[JonnyBoy]

A DOM US s correct, I was corrected by a boutique guitar shop around here while speaking of them. He was saying they may have something to do with an old graphite company named Adamas that makes graphite musical parts. I dunno.

[Billbbill]

A DOM US s correct, I was corrected by a boutique guitar shop around here while speaking of them. He was saying they may have something to do with an old graphite company named Adamas that makes graphite musical parts. I dunno.

This is one pronounciation I never had a problem with - anyhoo the "old graphite company" makes sense because as I understand it when they run out of this particular graphite mixture (I guess there are more than one!) that WILL be the end of the pick production. So I guess there was a finite amount of this particular 'strain' of graphite originally produced - and I assume it's currently out of production.

[tcsned]

A DOM US s correct, I was corrected by a boutique guitar shop around here while speaking of them. He was saying they may have something to do with an old graphite company named Adamas that makes graphite musical parts. I dunno.

This is one pronounciation I never had a problem with - anyhoo the "old graphite company" makes sense because as I understand it when they run out of this particular graphite mixture (I guess there are more than one!) that WILL be the end of the pick production. So I guess there was a finite amount of this particular 'strain' of graphite originally produced - and I assume it's currently out of production.

hmm . . . I always thought that it was related to the Ovation Adamas guitar since the design certainly looks like the multiple sound hole of an Ovation Adamas. I figured Dunlop was somehow connected to Kaman Music. I thought they were made from the same carbon graphite that Ovation guitars are made from. I figured they were discontinued because only a handful of deadheads and phish-heads used them. In all the time I managed a music store I never sold them to anyone but myself and a couple of other deadheads.

[strumminsix]

Am I the only one who has played with these Adamas picked who found their tone actually darkened and less clear?

[aoguitars]

Am I the only one who has played with these Adamas picked who found their tone actually darkened and less clear?

Not at all! I thought the same thing...a customer of mine gave me some to check out. I've been in love with the Golden Gate Mando pics for many years now, as I feel that they're super clear and versatile. I can get anything out of them, even that "chirp" that some people equate with the Adamas. And I never use the point of a pick, anyway, so the GGs are my bag. But when I play them side by side, I'm amazed at how almost muffled the Adamas sounds to me. Then the GG brightens everything back up. Strange.

[vwjodyme]

just did a search on the golden gate's and ran into dawg's....i didn't know that grisman had his own line of mando picks

http://www.firstqualitymusic.com/p_PK-D ... -Pack.aspx

[aoguitars]

Oh yeah, those have been out for several years. From my experience, I think they're exactly the same as the GGs, but more expensive cuz they say Dawg.

[SarnoMusicSolutions]

I never had any doubt that Adamas was the very same Adamas connected to the top of the line Ovation guitars. And yes, the leaf pattern on the picks is exactly the same pattern as seen on the Ovation Adams guitar tops.

Regarding darkness of the tone, it's kind of yes and no to me. If you pick hard, then yes it's very dark. The pick is too thick to "snap". It's like a rounded stylus that more nudges the string instead of putting a crisp snap on it. BUT, and this is a very big BUT, when you play very lightly, just brushing the strings, it's one of the brightest picks I know. Something about the grit of the graphite puts a real clear top end on the tone, and that mixed with the unique "chirp" from when the pick hits the string can make for bright sound, although a very different kind of bright. Where most picks get the clarity by snapping the string, the Adamas is a way different approach. I recall Jerry saying in that '88 interview something about how holding the pick firmly gives a dark tone but holding it lightly makes a bright tone. All of this tone quality we're discussing is what's so totally unique about this pick, and I totally hear it in the later Jerry tones, 80's and onward. I also think this general jazz-pick darkness of the Adamas is partially why Jerry's rig, pickups, tone settings, JBL's, etc. are all WAY TOO bright if you use a thinner, snappier pick. You almost need these fat picks to make that setup work.

Brad

[aiq]

Checked out this thread earlier this week and clicked over to the Telefunkens. Got the 3mm instead. They arrived in the mail yesterday and the first impression is very good. I have been using Dunlop 205 jazz but the 3mm Telefunken is slightly brighter, clearer. Gonna run with these for awhile.

In the quest for tone sometimes we forget how important strings and picks are, methinks.

[strumminsix]

I recall Jerry saying in that '88 interview something about how holding the pick firmly gives a dark tone but holding it lightly makes a bright tone.

Must try this out. BTW, can you get a good pinch harmonic with such a light attack?

[Pete B.]

I look forward to comparing these with the Dunlop 208's I currently have (the only 2mm picks I think I've ever tried).
I buy most of the stuff Brad recomends just to try it out and see what the Audiophile world is talking about.
I'm an "End User" though... not an Audiophile, so if you think of the tonal qualities of any product as a "Bell Curve", I'm more interested in the huge portion of the Bell spectrum that defines the items "primary tonal qualities" (basically the */- 2-sigma area of the bell curve).
Virtually every time I play out with a band with Bass and Drums, the nuances living in the 3-sigma zones, which may be the only subtlties differentiating say... two competing Guitar Picks, or Envelope Filters, or whatever, are nullified by "noise" (yes, the same noise that causes me to put my earplugs in and say a prayer to the live-recording gods).
I am addicted to Craigslist buy/sell/trade-ing (and 30 day return policies) as a means of trying this stuff out though!!!

I play at non-ear-plug volumes with Bass and Drums on a weekly basis though, so a fair evaluation is totally do-able.

[strumminsix]

Tried a bunch of picking technique changes and still very dark. I compared them to my .88 Cat Tongue/Cool Cat picks and 1.0 Dunlop Stubby and whatever else I could find in my jar of unused picks. All were brighter than Adamas.

[tcsned]

Tried a bunch of picking technique changes and still very dark. I compared them to my .88 Cat Tongue/Cool Cat picks and 1.0 Dunlop Stubby and whatever else I could find in my jar of unused picks. All were brighter than Adamas.

I don't notice them sounding dark on electric but certainly do on acoustic. I used to use them for both but the last couple of years I've been using the Wegen's on acoustic. Though if the EQ or the room sounds excessively bright I'll get out an Adamas.

[Pete B.]

O.K. So the picks arrived (I got a couple for ya, TS), and I just did a quick run through with my Vibrosonic Reverb into a JBL-D130F on like 2.9...
These picks definitely have a bit of a "chirp" to them when they touch the strings that the others don't.
I'm assuming that's the graphite factor.
Here's a couple tests I did... I plugged in a Strat and with it just hanging around my neck (not touching the stirngs) it has a single coil hum.
Touching the graphite pick to the strings makes ALOT of static noise, touching the other Dunlop picks I have on hand (Nylon .46, .73, .88, 1mm, and Dunlop 208) doesn't produce static, just a white noise-ish sound.
If I mute the strings and just touch the edge of the Adamas to the strings, I hear a chirp with the graphite pick.
Playing scales and strumming chords in general I did detect that chirp sound (almost like a small static discharge), and it is right on top of the pick attack... Yeah, I think it sounds Jerry-ish.
I'm not sure of the need for it to be 2mm (I'm thinkin'... if graphite dosen't bend, wouldn't 1mm be sufficient?).
It feels and handles alot like the 1mm Dunlop Nylon and is pretty much the same shape and color. The Dunlop 208's I have are a slightly diferent shape.
I also tried them with my Carvin with Active electronincs and you can really hear that chirp.
With that ax I was able to back the Treble down a notch to like 5.5.
All in all I'll continue to use them and compare, but mostly I'll just plain enjoy knowing that I'm using the same brand/model pick that jGar used!


Fareed Haque and Garaj Mahal tonight at The Goodfoot!
Maybe I'll bring him one to try!

[JonnyBoy]

All in all I'll continue to use them and compare, but mostly I'll just plain enjoy knowing that I'm using the same brand/model pick that jGar used!

Now that's the part I like most too. The picks have mojo, and a chirp to boot.