn't as often (I think I popped a G last year sometime ?? which is unusual, lots of big whammy action popped it IIRC). But back in the day we were doing 4 x 45 min sets 5 (ish) nights a week or 3 hours rehearsal or both (so I chewed through both picks and strings).

Also my nails get a chance to recover now (with lighter load) and I only bleed on the guitar once in a while (lucky my main guitar is red LoL). It used to be a reasonably regular occurrence (bleed from just above RH index finger nail).

[rabidgerry]

f*ck me thats a lot of playing time!!  Totally understandable then Richard.  I thought may be you used those shit Ernie Balls    worst strings ever in my experience.

[rnolan]

I haven't tried much of the newer (long life) strings (except on my (daughters ?) baby Taylor acc, they've been on there for 15 years (ish), and finally need changing). After trying lots of electric  string brands over the years (45 (ish)) (and many brands come from the same factory BTW), I've settled on DR 10 - 46 tight wounds. They are great strings, good and very consistent. Not too bright when you put them on (e.g. deAdario), have more mass for same thickness (tight wound) so bigger notes, last very well and stay constant (I can attest to now as I change them much less often, but playing much less, they hang in there very well for the often to occasional player (if you play 5 nights/day a week doesn't matter what brand you use I'd need to change them at least every 2nd night)). The DRs also feel really nice under your fingers, and squeal "very" well (in a much better than average way)).

I'm not an Ernie Ball fan either, but some like them, and they are probably the same as many brands, and come off the same machine/batch.

IMHO the DR's are better and they are themselves (I could be wrong  ). But hey I like them, use what you like

Some facts: strings go off, you loose life, top end etc (so do tubes but much slower than strings)