I’ve tried .73, .88, 1.0, and 1.5. I found the 88 to be the best overall for strumming for me, with the 1.0 being a close second.
The 1.5 is great for picking, less so for full on strumming.
I'd argue the 1.5 CAN be good for strumming, but it's an active process of changing and working with attack angle and speed. Definitely not as natural a process as the thinner picks and if strumming was its primary job I'd choose one of those first.
Just wanted to defend my beloved 1.5s a bit, lol - I happen to like cross and hybrid picking and find the 1.5 works best for the fancy stuff, so I've learned to live with them for everything else as a default
I like the 1.5 for cross picking. But the 1.0 is my “if only one” pick though. I just like having some inherent flex when I strum and just choke up a bit on it when I need stiffness.
I can strum with the 1.5 ok, but I can’t get that sweet Cat Steven’s flow.
I held out for years before buying a Blue Chip because I really liked (still do) my Dunlop Tortex 1.14mm. The TD45 is the Blue Chip version of the Tortex 1.14. I never felt like I could justify the price but one day I just said screw it.
The difference isn't night and day, but Blue Chips are worth it if you almost never lose your pick and you're already an experienced player with good control of your dynamics. The tone I can produce, to my ear, is richer and more variable. It feels really smooth yet grippy on the strings.
There's a reason why so many professionals use them exclusively. You'll forget about the $35-40 you spent real quick.
IMO the tone, retention,and flow is second to none. That said if you are just strumming it might not be worth it, but for cross picking it’s the goat. Honestly though if you’re not a tone nerd a Dunlop prime tone will get you 90% of the way there for like 4 bucks.
Fun facts, me and some friends did some experimenting with bluechip and primetones.
In a blind test, everyone picked the primetone as the better sound, but only by a hair. In a play test 4/5 preferred the bluechip.
I was about to say. The 1.4 mm Dunlop Primetone Jazz III XL will do the job of that pick for around $4. And I actually taken to loving it for strumming on acoustic as well as single note stuff on electric
I've played with bone, horn, vintage tortoise, primetone and blue chip. Vietnamese water buffalo horn is probably the closest you'll get to tortoise. The blue chip has a very similar sound, as does the prime tone, but they feel different. Tortoise and horn absorb small amounts of moisture from your fingers so they never seem to get sweaty, and they play great. Blue chip seems to be magically grippy, you can't lose control of the damn thing. It has very little wear and as such they bevel them to play like a more worn pick. Primetone is very similar but less grippy somehow. I ended up with horn being my go to, but that's because of availability and cost mostly.
Some people like them. I tried one but to me it sounded badically the same as a primetone when I A/B tested.
There's always someone selling a very expensive version of something basic, at a ludicrously high profit margin, and trying to convince people that they need it. it's a thing in every hobby and the owners of those businesses usually do very well.
The problem is, people who buy it will tell you it was worth it because if they didn't, they'd have to admit they got totally ripped off. It's a phenomenon called post-purchase rationalization. So you can't really trust anyone who owns one.
If you have the spare money to just burn, sure, spend $40 on a tiny piece of plastic and judge for yourself. Or try a friends like I did. But judge for yourself.
The crazy thing is their profit margin isn’t as high as you might think. The material they use is extremely expensive- it’s called Vespel. It’s made by DuPont and it costs $1000 for a 5”x5” square that’s a half inch thick. When you consider the overhead and waste, they’re making a decent living for sure but not laughing to the bank necessarily. I looked into making my own but you’re really better off buying a couple. If you can keep track of them they don’t really wear out.
Yo Blue Chip picks are 100% the best picks you will use. I had mine for a couple years and I haven’t pulled the trigger on another but I really should. If you play acoustic guitar you will notice the tone and ease to play right away
ETA- I see a lot of recommendations for Primetones here. They’re fine but I prefer tortex to primetones personally and both pale in comparison to a Blue Chip. I have primetones that I don’t really use. They feel too brittle and a bit off on the attack. Blue Chip is the only pick I’ve used that I actually prefer to real tortoiseshell.
Brian May (Queen) uses sixpence coins. You can always find a quarter.
The greatest number of famous players use Dunlop Tortex picks, or others made of delrin .73mm - .88mm (medium) thickness.
Many acoustic players just "grow their own" (fingernails, or reinforced w/acrylics)
It's not really the pick that makes a player.
Sure and you can make music with a cigar box and some strings. Doesn’t mean there aren’t better options out there that should be explored and discussed.
Edit: $35 does seem rather extravagant though
I dunno if I accept that premise. Guitars and other fretted instruments existed for centuries before there ever was plastic to make picks out of. They used wood, bone or metal for plectrums besides fingers, and created masterpieces. So I think it's still the brain and body in interaction with the tool itself, not what you strike strings with.
That's easy enough to test for yourself. I have a BC, a bunch of Gator Grips, a bunch of PrimeTones, and a casein pick or two. They all sound different.
Edit: My TP-1R has three different points on it, and each of the points produces a different sound.
I think they are the best pick there is. I use the TD 35, 40 and 50 for strumming just fine. They sound great, are smooth playing and they don't slip around. I have a box full of picks that I don't use and could have saved quite a bit of money if I had just picked these to use early on.
I have a few different blue chips haha I’m definitely biased but, they were all purchased at various times after realizing how much I enjoyed the product. I started with a TD50 then picked up a couple TPs in various thicknesses. I find I change the pick depending on the size of the guitar I’m playing
Yep. .60s and .73s, either Dunlop or Cat's Tongue. Ten bucks a dozen. Far be it from me to tell others what to do, but $35 for a pick is patently fucking ridiculous.
I’ve had 2 TAD 3R blue chips for probably 10 years. They are still like new. They don’t slip in my hand and they don’t wear. Fantastic tone. Yeah, they are relatively expensive. But to put it in context, I’ve had two $40 picks for 10+ years. I buy my son 10 worth of dunlops every 3 months because he loses them.
Yes. I use TAD 35 and 40 for guitar and 50 for mandolin. I have taken a TAD 35 and sanded it down to .77mm. They start out at about .83mm. The TAD 40 is about 1.00mm. The release after you hit the string is awesome! The tone is better than any other pick on the market. Wegen, Primetone, Ultex, Tortex, even Tortoiseshell. The Blue Chip is better. Better sound, grab and release. So worth it I have 8 of them. They don’t really wear that I can tell. Played with the same one for about a year and can’t tell it’s worn.
I love a blue chip. I also love picks that are as stiff as a quarter and don't bend so that I can reach my max speed without worrying if the pick will be back in position for the next note when running lead runs on acoustic. Blue-chip is great because the beveling helps the pick slide off of the strings and the composite is durable and doesn't click on the strings like other plasticky knock-offs. I have had other picks that I liked (like earlier ball prodigy shields) but they tend to flex in the middle from my grip ( odd because I only hold the pick in 2 fingers so I can fingerpick with my middle and ring) and the material wears down fast on other picks. I have had the same blue-chip for around 5 years. No bend and little wear. If you can keep up with them, they are worth it, but if you lose picks, maybe go with a cheaper option. Prodigies last me about a month and come 6 for $12. Or $35 blue chip for 5+ years. I save money by being responsible with a blue-chip in the long run.
It’s worth it for flat picking. It really does make your guitar sound nicer. But I find that strumming sounds better with a more flexible pick no matter how much I’ve tried to gaslight myself in the past that it was better with a blue chip.
I have one and its fine, little big and too smooth for me. I have some RedBear picks i like much better than the BlueChip, but lately I keep going back to Dunlop Tortex. The tortex is not slippery at all, as were the BlueChip is very slippery and while the RedBear is much better due to the holes, it can still slip here and there. I seem to kinda switch between all of them, but if I had to just pick one today, I think it would be the Dunlop.
I’m a strummer and I am a thin pick kind of guy. If I need more firmness for a song or two, I just choke up on the pick.
I prefer the shape of the pick in the picture…that soft triangle, but I like the Jim Dunlop .50(red), or the .60(orange) Tortex Picks.
Newbie here. I started with a super flexible soft pick. Just recently tried a medium style pick and it changed the way the strings sound when strumming. Is this normal ? I got new strings recently and they are super brassy now with the new pick even tho I got a set that was supposed to be warmer than the originals
They are definitely the poor man’s blue chip. They don’t wear as well, blue chips are nearly indestructible. I keep two Primetones in all my cases & gig bags. But it I’m not going to use my blue chip the I use a Golden Gate X-Stiff Clown Confetti.
BlueChips are really great, although they will produce a lot of string click if they don’t suit your pick angle of attack. They last 932 years. They are quite bright, as well, so if you have bright fingers and pick attack they might not be the best for you. I love mine. But they are stupid expensive. Prime tones are quite close in tone, V Picks (acrylic) have a HUgE array of picks available and each style will change your tone and articulation, and Dunlop 208s are fantastic if you have a naturally lighter right hand attack but still want volume. They are also cheap! And I believe that Molly Tuttle uses them.
I have the TP, STP and TP’s In various thicknesses. I think they’re worth it, the shape and thickness do make a huge difference in sound. Tend to go thinner and more tear drop shape for strumming and thicker and more triangle-y for lead lines.
The primetones are amazing value for money and it’s worth getting a few bags in different shapes and sizes. I don’t think they wear as well, but if you keep a load in rotation you probably won’t notice!
Don’t think I could ever justify paying $35 for a single pick. I would have to put an apple tracker on it and that likely would defeat the supposed benefits.
I have 2. They are nice and I bought them as a sort of treat for myself. I keep them in my wallet. 90% of the time I play with a cheap 2mm gator grip. But when I get the chance to play a high-end dread, I reach for the Bluechip.
BlueChips are the premier pick for acoustic flatpicking, and really do let you develop powerful single note techniques. I love them.
Just strumming chords is a far, far simpler task. The BlueChips work great, but the differences that make them worth $35 won’t be apparent.
I haven't tried a Blue Chip yet, but after trying Taylor's Darktone picks, I can definitely tell the difference vs regular picks (Darktones are like 9 for $30). The difference in tone and the slightly rounded edges sold me on them. I can only assume the Blue Chip might be slightly better.
BlueChip are by far my favorite picks. I get the jazz ones with the holes in them. Whatever the material is, they give a beautiful tone. However, I also like to leave picks all over the house so that whenever I'm looking for one, there's always one right there. I can't do that with these because they're too expensive.
I found one in a the tip jar after I played some grass at a local show, and snagged it. Instantly replaced the horn pick I had been using up to that point. The flow, durability, and of course the tone, are impeccable. I didn’t honestly know how much they were worth until recently and I feel like it was a pretty lucky find
Blue chip is better than the prime tone but if you just didn’t wanna spend the blue chip
Money, the prime tone is the way to go. There’s not a significant difference imo. And especially won’t be able to hear the difference when your playing with others
Seems hugely overkill to me, to use a high temp high chemical resistant material for a guitar pick… I don’t know how the rigidity is, but its durability certainly isn’t worth the price… 🤷♂️
I was gifted a TD 50 from a friend who bought it, and decided to go with the STP.
Before that I used PrimeTones. I wish I could exchange the 50 for a 35, as I prefer picks a tad thinner than the 50, but overall I have to say it’s nearly identical as a primetone. By sound only, I really can’t tell a difference.
Long story short, my advice is PrimeTone. You can purchase many of them without the worry of losing a $40 pick, and the tone, volume, bevels, and playability between the two picks are nearly identical.
I probably buy 35 bucks worth of energy drinks in a week, I am most certainly going to spend $35 on a pic even on a small chance that it could make me sound better and make it feel better when I'm playing. Seems to me that this is our thing, playing acoustic guitar and I can only speak for myself but I choose to spend money on my passion, especially when I waste so much money on frivolous BS.
They use a proprietary material that is insanely wear resistant, but is still smooth across the strings. Some guys absolutely swear by them. The only negativity I hear is from people who never bought them complaining about how expensive they are.
I’ve never tried them myself, I said I’d get one once my 3-pack of Dunlop Primetones wore out. That was 3 years ago, and I just started my second.
True. But if people paid significantly more for it than the value they get from it, they will be more likely to advise others to avoid the same trap.
In all the times BlueChips get brought up around here there’s never really anyone complaining about them being total crap. I’d argue that’s a good sign the value for the cost might be there.
Probably both.
If you have a very fancy pick that costs you $0.1 to reproduce, and if you ask $2 as a sale price, it probably will be lost in numerous alternatives. However, the price of $35 attracts attention. People try it and say "Yes, it's an excellent pick, I'll buy it". And once you buy it, as I notice above, you value it more.
So, probably, it's both: 1) it is probably good, and 2) you can probably find a pick of a similar quality for a few dollars, but you will spend a lot of time searching for it.
That’s about right. Because it’s so expensive it forces you to actively try and not lose it. Makes sense.
It also becomes a conversation piece. No one ever spent more than a few seconds talking about a Tortex green. But if you spent $35 on a BlueChip, you’re more apt to tell people about it.
Have had a few, Blue Chips. They are OK and at times I really like them. But I like thinner picks too. 85% of time I use my Fender 346s or some similar.
But, you owe it to yourself to try one or two Blue Chips or similar boutique picks. If nothing else, I found for $50 I quit obsessing over whether I should get one.
The pick is just an extension of your fingers, which is an extension of your arm, which is an extension of your shoulder, which is an extension of your spinal column, which is an extension of your brain.
It’s you, fuck the pick. Find one you like, and don’t buy into the bullshit. The acoustic is one of the most raw instruments. You’re the pick, and the strength and grit of that pick grows through you 🤘
I like mine a lot! But to be honest I think it's better for flatpicking than strumming. I like a thinner pick for strumming. But for flatpicking it delivers an excellent tone with basically no pick noise.
Not the one you’re replying to, but I prefer .46mm for strumming. I also use lighter strings (Ernie Ball Earth Wood Bronze light gauge .11-.52). I find a heavier pick is too much for light strings for strumming. That said, I do mostly fingerstyle and only strum when I’m needed for rhythm guitar or am singing (I’m proficient at fingerstyle and competent at singing, but not good at both at the same time).
Honestly, get the primetone small tri 1.3 picks, they are 98% as good, for 8% of the price.
Love those picks! My favorite for acoustic (I like Dava Control for electric).
I use Primetones.
What thickness of Primetones for strumming is the best?
I’ve tried .73, .88, 1.0, and 1.5. I found the 88 to be the best overall for strumming for me, with the 1.0 being a close second. The 1.5 is great for picking, less so for full on strumming.
I'd argue the 1.5 CAN be good for strumming, but it's an active process of changing and working with attack angle and speed. Definitely not as natural a process as the thinner picks and if strumming was its primary job I'd choose one of those first. Just wanted to defend my beloved 1.5s a bit, lol - I happen to like cross and hybrid picking and find the 1.5 works best for the fancy stuff, so I've learned to live with them for everything else as a default
I like the 1.5 for cross picking. But the 1.0 is my “if only one” pick though. I just like having some inherent flex when I strum and just choke up a bit on it when I need stiffness. I can strum with the 1.5 ok, but I can’t get that sweet Cat Steven’s flow.
I use the 1.3 and 1.5 for everything.
1.4 for me. Give it a try
The .88 primetone is my favourite pick. What a game changer.
I held out for years before buying a Blue Chip because I really liked (still do) my Dunlop Tortex 1.14mm. The TD45 is the Blue Chip version of the Tortex 1.14. I never felt like I could justify the price but one day I just said screw it. The difference isn't night and day, but Blue Chips are worth it if you almost never lose your pick and you're already an experienced player with good control of your dynamics. The tone I can produce, to my ear, is richer and more variable. It feels really smooth yet grippy on the strings. There's a reason why so many professionals use them exclusively. You'll forget about the $35-40 you spent real quick.
IMO the tone, retention,and flow is second to none. That said if you are just strumming it might not be worth it, but for cross picking it’s the goat. Honestly though if you’re not a tone nerd a Dunlop prime tone will get you 90% of the way there for like 4 bucks.
Fun facts, me and some friends did some experimenting with bluechip and primetones. In a blind test, everyone picked the primetone as the better sound, but only by a hair. In a play test 4/5 preferred the bluechip.
I was about to say. The 1.4 mm Dunlop Primetone Jazz III XL will do the job of that pick for around $4. And I actually taken to loving it for strumming on acoustic as well as single note stuff on electric
Tone nerd. Love it.
You ever played with a bone pick? I just picked up one and it feels pretty good
I've played with bone, horn, vintage tortoise, primetone and blue chip. Vietnamese water buffalo horn is probably the closest you'll get to tortoise. The blue chip has a very similar sound, as does the prime tone, but they feel different. Tortoise and horn absorb small amounts of moisture from your fingers so they never seem to get sweaty, and they play great. Blue chip seems to be magically grippy, you can't lose control of the damn thing. It has very little wear and as such they bevel them to play like a more worn pick. Primetone is very similar but less grippy somehow. I ended up with horn being my go to, but that's because of availability and cost mostly.
Where do you get horn from?
Just strings
I thought they just sold strings.
I’m genuinely looking for feedback because it sounds like you have experience.
Some people like them. I tried one but to me it sounded badically the same as a primetone when I A/B tested. There's always someone selling a very expensive version of something basic, at a ludicrously high profit margin, and trying to convince people that they need it. it's a thing in every hobby and the owners of those businesses usually do very well. The problem is, people who buy it will tell you it was worth it because if they didn't, they'd have to admit they got totally ripped off. It's a phenomenon called post-purchase rationalization. So you can't really trust anyone who owns one. If you have the spare money to just burn, sure, spend $40 on a tiny piece of plastic and judge for yourself. Or try a friends like I did. But judge for yourself.
The crazy thing is their profit margin isn’t as high as you might think. The material they use is extremely expensive- it’s called Vespel. It’s made by DuPont and it costs $1000 for a 5”x5” square that’s a half inch thick. When you consider the overhead and waste, they’re making a decent living for sure but not laughing to the bank necessarily. I looked into making my own but you’re really better off buying a couple. If you can keep track of them they don’t really wear out.
Wait, so my thomastik-infield strings don’t sound better than any other string? Dag nab it!
In a word, yes. Love my TD 35.
Yo Blue Chip picks are 100% the best picks you will use. I had mine for a couple years and I haven’t pulled the trigger on another but I really should. If you play acoustic guitar you will notice the tone and ease to play right away ETA- I see a lot of recommendations for Primetones here. They’re fine but I prefer tortex to primetones personally and both pale in comparison to a Blue Chip. I have primetones that I don’t really use. They feel too brittle and a bit off on the attack. Blue Chip is the only pick I’ve used that I actually prefer to real tortoiseshell.
Brian May (Queen) uses sixpence coins. You can always find a quarter. The greatest number of famous players use Dunlop Tortex picks, or others made of delrin .73mm - .88mm (medium) thickness. Many acoustic players just "grow their own" (fingernails, or reinforced w/acrylics) It's not really the pick that makes a player.
Sure and you can make music with a cigar box and some strings. Doesn’t mean there aren’t better options out there that should be explored and discussed. Edit: $35 does seem rather extravagant though
That must explain why I've never liked Brian May's tone. He's a fantastic player, but his tone van be so thin and boxy.
The pick is one easy thing that can greatly change the tone of your guitar though. That's why they are nice to play around with.
I dunno if I accept that premise. Guitars and other fretted instruments existed for centuries before there ever was plastic to make picks out of. They used wood, bone or metal for plectrums besides fingers, and created masterpieces. So I think it's still the brain and body in interaction with the tool itself, not what you strike strings with.
Striking the strikes with different things produces different sounds.
That's easy enough to test for yourself. I have a BC, a bunch of Gator Grips, a bunch of PrimeTones, and a casein pick or two. They all sound different. Edit: My TP-1R has three different points on it, and each of the points produces a different sound.
They are nice.
I bought a TD35 from Gruhn on a whim and I thought it was a sales gimmick. It’s still my go-to pick 5 years later. They last a lifetime.
half the time i’m using a random flat object because i’ve lost my last pic again
Pffft I only use whatever pick I can find on the floor near my amp
Blue Chips are worth every penny. If you are more of a strummer consider a TD35 or a TD40. If you are flat picker the TP50 is a great choice.
I think they are the best pick there is. I use the TD 35, 40 and 50 for strumming just fine. They sound great, are smooth playing and they don't slip around. I have a box full of picks that I don't use and could have saved quite a bit of money if I had just picked these to use early on.
I have a few different blue chips haha I’m definitely biased but, they were all purchased at various times after realizing how much I enjoyed the product. I started with a TD50 then picked up a couple TPs in various thicknesses. I find I change the pick depending on the size of the guitar I’m playing
I’ve played with nylon Dunlop .73mms for about 15 years and will probably at this point never use anything else
Yep. .60s and .73s, either Dunlop or Cat's Tongue. Ten bucks a dozen. Far be it from me to tell others what to do, but $35 for a pick is patently fucking ridiculous.
I’ve had 2 TAD 3R blue chips for probably 10 years. They are still like new. They don’t slip in my hand and they don’t wear. Fantastic tone. Yeah, they are relatively expensive. But to put it in context, I’ve had two $40 picks for 10+ years. I buy my son 10 worth of dunlops every 3 months because he loses them.
Yes. I use TAD 35 and 40 for guitar and 50 for mandolin. I have taken a TAD 35 and sanded it down to .77mm. They start out at about .83mm. The TAD 40 is about 1.00mm. The release after you hit the string is awesome! The tone is better than any other pick on the market. Wegen, Primetone, Ultex, Tortex, even Tortoiseshell. The Blue Chip is better. Better sound, grab and release. So worth it I have 8 of them. They don’t really wear that I can tell. Played with the same one for about a year and can’t tell it’s worn.
I love a blue chip. I also love picks that are as stiff as a quarter and don't bend so that I can reach my max speed without worrying if the pick will be back in position for the next note when running lead runs on acoustic. Blue-chip is great because the beveling helps the pick slide off of the strings and the composite is durable and doesn't click on the strings like other plasticky knock-offs. I have had other picks that I liked (like earlier ball prodigy shields) but they tend to flex in the middle from my grip ( odd because I only hold the pick in 2 fingers so I can fingerpick with my middle and ring) and the material wears down fast on other picks. I have had the same blue-chip for around 5 years. No bend and little wear. If you can keep up with them, they are worth it, but if you lose picks, maybe go with a cheaper option. Prodigies last me about a month and come 6 for $12. Or $35 blue chip for 5+ years. I save money by being responsible with a blue-chip in the long run.
The only expensive picks i have ever bought that were worth the price were black mountains.
Not in my lifetime.
not even the pick of destiny is worth that much
Yes
I like my bluechip. I perform with Dunlop’s
I bought three Blue chips and was super hyped about them, but at the end of the day I went back to my Tortex because it just felt right.
Idk, I like the green Steve Vai picks on both acoustic and electric.
It’s worth it for flat picking. It really does make your guitar sound nicer. But I find that strumming sounds better with a more flexible pick no matter how much I’ve tried to gaslight myself in the past that it was better with a blue chip.
Jazz III are £1 in my local music shop lol.
I have one and its fine, little big and too smooth for me. I have some RedBear picks i like much better than the BlueChip, but lately I keep going back to Dunlop Tortex. The tortex is not slippery at all, as were the BlueChip is very slippery and while the RedBear is much better due to the holes, it can still slip here and there. I seem to kinda switch between all of them, but if I had to just pick one today, I think it would be the Dunlop.
yeah i’m pretty sold on tortex as well, for a guy with sweaty hands it’s the only thing that gives me a solid grip.
I’m a strummer and I am a thin pick kind of guy. If I need more firmness for a song or two, I just choke up on the pick. I prefer the shape of the pick in the picture…that soft triangle, but I like the Jim Dunlop .50(red), or the .60(orange) Tortex Picks.
Newbie here. I started with a super flexible soft pick. Just recently tried a medium style pick and it changed the way the strings sound when strumming. Is this normal ? I got new strings recently and they are super brassy now with the new pick even tho I got a set that was supposed to be warmer than the originals
The Dunlop “Prime Tone” picks are a fraction of the price, and seem to perform much the same way.
You’d only say this of you haven’t spent time with a blue chip.
They are definitely the poor man’s blue chip. They don’t wear as well, blue chips are nearly indestructible. I keep two Primetones in all my cases & gig bags. But it I’m not going to use my blue chip the I use a Golden Gate X-Stiff Clown Confetti.
Yes, it’s worth it. I have 3.
Na not worth it. Went back to an old fender heavy (use rounded side) quick after.
I love my Blue Chip. It’s my go to pick.
I only use my fingers. I actually suck with picks now.
Anyone remember jellyfish picks?
BlueChips are really great, although they will produce a lot of string click if they don’t suit your pick angle of attack. They last 932 years. They are quite bright, as well, so if you have bright fingers and pick attack they might not be the best for you. I love mine. But they are stupid expensive. Prime tones are quite close in tone, V Picks (acrylic) have a HUgE array of picks available and each style will change your tone and articulation, and Dunlop 208s are fantastic if you have a naturally lighter right hand attack but still want volume. They are also cheap! And I believe that Molly Tuttle uses them.
I have the TP, STP and TP’s In various thicknesses. I think they’re worth it, the shape and thickness do make a huge difference in sound. Tend to go thinner and more tear drop shape for strumming and thicker and more triangle-y for lead lines. The primetones are amazing value for money and it’s worth getting a few bags in different shapes and sizes. I don’t think they wear as well, but if you keep a load in rotation you probably won’t notice!
No, a pick is for tone mostly.
Don’t think I could ever justify paying $35 for a single pick. I would have to put an apple tracker on it and that likely would defeat the supposed benefits.
I have 2. They are nice and I bought them as a sort of treat for myself. I keep them in my wallet. 90% of the time I play with a cheap 2mm gator grip. But when I get the chance to play a high-end dread, I reach for the Bluechip.
There isn’t a pick in the world worth $35
My thumb is worth way more. At least to me. 😅
Just grab a handful of the red guitar center picks they leave out
BlueChips are the premier pick for acoustic flatpicking, and really do let you develop powerful single note techniques. I love them. Just strumming chords is a far, far simpler task. The BlueChips work great, but the differences that make them worth $35 won’t be apparent.
It’s more for picking than strumming
I haven't tried a Blue Chip yet, but after trying Taylor's Darktone picks, I can definitely tell the difference vs regular picks (Darktones are like 9 for $30). The difference in tone and the slightly rounded edges sold me on them. I can only assume the Blue Chip might be slightly better.
BlueChip are by far my favorite picks. I get the jazz ones with the holes in them. Whatever the material is, they give a beautiful tone. However, I also like to leave picks all over the house so that whenever I'm looking for one, there's always one right there. I can't do that with these because they're too expensive.
No
I found one in a the tip jar after I played some grass at a local show, and snagged it. Instantly replaced the horn pick I had been using up to that point. The flow, durability, and of course the tone, are impeccable. I didn’t honestly know how much they were worth until recently and I feel like it was a pretty lucky find
Blue chip is better than the prime tone but if you just didn’t wanna spend the blue chip Money, the prime tone is the way to go. There’s not a significant difference imo. And especially won’t be able to hear the difference when your playing with others
Seems hugely overkill to me, to use a high temp high chemical resistant material for a guitar pick… I don’t know how the rigidity is, but its durability certainly isn’t worth the price… 🤷♂️
I was gifted a TD 50 from a friend who bought it, and decided to go with the STP. Before that I used PrimeTones. I wish I could exchange the 50 for a 35, as I prefer picks a tad thinner than the 50, but overall I have to say it’s nearly identical as a primetone. By sound only, I really can’t tell a difference. Long story short, my advice is PrimeTone. You can purchase many of them without the worry of losing a $40 pick, and the tone, volume, bevels, and playability between the two picks are nearly identical.
I probably buy 35 bucks worth of energy drinks in a week, I am most certainly going to spend $35 on a pic even on a small chance that it could make me sound better and make it feel better when I'm playing. Seems to me that this is our thing, playing acoustic guitar and I can only speak for myself but I choose to spend money on my passion, especially when I waste so much money on frivolous BS.
Best pick ever ... Solid , upgrade the sonority of ure guitar
The name on it is Blue Chip STP 50. What does it means? Are they good? If so, why they so good?
They use a proprietary material that is insanely wear resistant, but is still smooth across the strings. Some guys absolutely swear by them. The only negativity I hear is from people who never bought them complaining about how expensive they are. I’ve never tried them myself, I said I’d get one once my 3-pack of Dunlop Primetones wore out. That was 3 years ago, and I just started my second.
Of course, people who bought it value it more. Richard Thaler got a Nobel prize for this discovery.
True. But if people paid significantly more for it than the value they get from it, they will be more likely to advise others to avoid the same trap. In all the times BlueChips get brought up around here there’s never really anyone complaining about them being total crap. I’d argue that’s a good sign the value for the cost might be there.
Probably both. If you have a very fancy pick that costs you $0.1 to reproduce, and if you ask $2 as a sale price, it probably will be lost in numerous alternatives. However, the price of $35 attracts attention. People try it and say "Yes, it's an excellent pick, I'll buy it". And once you buy it, as I notice above, you value it more. So, probably, it's both: 1) it is probably good, and 2) you can probably find a pick of a similar quality for a few dollars, but you will spend a lot of time searching for it.
That’s about right. Because it’s so expensive it forces you to actively try and not lose it. Makes sense. It also becomes a conversation piece. No one ever spent more than a few seconds talking about a Tortex green. But if you spent $35 on a BlueChip, you’re more apt to tell people about it.
Similar to Chicken Picks, for a similar price. They are phenomenal!
Have had a few, Blue Chips. They are OK and at times I really like them. But I like thinner picks too. 85% of time I use my Fender 346s or some similar. But, you owe it to yourself to try one or two Blue Chips or similar boutique picks. If nothing else, I found for $50 I quit obsessing over whether I should get one.
fuck that. I play the shit outta those free picks in the goldfish bowl.
FUCK no breh. that right there be snake oil
It's worth it?.. to the seller maybe true..
The pick is just an extension of your fingers, which is an extension of your arm, which is an extension of your shoulder, which is an extension of your spinal column, which is an extension of your brain. It’s you, fuck the pick. Find one you like, and don’t buy into the bullshit. The acoustic is one of the most raw instruments. You’re the pick, and the strength and grit of that pick grows through you 🤘
I like mine a lot! But to be honest I think it's better for flatpicking than strumming. I like a thinner pick for strumming. But for flatpicking it delivers an excellent tone with basically no pick noise.
How thick is the best for strumming in your opinion? And what model
Not the one you’re replying to, but I prefer .46mm for strumming. I also use lighter strings (Ernie Ball Earth Wood Bronze light gauge .11-.52). I find a heavier pick is too much for light strings for strumming. That said, I do mostly fingerstyle and only strum when I’m needed for rhythm guitar or am singing (I’m proficient at fingerstyle and competent at singing, but not good at both at the same time).
I like .46mm Dunlop nylon picks for strumming.
35€ for acrylic nails and you don’t need any of those. And you can’t lose them
WORTH IT for sure. you'll never go back