Pick Shootout (Blue Chip, Primetone, Chicken Pick, Tortex & more)

I ran through a tone comparison of a number of picks, then talked about each of them individually. I've used each pick in this video (all are 1.0mm or thicker) for at least one professional gig. It doesn't mean I know what I'm talking about, but apparently I do like to talk...
In this video:
Dunlop Tortex (1.14 mm Purple)
Dunlop TIII (1.0mm Blue)
Dunlop TIII (1.35mm Black)
Dunlop Jazz III (Max Grip Carbon Fiber)
Dunlop Gator Grip (1.14mm Blue)
Dunlop Primetone (1.3mm - Opaque)
Dunlop Primetone (1.3mm - Grip - translucent)
Ernie Ball Prodigy 1.5mm Standard
Blue Chip TD50 (w/ right-hand speed bevel)
Chicken Picks (Standard 2.6mm)

[@russellr1509]

Great review , thank you for putting it together , I enjoyed picking out my favourites and was surprised what I picked out.

[@UnderTheNeedle]

Hard Guitar Nerd... you put exactly how I feel about the Blue Chips into words and a video! Nice Vid, man. Keep Jammin!

[@olliecarson5150]

I’m mainly a thrash metal player, so naturally a lot of picks wear out, and some of the more expensive picks I have tried and been disappointed in because they wore out with in a few songs. However this changed with blue chip, I can play literally whatever I want, even really fast galloping and down picking, and it won’t wear. I really liked the daddario casein, but it is too temperamental because of its natural origins. The primetones and my custom purple Tortex are probably the next best things. Great video, keep it up

[@col145]

Great vid Colin, btw my name is Colin to so I know you have great taste 😂 but the description for the price of the blue chip should be RIPP Off not scandalous 😔

[@wrkerrigan]

Love this video... I learned so much!

[@ColinFowlie]

I'm really glad to hear that. It was worth doing for me as well. I can definitely tell the differences between some of the picks in the recordings, but it's not as pronounced as I hear them as the player. Even the .60 at the beginning of the video, which sounds super thin to me when playing it, doesn't sound that bad out in front of the guitar. Feel is very important to me, but I didn't realize how much it coloured my perception of the tone!

[@roadwaves]

Love it man; that was a fun watch. I totally agree with future-Colin regarding "feel" and its relation to performance. There's nothing that can match being "in the zone". I was playing the Jazz iii (XL Series) for a long time until we stopped in Saint John last year and Josh McKinley handed me an Ultex Jazz iii and said "try this". It was just the warmth my bright guitar needed with the added benefit of being used to the pick shape/feel already. This has inspired me to try the blue chip (though I might have to glue it to my finger so I don't lose it lol) Cheers man! 🤓

[@ColinFowlie]

Yeah man, with all things being equal, I'd probably compromise a bit of raw tone for better feel but fortunately we don't have to.

[@roadwaves]

@@ColinFowlie For sure, likewise. Hope to see you sooner than later buddy!

[@ColinFowlie]

@@roadwaves Absolutely agree. Be well, my friend!

[@MariJu1ce]

I wrote down which ones i liked the best in the blindtest, and i was surprised when i found out the one i liked the best by a lot was the blue-chip. =)!

[@Viper6-MotoVlogger]

Very cool topic bro. My sons freak out when they can’t find their favourite picks lol. Be safe .

[@ColinFowlie]

LOL I feel their pain, man. Down deep!

[@benjones7972]

Great video, thanks very much.

[@ColinFowlie]

My pleasure. Glad you enjoyed!

[@aniquinstark4347]

I'm strongly considering a Blue Chip. I currently make my own aluminum picks so I'd just have to figure out which of theirs is closest to a Dunlop flow which I base my picks on. I really like everything that the Dupont Vespel polymer offers and it seems like blue chip is the the only option (can't even buy that polymer in pieces large enough nor does Blue Chip say which version of Vespel they use). I assume they have some connection to Dupont to get such an obscure material with such ideal mechanical properties for a plectrum.

[@ColinFowlie]

I'm not sure how they came to have that connection, but I've been told that if you e-mail them, they are super helpful when it comes to figuring out which pick model would best suit your needs. Where I use a Teardrop shape pick like the standard tortex - it was a no-brainer for me to rock the TD. I love it.

[@xderiwx]

Nice comparison! How do you find the overall durability and wear of the Primetones? Do they last as long as other materials? Thanks!

[@ColinFowlie]

The primetones last longer than Tortex material but the Chicken Picks, carbon fiber, and Blue Chip barely wear at all. I actually found I preferred the primetones after they were worked in a bit. Great picks!

[@xderiwx]

@@ColinFowlie Awesome, thank you!

[@earthsteward9]

For those who scoff at paying $35+ for a pick, would you be ok with spending $2000+ for a guitar but cheap out on the pick?

[@ColinFowlie]

I think that on the Internet you'll find someone who will scoff at just about anything :) For me the Blue Chip gives more volume than the others and is bright and articulate. And you're absolutely right. You wouldn't buy an expensive fiddle and play it with whatever cheap bow you can find lying around. I think you can get really good tone with a less-expensive pick but I still wouldn't be without the $35 option in my collection. (I use a standard 1.14 mm Tortex a lot for singer-songwriter stuff because the tone is a little warmer with less volume, but if I'm playing lead guitar and need to cut through, nothing from my collection beats the Blue Chip.)

[@gimpyjwilliams]

i would never spend 2000 on a guitar too many other ones for cheap that are just as good

[@ColinFowlie]

@@gimpyjwilliams There are bunch of great guitars that offer tremendous value for way less than that new, and even more if you get into the used market (which I'm all about - the guitar in this video was purchased used... without a scratch on it until I got my hands on it.)

[@gimpyjwilliams]

@@ColinFowlie for some reason the primetone with the grip sounds just a tad brighter than the smooth one, not sure why or it its just me lol :P

[@ColinFowlie]

@@gimpyjwilliams They definitely have a slightly different feel and release against the strings. The grippy one is translucent and the smooth is totally opaque. I agree there's a bit of difference in tone. I don't know if it's a slightly different material. Or maybe where the grippy one doesn't budge it has a slightly crisper attack.

[@HoboInArmy]

"primarily a finger picker for a number of years" Yeah, your nose.

[@ColinFowlie]

Jackass.