Tenor Banjo: Plectrum Thickness

Our first forum for instruments you don't blow.
User avatar
alurker
Posts: 1025
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:38 pm

Post by alurker »

I have recently been trying out the pink coloured 0.45mm Dunlop Tortex and I like it a lot. I guess this puts me even more at odds with the people here than I was with my .5mm. :lol: A scraping sound is down to bad technique and occurs when the edge of the pick slides along the string. In my experience there is more of a tendency for that to happen with a thick pick as the string tends to bend around the pick rather than the other way around. For a crisp sound the pick needs to attack the string at a 90 Deg. angle or close to it.

How about we all post samples of our triplets in the clips and snips forum and whoever can produce the fastest triplets wins the debate. :D
User avatar
buddhu
Posts: 4092
Joined: Tue Sep 23, 2003 3:14 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: In a ditch, just down the road from the pub
Contact:

Post by buddhu »

These days, sound clips are no more trustworthy than photos... So many of us have PhotoShop and Audacity! :D :wink: :D
And whether the blood be highland, lowland or no.
And whether the skin be black or white as the snow.
Of kith and of kin we are one, be it right, be it wrong.
As long as our hearts beat true to the lilt of a song.
User avatar
alurker
Posts: 1025
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:38 pm

Post by alurker »

The banjo players Code of Honour would naturally apply. :D
User avatar
Ro3b
Posts: 777
Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2002 6:00 pm
Please enter the next number in sequence: 1
Location: Takoma Park, MD
Contact:

Post by Ro3b »

I like either tortex or Clayton "Black Raven" picks in .50 gauge on both tenor banjo and acoustic rhythm guitar. Our local banjo guru Patrick Cavanagh turned me onto the Claytons -- they're a little stiffer than the tortex, so they sound less flabby. For melody playing on guitar, I like Dunlop nylons in .88 or 1 mm. My absolute favorite pick on the mandolin is the Dunlop Jazztone 204. I couldn't do triplets worth a damn till I started using those. They don't work so well for me on the banjo though. Different attack, different response.
User avatar
alurker
Posts: 1025
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:38 pm

Post by alurker »

Those Black Ravens look good. I will see if I can track some down as part of my eternal quest for the perfect pick.
Post Reply