What Are Dunlop Tortex Picks Made Out of

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Sorry if this offends, but this made me laugh out loud for real

• Thread starter deadletteroffice
• Start date Oct 31, 2021

• #101

How much is the pick of destiny worth?

• #102

I just bought a forty-dollar titanium pick with a pearl inlay.

Sooooo, I don't know if I'm the best judge here...

• #103

I bought an expensive pick one time, because the seller said it knew a lot of songs... It turned out it knew the same songs I already knew, but I kept it in case I forgot any of them.

• #105

If you are an acoustic player picks are like pedals really. Those who record acoustic instruments achieve dramatic results with different picks or no picks. That's the main divide. For electric player is pretty much feel but when recording electric rhythm parts ultra light picks can really shine. You hear it at the other end of the console for sure

Not arguing, but playing devil's advocate:
Why don't guitarists keep an assortment of different types of guitar strings "in their arsenal" for different applications? Strings vary as greatly as picks? I haven't ever read where artists have discussed this?
I only vary my picking technique and stick to using the pick that I found works for me, much like how I stick to the same strings that work. I also rarely set foot in recording studios…. But have moved away from the tired cover songs of a weekend bar band! So I am sincere in my thoughts on this subject.
One of the guys I jam with has one of those $20-30 picks but I've only held it and looked at it, not taken it for a test drive.

• #106

I went through a spell where I only used V Picks. Fact is once you get to a higher price pick, you hang onto them a bit tighter. I still have some of them that are pushing 13 years in my possession. Pretty confident I don't have any Tortex that have lasted that long.

However, now that I have a bunch of kids, I'm back to the good ol Tortex..... because, lets face it, they aren't motivated to not lose my picks like I am.

• #107

Not arguing, but playing devil's advocate:
Why don't guitarists keep an assortment of different types of guitar strings "in their arsenal" for different applications? Strings vary as greatly as picks? I haven't ever read where artists have discussed this?
I only vary my picking technique and stick to using the pick that I found works for me, much like how I stick to the same strings that work. I also rarely set foot in recording studios…. But have moved away from the tired cover songs of a weekend bar band! So I am sincere in my thoughts on this subject.
One of the guys I jam with has one of those $20-30 picks but I've only held it and looked at it, not taken it for a test drive.

The practicality of having various strings is eliminated by the need for a new setup with each major string change- hence the opportunity for multiple guitars set up for various string differences.

Swapping picks is easy and effective. One summer, I dove deep and ordered a bunch of various picks to try out. About $80 worth. I realized that not making a pick selection for tone is kind of lazy. I mean, it isn't wrong to choose your pic that suits playing style or comfort. but the tonal difference between a thick graphite and a thin nylon is huge.

Also, an argument could be made the tonal variation achieved by pick choice can do more than differentiation among string gauge, type... maybe.

I got a demo Gravity pick with a Premier Guitar Mystery Stocking. It was the only thing I think had significant value (besides the Blackstar Amps branded Bic pen I still use 5 years later). I ordered a few various Gravity picks and settled on a size and gauge that suits me. During a 20%/ free shipping promo, I took a plunge on a Gravity Gold and was very impressed. Worth it for a player that likes to care about small details.

• #108

Not arguing, but playing devil's advocate:
Why don't guitarists keep an assortment of different types of guitar strings "in their arsenal" for different applications? Strings vary as greatly as picks? I haven't ever read where artists have discussed this?
I only vary my picking technique and stick to using the pick that I found works for me, much like how I stick to the same strings that work. I also rarely set foot in recording studios…. But have moved away from the tired cover songs of a weekend bar band! So I am sincere in my thoughts on this subject.
One of the guys I jam with has one of those $20-30 picks but I've only held it and looked at it, not taken it for a test drive.

Some players certainly keep different sets of strings in their arsenal for this reason.

But they're a PITA to change compared to switching picks. From what I've seen having different strings for different sounds you're more likely to have a dedicated guitar with the other strings on it. My experience is you might have to change gauges or go from roundwound to flatwound to get as large a change as you can get by just picking up a different pick.

Some of the cheap/common/popular picks like the Yellow Tortex picks are stupid bright on some guitars and have a wicked percussive clickity clackity attack.

Compare that with a thick pick with rounded edges and it's like having a tone knob on an acoustic.

It's way easier to have a "bright" and "mellow" pick in the case than anything else. Combine it with changing your attack on the strings and it can be a pretty huge difference. Then you can switch over to hybrid or finger picking and that guitar has a whole extra couple of tones.

A really mellow pick on a Jazzmaster or other silly bright guitar can be really nice to switch over to.

I think it's super relevant on electric too but the best demos are on acoustic. When Taylor revamped their pick line a year or two ago they did a podcast where they switched picks on the same guitar to showcase huge differences.

The free Gravity picks I got in the box with JHS pedals all seem to be the "unpolished" style and they have a real harsh sounding bright attack despite being thicker then I like, and usually thick picks seem to be less harsh. These were almost like fingers on a chalkboard. It didn't leave a good impression, maybe that's what Josh likes or something but it's not the pick that I'd choose so it just left a bad impression. Maybe I'd like others.

• #109

I'm not convinced they boutique picks are actually better than your Dunlops and whatnot. Picks are a very personal choice but you still have a massive selection to try before ever venturing into boutique picks.

• #110

You Canadian or something? No need to apologize, makes you look weak when its not required. Still not as bad as "Gibson" cables. A fool and their money are soon parted.

• #111

I'm a big fan of casein picks but they don't come cheap. Usually $20+ but they do last pretty much forever at the thickness I use.

• #112

My current guitar pick.

• #113

I went down the pick rabbit hole a couple years ago after using Jazz shapes for the majority of my guitar life. I saw the Petrucci picks released around the time and figured the marketing around it was snake oil, but was really pleasantly surprised to find it wasn't.

The flat sides of the pick bevel down towards the tip and allows the pick to glide off the strings. So the snake-oil aspect of "helps you play faster" had some truth to it.

The material their made of doesn't wear down. I've had some of these kicking around for years and they're just as sharp as the day I got them. I think it's like $12 for a pack of 12 or something? I just buy a pack every time I go to GC.

• #114

Not arguing, but playing devil's advocate:
Why don't guitarists keep an assortment of different types of guitar strings "in their arsenal" for different applications? Strings vary as greatly as picks? I haven't ever read where artists have discussed this?
I only vary my picking technique and stick to using the pick that I found works for me, much like how I stick to the same strings that work. I also rarely set foot in recording studios…. But have moved away from the tired cover songs of a weekend bar band! So I am sincere in my thoughts on this subject.
One of the guys I jam with has one of those $20-30 picks but I've only held it and looked at it, not taken it for a test drive.

Tbh I do lol. I record and play live so I see both sides I suppose. Different acoustics have different strings to match the instrument. Same with the electrics, they range from 9s to 13s depending on the guitar. This includes guitars with flats too. Also Nashville (highstrung) strings are super handy for studio work. Long story short, LOTS of tones can be had from strings and picks, that and an eq are your best friends in the studio. This is all stuff you really hear when under the microscope but it can make a meaningful difference imo. Playing live I use fender mediums and my hands to get different sounds, I also like the super light ones for strummy stuff

• #115

Dava Control by the hundred. Costs about the same and I can lose them down the back of my sofa. Or in the car. Or at the gig.

And they suit my playing.

I thought that folk bought picks like strings - in multiple packs. A perfect boutique pick that costs as much as a second-hand Squier? Not for me. YMMV, obvs.

• #116

I'm not convinced they boutique picks are actually better than your Dunlops and whatnot. Picks are a very personal choice but you still have a massive selection to try before ever venturing into boutique picks.

Personal choice for sure as Dunlop has a lot of lines that are ultra popular but for me they're just about the bottom of the barrel. I hate almost every one of their pick lines. Everyone is different but Tortex, Ultex, Nylon, Max-Grip, Herco, all those I just hate so much. Most of them have no grip and sound super plinky and clanky.

On the inexpensive side of picks its Celluloid all day long for me.

I started out just taking the advice of others and started with Tortex and they gave me fits as a beginner. Just so slippery. Because Dunlop was so heavily recommended I moved through a bunch of their lines and thought there was something wrong with me they were all so slippery.

I'm convinced some picks are grippy for some people and slippery for others too, one reason there are so many different materials on the market. Player A could love Tortex and find it really grippy and Player B finds it slippery and it impedes there playing. There's clearly something going on cause some people get so frustrated with picks they give up and decide to stick to 100% fingerpicking.

• #117

Thing is dunlop tortex picks are really good and maybe cost 8$ for a couple dozen. Whatevs

• #120

I've got examples of all the "main" expensive picks around here - bought some, was given some, and acquired some through unknown means (happens when you go to a lot of industry events) - and they are all pretty good...

IF YOU LIKE STIFF PICKS!

Personally, and contrary to seemingly 99+% of the people on this forum, I don't. I can't stand big thick picks for a "main" pick. I like having them around for tonal variety when recording, especially on acoustic instruments (make an even bigger difference on mandolin than guitar, IME), but they just aren't me for live use with an electric.

I've been using Dunlop/Herco Flex 50's for close to 20 years now - and Flex 75's occasionally, when I want something thicker - and the only change I made was over to the Vintage '66s when they were released, and the Grails for the 75's (a tad brighter, I do like them more than the gray ones). I know that nylon picks are looked down upon by some for their relatively dull attack, and that sub-0.75mm picks are looked down upon as being "harder to control", but they work for me. Everything else feels wrong now.

Oh, and I shred picks. Fender heavies or mediums last about five songs for me, Tortexes a whole set, Nylons about three sets (not that I keep track, I bought a gross of the gold V66 Hercos about a decade ago and still haven't touched most of them).

...and hey, they were good enough for some of my personal icons (Billy Duffy, Neil Young), so there's that!

I have no issue with $8 or even $20 picks. I think the Blue Chips are a bit absurd on price, but hey, people buy them, and they do sound good - especially for bluegrass flatpicking on a big dread, which is what I use the couple I have around for.

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What Are Dunlop Tortex Picks Made Out of

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