Easy picking

Today's playing session was masochistic. It's actually my way of making things easy for myself- by making it difficult at first. I have many picks in my possession so I started by choosing a common feature- depression. All three picks here feature one, they are of different sizes, materials & thickness. The warm-up started with Pick 1. Due to its size, I had to focus on picking every note & making sure it's a sure hit. It's a lesson in focus. Next up, Pick 2. It's the exact opposite of Pick 1, obnoxious, a little lengthy so the focus was not to hit anything else unnecessarily. It's beyond warm up now. I was playing my routine scales & trying out new idea. The objective was to make things difficult for myself & it was definitely working. After the break, I was playing with my preferred pick (Number 3) & it was a breeze. In fact, I got this feeling of playing 'better' when in reality, it's actually how I played all along.

This leads me to say that one way of appreciating one's preferred tool/ implement is to actually use something else & feel the inadequacies kicking in as you try to adapt. Chances are, given ample time, you can make do with that change. However, if you return to your preferred ___________ (pick, pedal, cable, etc... insert accordingly), you'd know what's missing or bothering you so much that you can feel the difference. Appreciate your quirks, it's what makes you, you.

Dunlop Stubby vs V-pick

So this is the ultimate showdown; Dunlop's Stubby juggernaut to take down the colossal V-Pick... not quite. I believe the respective picks you see here were differentiated in design by the manufacturer to address different needs but from a personal point of view, I believe the respective products give the player a different playing feel which in turn influences the performance standards.

V-pick

It all started not too long ago when Mr. Brendon from BGW Guitars sent over a complementary V-pick knowing I am a fan of tank-grade picks; I can't live playing picks which are less than 1mm thick. Initially, I was dismissive of it as it's just another acrylic alternative; I've been playing the Stubbys for a while & this pick isn't a drastic departure from my current engagements. However, the unique selling point has to be the V-pick's beveled edges which means the strings leave the pick's contact at a faster action- it's not rocket Science this one, a simple innovation by a guitarist (founder Vinni Smith is a guitar enthusiast) for guitarists. The beveling also means, the edges of the picks are thinner than the rest of the grip area so you'd thought that you are holding a thick, unplayable piece of plastic in your hands but the tapered edges are actually doing the job. 

I am currently using the Traditional (as above) & Small Pointed versions which work fine for my needs. My only gripe here would be the colour; sometimes dropping a V-pick on the floor is equivalent to losing it for good. But not to worry, V-picks also come in red & glow-in-the-dark alternatives.

Dunlop Big Stubby

This has been my long-term favourite & it' still is. I favour the 3mm version & have them in my wallet, office drawers, on top of amps, bag pockets; they have become virtually ubiquitous. When Adam Teoh was still working at Swee Lee (Bras Basah showroom), he knew how many I'd purchase in a single transaction- many (I recall buying 30 pieces, that's the most number of Stubbys I ever bought in a single receipt). If we look at the Stubby, we note its curved nature; in Ibanez-speak, the Stubby is the pick version of the S-series body. This design feature is the pick's upper edge, it doesn't need beveled edges to accentuate precision picking. My other liking here is the pick's centre indentation which promotes grip effectively. I use to burn holes in other picks just to get some grip going but it's inherent with the Stubby. 

I wish the Stubby's tip was more pointed when they leave the factory, my current practice is to file the tip further to make it very sharp, I believe this enhances more precision. Well, it works for me.

Conclusion

Conceptually, both picks manifested different means to the same end- precision picking. The different playing comfort is the choice determinant; I like both picks & would toggle between the Stubby & the V-pick so if you see someone switching picks often while trying guitars out in the stores, that'd most probably be me. Be informed that there is at least a $3 difference (no kidding) between these picks.

Where to get them:

• Stubby: Swee Lee/ Davis GMC
• V-pick: BGW Guitars

Alice & Clayton

If you take a closer look, the above picks are not your favourite Dunlop Stubby units, these are Alice picks. They are made exactly like the aforementioned (stiffness/ dimension/ thickness) but upon close scrutiny, are a little lighter; not too telling if you handle the 1mm/ 2mm ones but the 3mm version. You'd suspect if these are OEM items after all...

On the subject of picks, Claytons feature a cork ring on one side to promote grip. Great idea but the feel is acquired taste. Nothing too repulsive though...

Alice & Clayton picks are available @ Davis Guitar.