Pick Modification

[rayc]

Hi,
I've been using a modified pick for about 20 years. I clip a wedge out of the point or a corner. Refer to the attached pick ture. As I don't hold the pick flat to begin with this means that the nearest point strikes the string the second follows & mutes the 1st sound before stiking a second. To get any effect the pick needs to be held at a slight (10-15deg) angle instead of parallel to the string.
Proper flat picking would probably not really get any effect from the modification.
I often take the chunk out of a corner so that I can change from normal to mod without changing pick.
I came across this effect after snapping off the tip of a bass pick when playing fairly hard - the break left "fangs" on the pick & I dropped it into my bag & played on pickless. I resurrected it when I needed & couldn't readily find a pick to hand when playing guitar.
The strummed result is a bit more treble, a bit more bite & when played on acoustic a fair bit more plectrum noise.
When playing single note lines the sound is more pronounced.
If you have a spare medium to heavy pick around try it & let me know what you think of the effect. It's no jelly fish nor a rose. I do find however that it helps my guitar cut through band noise just a little bit more than without it.
Then again I could be imagining it.
Cheers
rayC

 

[gvarko]

Interesting

That is like hitting each string with 2 picks, great idea!!

 

[IronFlippy]

That is like hitting each string with 2 picks, great idea!!

Which, essentially, means you're getting two picks for the price of one. Excellent way to save money. Wait. It doesn't work like that. I'll give it a shot later and see how it sounds. Interesting topic.

 

[flamin-gitaur]

Cool.....I never seen that before.

 

[Clive Hugh]

It's often said the best ideas are the simplest. I'll try it later today, I'm feeling like a real crank up of both amps this afternoon.

 

[guitar junkie]

yup i have used that one a few times too.... first time was when i broke a pick the second time was me planning it to work that way and i cut it with a file.

 

[sweetpeee]

I was going to modify a pic once, just to see what would happen...anyone ever light up a pic...they burn funny.Shoot out little streams of flame....

J.P.

 

[Sloan]

I tend to modify picks by performing lots of badass pickscrapes. Unfortunately, this modification sometimes causes the pick to catch on a string and go flying away in a random direction.

 

[rayc]

yup i have used that one a few times too.... first time was when i broke a pick the second time was me planning it to work that way and i cut it with a file.

I'm ultra cheapoh - I use a heavy pair of nail clippers to get a good chomp down.
Cheers
rayC

 

[Dani Pace]

You ever tried a "Rosebud" pick? They look and feel a little weird, they are! They are made with several layers of picks, stacked and tapered with a small space between them. They are interesting for playing rythm but have little or no use for playing leads.

 

[rayc]

Ah, that's the name - I mistakenly referred to it as a Rose. I remember seeing pictures of it & wondering about a fan flap effect.
Cheers
rayC

 

[mx_mx]

Anybody ever tried DAVA picks? Like the one with a rubber grip and a steel tip? I've always wanted to try them but nobody here stocks them

 

[rayc]

Has anyone tried it?

Has anyone tried it?
Any comment or result?
Cheers
rayC

 

[travelin travis]

At points when I was super broke, I used a nail file to sharpen picks (it actually works pretty well) and re-tied strings that broke at the bridge.

 

[MadTiger3000]

I'm ultra cheapoh - I use a heavy pair of nail clippers to get a good chomp down.
Cheers
rayC

Sharkfin picks.

 

[Clive Hugh]

At points when I was super broke, I used a nail file to sharpen picks (it actually works pretty well) and re-tied strings that broke at the bridge.

At one stage in my live I lived in a 3rd. world country and couldn't get the picks I liked. I started keeping the worn ones and sharpening them, even though that was years ago I still keep all my old picks in case they ever stop making them. I have dozens that I might get round to sharpening one day.
One more thing, I tried cutting the pick as suggested and quite liked it.

 

[rayc]

Clive Hugh
Great story about necessary frugality. I'm not known for throwing little things away either. I even keep a couple of bread bag clips JUST IN CASE I can't get my hands on a pick.
Thanks for trying the mod & the feedback. I was wondering If, despite all the very interesting discussion about plectrums etc, I was really hearing things.
Cheers
rayC

 

[ggunn]

At points when I was super broke, I used a nail file to sharpen picks (it actually works pretty well) and re-tied strings that broke at the bridge.

The best thing I've found to trim and polish picks is the side of a cardboard box. It leaves a very smooth surface at the trim.

I used to do that with strings, too: I would coil the extra at the peg rather than trim it, and when I broke a string at the bridge (where it nearly always happens), I would feed a bit more of the string through the peg, run the broken end through the rivet and twist it a few times, and voila!, back in the saddle.

 

[metalhead28]

I never modified a pick, but I once made a stainless steel pick that was pretty bad ass. it sounded just like you think it would....very metallic.

 

[Sloan]

Steve Albini really likes metal picks.