Can .35mm make all the difference?

[Mike Honey]

Last night I proved (if proof were needed) that you never stop learning the guitar. i've played for 53 years now,professionally for the last 15, and i have always used a pick of 1mm. On our last few gigs I have messed up the intro to 'Pipeline' (which I like to play in double time (poser or what!). Whether its the start of the dreaded arthritis or just a case of familiarity breeds contempt I dont know but anyway my partner, (who was one of my students), suggested that I used a thinner pick. So i tried one of his, a jim dunlop .65mm and Wow, what a difference! All the fast runs were so much easier! OK I had to adjust the volume on my amp but the sound didnt change at all. So now its 1mm for the acoustic but .65mm every time for the electrics (which by the way are a '78 silver strat and a US standard of '84)

mike

[almano]

I fully agree, I'm using the same Jim Dunlop .6 'Ultex' picks myself - and I only use 1 mil and above on acoustic or bass. Good choice, I like the .6's - a very nice sound (and feel)

Cheers,

Alan.

[John Haldane]

Hi Mike
What gauge strings do you use.
John H

[Mike Honey]

hi John, D'Addario XL's 10-46 on the electrics and Martin extra light,10-47 on the acoustics.

mike

[RayL]

For fast 'up and down' rhythm playing, the Dunlop .38 are good. When you pick them out of the box at the music shop they feel almost ridiculously plable but for 'El Cumbanchero' (similar speed to 'The Savage') they feel just right.

Their white colour is very close to the very pale grey of the .46 which I also use, so both guages end up disfigured with a splodge of felt tip (red for .38, blue for .46) to distinguish them.

Ray

[ecca]

What's a plectrum ?

[Mike Honey]

dunno, but i remember reading about them in Bert Weedons 'Play in a Day'

mike

[keithmantle]

Bert who !!

[raiders]

Ask any woman......