3 Cheap Guitar Pick Experiments You Should Try ASAP (AT34)

➜All show notes and links: https://acousticlife.tv/at34/ ➜Get the show: https://tonypolecastro.com/get-acoust... ➜iTunes Audio Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/a... ➜Facebook:   / acousticlife.tv   If you are a flatpicker, you can do a quick and easy experiment: Get three different picks, play the same lick, and observe how each pick will add a subtly different tonal characteristic. Some picks are bright and clear while others are on the dark and warm end of the spectrum, the new Acrylux picks by Daddario actually cover both ends of this tonal spectrum. These new Acrylux picks come in two different recipes: the "Reso" version and the "Nitra" version and both have a unique sound to offer. The "Reso" picks offer a subtly more clear and bright sound while the "Nitra" composition is a bit warmer and offers a darker tone. These picks come in three different shapes: Standard, Jazz, and Mandolin, and only one thickness (1.5mm) at the time of writing this. Although these picks are on the thicker end of the spectrum they have a decent amount of flex to them. My experience with these picks is that both versions produce a tone that is on the warmer end of the spectrum, however, the "Reso" picks do have a touch more clarity than the "Nitra" ones. I also noticed that both picks seem to be pretty slick and smooth in how they interacted with the strings. The material that a pick is made of impacts its tone in a huge way, but it goes beyond that... The material also has an effect on the pick's stiffness. Think of it this way: you can have a 1mm pick made out of delrin or you can have a 1mm pick made out of cattle bone; although both picks are the same thickness their inherent stiffness is very different. That is the very thing I noticed upon trying TUSQ picks by the company Graphtech. These picks were brought to my attention by Acoustic Tuesday viewer Andrew D. and I am very happy that he got me to try them because I was stunned. These picks are incredibly stiff and that correlates into a fast snappy release from the string as well as a very clear tone. Not only did I try different thicknesses of picks I also tried different materials. I was amazed at the variety of tones that were possible and also how comfortable I was with a subtly thinner pick at 1mm as compared to my usual 2mm Ultex pick. The thing that was the most pronounced for me was the stiffness and the resulting clarity that it helped me achieve. For any player looking for more articulation, these are a great starting point. The artist that I am listening to this week came from a band setting and went ahead releasing a solo album in December of 2017... just himself and a guitar... and yes it is truly magical. Benjamin Tod, who also plays with the Lost Dog Street Band, released his solo album I Will Rise in late 2017. It contains 10 songs that will downright rip your heart out, make you reflect, and proceed to kick your heart down the street a little bit. Benjamin's album is well beyond a treat to listen to and it delivers on the raw and emotional front. One of the reasons I think this album emotes so well is that it's just him, a guitar, and nothing else besides some songs that you know are loaded with personal tales, trials, and tribulations. Benjamin's voice has this quality that I'll refer to as "raw yet refined," you can hear it when he trails off on a line with this unique three note step down that seems a bit Celtic. There are some things that #guitargeeks deal with on a regular basis like broken strings, constant tuning, and misplacing your pick, but nothing is worse than finding a pick that you absolutely love only to have it become slippery in your hand and start spinning while you play. This #guitargeek phenomenon is all too common and thankfully there is a company out there trying to stop the spinning and slipping. Monster grips is a company that makes these small and grippy little discs you can stick right on your favorite pick... and they actually work! I have tried many products that aid in helping your pick stay put, from Gorilla Snot to violin rosin, and even the Cool brand picks with the sandpaper attached to them. I can confidently say that Monster Grips are a cut above the rest and are raising the bar in this category of Acoustic Guitar Accessory. They are easy to use and extremely durable. I put the grips on each side of a Dunlop Ultex pick, played the guitar for more than an hour, followed that up with placing the pick in a cup of coffee, and then washed it off with dish soap. In short, I put these through the ringer, and after cleaning they were just as grippy as when I first put them on. One of the things I had to get used to was the feel of the grippy pads on each side and the added thickness, but after a short adjustment period, I found these to be pretty darn effective.