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I just discovered to my surprise that several of my unused plectrums have begun to wax over, become soft or brittle. I noticed this first in the Fernando 1.3 mm picks, which had gotten soft, and to my horror found my precious George Dennis picks getting brittle and snapping easily. I kept these stored in a drawer and they are about 2 years old.

Has this ever happened to anyone else? I know the formulation in some new plastics is poor or intended to biodegrade quickly. But plectrums?

Andy

Celluloid?

Being organic in origin, it's fairly volatile as plastics go.

Admittedly, it usually takes years to break down chemically (which is why film archives all over the world have their main difficulties with deteriorating film from the 1930s and earlier), but a particular batch may occasionally be badly formulated and start to deteriorate quickly. And if you keep all your celluloid plectra together, one bad apple may start to produce enough of the damaging gases and other substances to bring about the start of decomposition for the rest of them.

Chuck all the damaged ones away, bin the container, and get a new batch!

JN

Thank you, Jim. I will do that.

Now to find those elusive George Dennis picks.

Andy

Hi Andy,
I have also used that supplier from Canada - no problem at all, and quite fast delivery to me in the UK.

Best regards,
Baz.

Thank you, Alan, Baz. I will check this our ASAP.

Best,

Andy

It seems George Dennis 1.3 Sharp plectrums are available again?

https://www.muziker.co.uk/george-dennis ... eavy-picks

I think I will also try Dunlop Jazz IIIs, which I gather Hank switched to sometime ago?
Andy

abstamaria wrote:I know the formulation in some new plastics is poor or intended to biodegrade quickly.

There are many different kinds of plastic, some which become brittle after a few years, some which last almost forever. I have ski poles of which plastic parts are
still perfectly strong and flexible although they are over 40 years old !

Didier

The George Denis picks - tried them, thought they were awful and at least partly responsible for the later live Hank sound everyone hated? I can recall Hank closely inspecting the GD tip all the time in one concert and even grabbing a new pick mid-song. I always seem to return to simple Fender mediums myself.

Ive always rated the george dennis picks though i tend to use the orange 1.05.

I brought 2 batches of them direct from George Dennis a few years back and never had any problems with them but i am now down to my last 10 as i have tended to give some away at gigs etc