***The Official Guitar Thread***

Associate
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20200808-134606.jpg


Slowly getting there, very happy with the colour!
 
Soldato
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@Raymond Lin I do like 9's on my strats. Assuming it had 10's on to begin with?

I bought a new pack of Dunlop Jazz III XL Nylon picks today. These are red where as the previous ones I bought last year are black. The red ones are ever so slightly thicker, which is weird. As they should both be 1.38mm. The reds sound better!

When I first started out, I was not interested in thicker picks, but it's really helped my strumming as they are way less forgiving, which forced me to work on my technique.

These are definitely my go to pick, grippy, good larger size for my fingers and the sharper end just feels solid and good. Them being red, I'm hoping I won't lose them so easily.. :)rolleyes:).

What picks do you guys like?

Edit: @Invertigo looks good!
 
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Caporegime
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@Raymond Lin I do like 9's on my strats. Assuming it had 10's on to begin with?

I bought a new pack of Dunlop Jazz III XL Nylon picks today. These are red where as the previous ones I bought last year are black. The red ones are ever so slightly thicker, which is weird. As they should both be 1.38mm. The reds sound better!

When I first started out, I was not interested in thicker picks, but it's really helped my strumming as they are way less forgiving, which forced me to work on my technique.

These are definitely my go to pick, grippy, good larger size for my fingers and the sharper end just feels solid and good. Them being red, I'm hoping I won't lose them so easily.. :)rolleyes:).

What picks do you guys like?

Edit: @Invertigo looks good!

it was 10’s before, I have 10’s on everything else but I think my T5 has 11’s.

the pick I’m using was free with a Fairfield Circulatory pedal (which I sold). I have some Dunlop’s and also some gravity picks but I kinda like these, I think it’s nylon.
 
Soldato
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do you have a neck straight edge and if so what kind? I nearly bought one off Amazon the other week but reviews are so mixed.

My Eggle has 9s and is very easy to play. My pacifica currently has 10s but I'm about to swap to 9s as the original spec. (I bought it 2nd hand to tinker with some pickup combinations). If it sounds too thin I'll move back to 10s.

Re picks, I'd go for Dunlop Tortex (regular or sharkfin depending on your want). Weight yellow 0.73 (?) is a good allrounder green .88 gives a bit more meat. I rarely go heavier. Occasionally drop to orange .60 for some acoustic stuff. Don't forget to play with tightening your grip (literally squeeze your pick) for more bite, and relaxing your grip for a gentler strike.

Of course Brian May would recommend on old coin (six pence?). I've tried use a 20p to see what difference it makes. It's ok but I prefer my tortex. Maybe a purple if you want that rigidity.
 
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Soldato
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dusty yet grippy? Probably similar to the tortex feel then. A pick is a pick at the end of the day. If it works for you then that's all that matters. I have a load of cheapo picks a friend got me a while back. They're rubbish by comparison. Slippy, poor durability, gouge on pick scrapes etc. There are bad picks like those, but no "right" pick, just a medley of options. Most stuff by Dunlop will do you fine. I also like their ultex range, which feel slightly nicer I guess, but I just find the colour coded tortex so useful on stage when I don't have time to read the numbers printed on the pick.
 
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Caporegime
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do you have a neck straight edge and if so what kind? I nearly bought one off Amazon the other week but reviews are so mixed.

My Eggle has 9s and is very easy to play. My pacifica currently has 10s but I'm about to swap to 9s as the original spec. (I bought it 2nd hand to tinker with some pickup combinations). If it sounds too thin I'll move back to 10s.

Re picks, I'd go for Dunlop Tortex (regular or sharkfin depending on your want). Weight yellow 0.73 (?) is a good allrounder green .88 gives a bit more meat. I rarely go heavier. Occasionally drop to orange .60 for some acoustic stuff. Don't forget to play with tightening your grip (literally squeeze your pick) for more bite, and relaxing your grip for a gentler strike.

Of course Brian May would recommend on old coin (six pence?). I've tried use a 20p to see what difference it makes. It's ok but I prefer my tortex. Maybe a purple if you want that rigidity.

No, I do have a metal ruler somewhere, or I can use the metal square I have for woodworking. But beside that I just use the strings as a guide. Press on the 1st and 20th fret and see how much gap in the middle. Not much at the moment now, less than 1mm. So it's very straight but also no buzz up and down the neck. I do have a fret radius tool and a gauge feeler/feeder.

The guitar is set up pretty much as good as I can without taking it to a tech, so I am pretty happy with it now.
 
Soldato
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New goodies - been about 10 years since I last played - fingers don't move like they used to :D

Don't worry, take it slow and don't overdo it. It's still in there but it'll take a while for the muscles to get back in shape. Daily exercises in sensible chunks is the way to go.
 

Baz

Baz

Soldato
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Don't worry, take it slow and don't overdo it. It's still in there but it'll take a while for the muscles to get back in shape. Daily exercises in sensible chunks is the way to go.
That is the plan, chord & scales practicing, picking practice as well as using the D'addario finger strengthener whilst working, ideal fidget spinner :)

it is getting there, the muscle memory still recalls some songs and riffs :)
 
Soldato
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Don't worry, take it slow and don't overdo it. It's still in there but it'll take a while for the muscles to get back in shape. Daily exercises in sensible chunks is the way to go.

I thought the key was to take as many high quality photos of the guitar as possible and buy tons of expensive gear and then ???? you're SRV?
 
Soldato
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^ Nice.. Let's see them tops!

With the picks, I found Tortex to be ok, I bought one of those Dunlop packs a couple of years ago that has a few different types in, but I keep coming back to the nylon. Just seems to glide better and has better grip for me.

I can see how with acoustic, a thinner pick can give a different dimension to playing. But I don't know, with electric, seems like if you use a thicker pick and are careful, with control and practice, you can get it sounding as light as a light pick, by controlling your grip on the pick, as @ik9000 says. Kinda best of both worlds this way, I think that's why I like such a heavy pick, have that flexibility.
 
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