THE RIGHT PICK IS CRUCIAL! Best guitar picks shootout

We've all got our favorite guitar pick, but is it the RIGHT one? Is it giving you the very best tone for this part, this tuning, and this song?
In this clip from his Ultimate Guitar Production course, Andrew Wade breaks it down in insane detail, shooting out a half dozen guitar picks and showing you exactly how each of them affect the tone, and how to pick the right one for any given part (especially for metal!).
And remember this is only ONE of over 100 videos in UGP. When we said this was the most comprehensive, detailed course on guitars ever made, we weren't kidding :)
- Part 1: Guitar setup (8 videos)
- Part 2: Guitar Rig Setup (9 videos)
- Part 3: Recording techniques (25 videos)
- Part 4: Tracking a guitarist (16 videos)
- Part 5: Editing techniques (16 videos)
- Part 6: Impulse Responses (3 videos)
- Part 7: Dialing A Tone (9 videos)
- Part 8: Andrew's Extras (11 videos)
Learn more at ultimateguitarproduction.com !

[@URMAcademy]

Learn more at ultimateguitarproduction.com !

[@dis.infectant]

Dead link?

[@FLAK_BAND]

Please update!

[@QuincyKane]

CHUG: USA Nylon .60mm - 0:34 Dunlop Ultex .60mm - 0:49 USA Nylon .88mm - 1:05 Dunlop Tortex .88mm - 1:22 Jazz III - 1:37 Dunlop USA 2.0mm - 1:54 TREMOLO: USA Nylon .60mm - 0:38 Dunlop Ultex .60mm - 0:54 USA Nylon .88mm - 1:10 Dunlop Tortex .88mm - 1:26 Jazz III - 1:42 Dunlop USA 2.0mm - 1:58 RIFF: USA Nylon .60mm - 0:43 Dunlop Ultex .60mm - 0:59 USA Nylon .88mm - 1:15 Dunlop Tortex .88mm - 1:31 Jazz III - 1:47 Dunlop USA 2.0mm - 2:03

[@Oilid]

Thanks to this video, I feel less crazy and lonely about my picks pick while recording!

[@LukeGibsonSS]

Bad advise IMO: In my experience lighter picks are slower to pick with because there's so much less control and they bend as they pass the string meaning that the release time isn't as fast and creates a delay in the recovery time when the pick passes the string and goes flat again allowing you to continue to the upstroke, it's pretty basic physics if you think about it. I'm pretty sure you could find footage online of ultra slow motion picking to see what's happening. I think while reaching the faster speeds with a thinner pick might be easier for the novice guitarist, once you've learned proper control it's the heavier gauges that will ultimately allow you to reach the fastest speeds. If your heavy pick is causing you to slow down you're not using it properly.

[@eliasaltman4439]

Personally, the John Petrucci Jazz III rules them all. It’s heavy enough to chug, has a defined pick attack for the riffs, and is superb for leads. That’s just my opinion though and other people will probably not agree

[@XChristianNoirX]

Too bad not everyone can use them. They're ultra slippery unless you have very dry, and/or rough hands.

[@yuseffmedina6292]

I use really heavy string gauges (depends on the tuning, but in E Standard I use 11-49) and thick picks (3mm). I don't face any intonation problems because of the strings thickness c:

[@imsorrydirty]

underrated topic dang

[@goatsurgeon]

I’m a jazzIII guy You have to play precise and don’t muscle it, let it do the work, there’s less cat piss that way It’s my favorite pick

[@Johnmannish]

Which material? the nylon red?

[@mikedixon8830]

This is why I can't commit to one pick.

[@JStrange13]

Yes. I like to change it up depending on what sound I want. Plus it's fun!

[@cameronburnett9679]

I like tortex because of the grip being good with sweat and it's initially quite pointy, but you can't be cheap and keep using the same one because the tip wears down so quickly. So I tend to use jazz 3 because it lasts long and is a good all rounder. I'd just prefer something with the tortex grip, thin yet solid, and retains a sharp point.

[@mandel4065]

I thought the jazz 3 tremolo picking sounded the best and was the cleanest performance. Which is also what I prefer for fast lead parts, while I like thinner picks for rhythm and chords to really dig in.

[@yellowdudewithedibleshorts]

I think the jazz iii tortex is the one for me. I've been digging it a lot lately

[@shizumaruofficial]

Does this mean that it is recommended to change picks when I record certain sections of a song? I use Tortex III and yes, I noticed some parts of my instrumental songs are louder than the others (e.g PM vs tremolo)

[@Fanafranky]

My faves are Ultex Sharp 1.14 for chuggy rhythm and the Andy James Flow signatures for lead and tremolo

[@XChristianNoirX]

If you like those, another good pick is the Razer thin pick by Gravity picks. Try the 0.90 and 1.10. They're 4.99 each and $30 for 10, but they are pretty great. No slip grip without being uncomfortable. Great for chuggy rhythm and accurate thrash picking.

[@ugurkaracay1]

thank you

[@IntoTheForest]

After having done this experiment myself, not only with different thicknesses, but also different materials, I think it’s safe to say it’s not the pick that changes your tone (aside from say a felt pick lol) it’s more so how it feels in your hand that affects your ability to perform.

[@cmcp975]

V-Picks “Dimension” are really thick and super slick on the strings, yet grippy on the fingers. It is The One Pick to Rule Them All.

[@RogerSanderson]

I use the dunlop ultex jazz size. It's transparent & the words are the texture grip. Love them for metal playing. Thick enough & just slightly bigger than regular jazz size. However I also play contemporary style at my church & I'm looking for a pick that has less squeaky attack for tremolo picking for that style. Might consider the nylon .60 but curious if other options.

[@sleepy4x]

Very interesting and good video. Finally someone says that the material matters. I hate it when someone says: I play a Dunlop .88 pick. It is a hughe difference in tone and feeling if you play for example a nylon or a tortex .88. The only thing I miss is that you tell us, which is the best allround pick. Well I cannot change the pick in the middle of a song when I go from rhythm to lead or from high to low strings.

[@AndrewStonerock]

I prefer my jazz 3 over all regular sized picks. Hand technique plays alot into it. I hold jazz picks in a way that let's me dig in and get really good aggressive tones, not to mention that pinch harmonics and squeals are second nature for me with a jazz.

[@FilipFichoBoshevski]

I'm not too much into Dream Theater anymore, but...Dunlop Ultex Jazz III John Petrucci (1.5mm) put a stop to my endless pick search. Not too big, not too small...good stiffness for chugs, and smooth enough for leads. Also doesn't slip away from my fingers like other picks

[@JaFoste_Studio]

I use a chicken picks shredder 3.5mm and its the best damn pick I've ever used.

[@RyRyTheBassGuy]

Use the light grey. I hate playing with anything else. Especially a Jazz 3.

[@soulduo3996]

Gypsy Jazz guitarist use thick picks and they hit very hard and clean . No intonation problems there and they use 3mm and above

[@jfo3000]

Too bad you didn't demo the polycarbonate Big Stubbys. Nice and slippery, but chirp like a metal slide performing bird calls. Seems like more slippery the pick, the harder it is, and the louder that dang chirp.

[@JStrange13]

I hate that chirp too! I really want to love the Big Stubbys, but I can't...

[@Johnmannish]

Me too, hate chirp, i can't find comfortability with no chirp. Seems like the thicker the pick, easiest to glide, but more birds coming :_(

[@NyuuPhyllo]

I strongly think you can "adapt" to the pick, to some extent. Sure, if you don't change your playing AT ALL when changing a pick (which is btw hard to believe because unconsciously I would assume you try to make it sound good to your ears - or bad, for the purpose of this video), there will be differences, but how about these differences when there are four layers of guitars in a rich mix? Also, couldn't you say that the actual guitarist's playing has A LOT more influence than the choice of the pick on the sound? Also to me, I need to be comfortable with the pick. If I'm used to some pick I wouldn't like to change because I wouldn't feel comfortable with it. I think the choice of pick is more about what you're comfortable with. I believe it's easier to adapt your playing to make this particular pick sound good for you.

[@lukasgraesslin]

Absolutely agreed. I personally hate those super thick picks (like 1.5mm and thicker) that so many like for shredding. They sound like shit for rhythm and even for leads I don't think they sound very great. I personally prefer the Ultex Sharp .73mm or 1.0mm.

[@guitarpunkcovers]

I use Gravity Picks 2.0 thickness and it definetely doesn't sound like shit. No problem playing rythm or lead. It's not the gear, dude ;)

[@lukasgraesslin]

@@guitarpunkcovers Well, as said, it's my personal opinion, dude :)

[@AgorizTribe]

Were is the thikness of the string comparison?. Because that factoe also determinates the sound. Tone is string+pick.

[@AndrewStonerock]

And ✋

[@URMAcademy]

This is only one of many many videos in the course!

[@ukulele666]

Sup Andy)

[@jonborrmann3124]

Dunlop tortex sharps, 1.35mm on 7 strings.. 11-70 gauge = the shit.....🤘

[@KeepTheGates]

Ultex .60 is the way

[@LouisLinggandtheBombs]

Rhythm guitarist. Thin nylon. Every great guitarist seems to shout at me to use thick with a hard edge but well... I stick with thin.

[@TheRealFoxeR]

Agreed. Anything thicker than .73 is too much.