[NorthboundRain]

howdy,

I love the Adamas Graphite picks on electric guitars but I was doing some acoustic work in the studio the other day and thought they made the guitar too bright. Does anyone know if Jerry was also using these on the Garcia Grisman recordings or if he switched to something else for when he played acoustic?

[jeager]

I wouldn't know if he switched it up but I too feel they are not the best choice on acoustic. Even if Jerry used them, it would not be my choice. I have played and recorded acoustic guitar more than electric over the years...its tricky to record really well...its an art/science all its own. I also think its tricky to amplify acoustic guitar well...most of the amplified tones I hear leave lots to be desired.


The acoustic guitar sounds on those records are good, I think Grisman and Tony Rice would be the guys with the knowledge on how to get a good acoustic tone in the studio though...i don't think it was really Jerry's forte.

Anyway, I like the Dunlop ULTEX picks in the heaviest gauge they make for acoustic ( I think its a 1.14)... still nice and stiff but takes some of the edge and clink off as compared to the Adamas.

[barefootdave]

That Dunlop 1.14mm is what I prefer as well. I use the Adamas Graphite for electric.

[NQL]

2ml shell pick is great, check out what the top bluegrass folks are using.

[mijknahs]

I think I've read that Tony Rice uses a real tortise shell pick.

[Stella Bloo]

Agree, I use Adamas on electric, Jim Dunlop 1.0's on acoustic. I tried the Adamas on acoustic but it just didn't feel right, I love them on electrics though.

[keirweir]

I use to use finished exotic wood picks on my acoustic until I used my Adamas on it. I use my Adamas for everything now, to me it sounds best

[tcsned]

Tony uses tortoise picks. They're pricey and need regular maintenance but give you the classic ring. I've tried them and broke the one I liked. There's a guy around here that goes flea marketing for antique jewelry boxes that have a shell inlay. A good one is $75 or so. Red Bear makes a good replica I think make out of milk or something like that. Had one, it was cool but didn't survive the wash. For bluegrass I use a Wegen bluegrass pick made from Kevlar. Thin but very stiff. I also use their 2.5mm gypsy jazz.

[Jon S.]

I flip flop like a flounder when it comes to my electric picks - of late, I'm back to graphite though preferring the Telefunkens - but for acoustic guitar, it's been V-Picks straight through.

[BillyBrown1]

I have a real tortoise shell and i'v tried Red Bear- Blue Chip - Dunlop ultex - Clayton ultem - Fast Turtle- Wegan- I havent got my hands on a graphite pick yet ...but here what I like

Best expensive pick Bluechip ct55 (great shape great tone great feel totally indestructible perfect bevel that never wears out) also a great pick on mandolin so I like not switchin picks on different instruments--- just don't lose em at 35 a pop there just too damn expensive

My favorite cheap pick is def the Clayton ultem I keep a bunch of em around ...they sound great there cheap and tough great shape(wish they were thicker though) and they come a little rough ..so to make the bevel perfect you have to sand em a little ...

The only one of the group I couldn't recommend is the Red Bear --they wear out real fast there fucked if you run em through the wash ...even the sweat from your fingers jack em up ...and there no closer to the sound of Real tortoise than any other pick and there expensive ...

Well I think i'v thunk to much about picks But since I got my Blue Chip ct55's I haven't even used my tortoise much

[wolftigerrosebud]

I use the Adamas picks on acoustic and like them really well. They give the guitar a real interesting resonance that I like, even though it seems that of the repliers so far I'm in a minority on that. They keep me honest about picking accuracy, at the very least.

They can make my Breedlove sound almost like a piano or a zither. I like it.

[Jon S.]

I know intellectually that an old tortoise pick might as well be used to its fullness as, as a practical matter, the animal it was carved out of died long ago. But on a spiritual level, I wouldn't seek one out or even accept one were it offered to me. I would "hear" the cry of the source every time I used it. I also feel that were others to hear it and love what they hear, it might tempt them to try to get their own and I don't trust so-called provenance stories or documents for tortoise products. This is just me. I'm not judging anyone else. And I'm not even internally consistent - I own an old guitar with a Brazillian rosewood board. I wouldn't accept a product made of the skin of a big cat, however old. Etc. But this is how I feel for myself in this specific instance.

[TI4-1009]

I flip flop like a flounder when it comes to my electric picks

Do flounder really flip-flop that much? They're the "one-sided" fish with both eyes on the same side. Pretty flat, not sure how much they can flip.

[Jon S.]

When you pull one up onto the dock, they flip flop all right!

[wolftigerrosebud]

I wouldn't accept a product made of the skin of a big cat, however old.

Doc Watson's first banjo was made of the family cat's skin!