Take Your Pick #2

In this video, the second of two, I talk about higher quality and unusual picks. 

Wegen Picks

Take Your Pick #1

There's a corny bumper sticker joke that goes - Every guy has his gal, but a guitarist has his pick. This is part one of a two part video series on the importance of the pick you choose. In this video I talk about "signal path" and six different gauges of Dunlop picks which are...

Dunlop Nylon 1.0mm
Dunlop Nylon .88mm
Dunlop Nylon .73mm
Dunlop Nylon .60mm
Dunlop Nylon .46mm
Dunlop Nylon .38mm

The "Free Range Groove"

A groove using 16th notes but with accents of three.

The chords in the progression are...

E5 - x79900
C#m7 - x46600
Bsus - x24400
A2 - x02200

Lowden F22 Guitar

Elixir Acoustic Guitar Strings - Light
http://www.amazon.com/Elixir-Strings-Acoustic-POLYWEB-Coating/dp/B0002E1NNM/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1338763632&sr=8-6

Dunlop Nylon 1mm Pick
http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-Nylon-Standard-Picks-Black/dp/B0002D0CHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338763743&sr=8-1

What's In My Emergency Gig Kit?

Just taking a look at what emergencies I have prepared for. Just the basics...

Elixir Electric Strings

Elixir Acoustic Strings

Dunlop Derlin Purple Picks - 1.5mm

Dunlop Nylon Black 1.0mm

Groove Tubes EL84 Tubes

Groove Tubes 12ax7 Tubes

Finger Nail Kit

Finger Tip Bandaids

9 volt Batteries

String Winder

Basic Black Guitar Strap

Cry Baby: The Pedal That Changed The World

Very cool documentary...

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four

Or see it here in one part.

Hang on to that pick...

...you might need it!

Some stuff from Albert Lee...
Albert Lee: Country Boy - Guitar - DVD
Hiding/Albert Lee - Original CD with Country Boy on it.

My electric pick...
Dunlop Delrin Standard Guitar Pick, 1.50MM 6 Dozen

Need a Fender Strat?  Here ya' go!
Fender American Standard Stratocaster Electric Guitar, 3-Tone Sunburst Rosewood Fretboard
Fender American Standard Stratocaster Electric Guitar, Olympic White Maple Fretboard

Sound Better for Free (or next to nothing) - Tip #5

Take Your Pick for Example

Picks are another good tool to experiment with both electric and acoustic.  There are probably more than a hundred shapes, composites and thicknesses of picks each with their own tonal fingerprint.  There are even expensive boutique pick manufacturers like Wegen picks.  I prefer the Gypsyjazz pick for Django stuff and some acoustic soloing and the bluegrass picks for, um, bluegrass.

When I play acoustic on a recording session I'll have as many as twenty different picks to choose from.  All different shapes and thicknesses and made of varied materials (not to mention my fingers).  It's a cheap way to vary the tone of the same instrument.  Eventually, your ear will become increasingly able to tell which combinations of picks and strings bring out the best your guitar has to offer.  Try recording your guitar using different picks to hear the variations in tone.  You could do a "blind taste test" of sorts.

Video from previous post...

A peck of picks for your perusal...
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Black 1.0mm - my preferred acoustic strumming picks
Dunlop Jazz III Pick Pack, Black Stiffo, 1.38mm
Dunlop Tortex Pitch Black Standard Guitar Picks 1 Dozen, 1.0Mm
Dunlop Big Stubby Picks, 3.0mm - these are pretty thick
Dunlop Delrin Pick Packs, 1.14mm/Light Pink - the 1.5mm versions of these I use on electric

Different Pick, Different Tone

Don't buy a new guitar when you can just buy a new guitar pick.

Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Black 1.0mm
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Grey .88mm
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Grey .73mm
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Grey .60mm
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, Cream .46mm, Qty 12
Dunlop Nylon Standard Picks, White .38mm