GearDump

Many players go through life using whatever scrap of nylon, plastic, or steel they can find without ever thinking about what it is they want from a plectrum.

Thicker picks of Nylon have a very warm and full sound. I prefer thick picks because they give me a responsiveness I cannot get with smaller ones. I started out using .80 Dunlop Tortext Picks, I believe they are Green or Blue. These were really good at the time because they were easy to handle and were fairly long. When I started playing more agressively I started gravitating towards thicker and stronger picks. I am now using Dunlop 2.0 picks and frankly they are about the width of a quarter and can be hard to find. I find that the bigger picks are not only more comfortable but they give me a warmth and fullness to my sound which I really need.

For me, smaller nylon picks increase the upper harmonics of the sound and require a little more finesse in the right hand to play accurately at high speed. These are great for rhythm work since you can nearly effortlessly glide pass all the strings.

Some more exotic materials like metal or stone can really change the harmonic content of your sound. Brian May played with a sixpence, and I know other guitarists have used coins as well. If your looking for more treble you should consider a stone or metal pick just to see what it sounds like.

Wow, I was walking through a local music megastore the other day and saw some DiMarzio cables hanging on a rack. I have a fondness for the braided styling and decent sound quality these cables offer up so I grabbed one hoping to add another cable for my stash.

Honestly, I never expected to flip the tag and see the 31 dollar price tag—for 15 foot of cable! That is nearly 2 dollars per foot. I’ve rolled my own cables in the past and realize this is a 200% markup even when using premium quality cable and connectors like George L’s. Anyway, I promptly put the cable back on the rack and turned my back. I know manufacturers are hurting but between the cable price hike and Fender’s recent 30% increase I’ve about had it with reputable manufacturers.