# Jazz picks



## possumkiller (Oct 17, 2010)

So I want to get into playing some Django style manouche and noticed they use thicker picks. What is a good size to get? I usually play with .088 but I found this 20 dollar 7mm pick also Wegen Gypsy Jazz White 7mm Pick 7 (1 pick) - eBay (item 160460115736 end time Oct-22-10 11:13:24 PDT)



Thoughts?


----------



## rednut (Oct 17, 2010)

Woah, $20? Try the Dunlop Jazztone's or Primetone's. That pick in the link looks more like a Primetone in the Dunlop's, but Ive got some Jazztone's and they feel pretty good and theyre like $1 each.


----------



## ShadyDavey (Oct 18, 2010)

Try the Jazztone 208's - good value for money and should give you some idea of how much thicker you wish to go without spending lots of money on a pick you may not feel comfortable with. V-picks also make some much heavier gauges and they too are more reasonably priced so again they're worth checking out


----------



## Mr. Big Noodles (Oct 18, 2010)

7mm?  If it works, I guess. These are good:

Dunlop Stubby, or Big Stubby

Amazon.com: Dunlop Stubby Jazz Players Pack / 6 Picks (3.0): Musical Instruments
Amazon.com: Dunlop Big Stubby Pick Packs, 3.00mm/Dark Purple: Musical Instruments

Primetones

Amazon.com: Jim Dunlop 477P305 Dun Prmtone 3Pk 3Mmpoint: Musical Instruments

Then, there are Jazz III's. I personally use picks of 1.5mm thickness, and that's plenty, but I don't play Gypsy jazz, so go figure.


----------



## Alberto7 (Oct 18, 2010)

^ Never tried a Big Stubby, but I have a couple Stubbies and they're THE most slippery picks I've tried in my entire life. I can't hold them still for more than 15 seconds. However, those things play extremely fast (even more than Jazz III's) and have some pretty awesome dynamics!

Definitely try those Primetones out. I've never tried them, but they look like they deliver lots of goodness, and look really comfortable too.


----------



## SirMyghin (Oct 18, 2010)

Those are ridiculous, but if you like a rigid pick I highly recommend agate/stone. It is what I use. I dealt with someone who made me picks, to a spec, within days and sent them to me, about 13$ each or something cheap.

Index Sharon Painter-Arps

That is her website, awesome to deal with. Keep in mind these do not wear at all, mine are the size of traditional picks about, with no flex like a good jazz. 

Here are mine


----------



## Mr. Big Noodles (Oct 18, 2010)

Alberto7 said:


> ^ Never tried a Big Stubby, but I have a couple Stubbies and they're THE most slippery picks I've tried in my entire life. I can't hold them still for more than 15 seconds. However, those things play extremely fast (even more than Jazz III's) and have some pretty awesome dynamics!



I know what you mean. The Big Stubbies are much better, as there's more to hold on to, and it has a contour so you can actually hold the pick. My only complaint is that the 1.5mm ones are a bit brittle. My 3mm works out beautifully.


----------



## possumkiller (Oct 18, 2010)

Thanks for all the info guys!


----------



## Jazzercize (Nov 25, 2010)

just to build on the last post, i regularly use the big stubby (2mm) and so far i love them. i used to use the jazz 3's and i could never get into the flimsy plastic-y feel of those picks. with the big stubbys its something about the way its contoured it just stays in my pick hand even if im doing fast runs --the other problem i had with the jazz 3's is that they were always sliding around in my hand--the grip did nothing.


----------



## josh pelican (Nov 25, 2010)

7 millimeters?! I was playing with 0.88 and 1 millimeter Match Picks for the longest time. I found them good for bass, too.

I just ordered some Tortex Jazz and Dunlop Nylon Jazz III XL. I found the regular Dunlop jazz picks too small.


----------



## mayx (Nov 26, 2010)

Try the Jazz III Ultex, these are a little bit harder than the normal Jazz III's


----------



## chucknorrishred (Nov 27, 2010)

possumkiller said:


> Thanks for all the info guys!


 this,


----------



## Hasmamagee (Nov 28, 2010)

I find that if you drill a few holes into the grasping area on a big stubby it gives them an unbeatable grip. The thing that you've really got to remember for gypsy playing styles is that you gotta pick way close to the bridge, thats how they get that snappy tone


----------



## Disco Volante (Nov 29, 2010)

I'd stick with something significantly larger than 1.00mm for Django styles. I've heard a lot of good things about Wegen but have yet to try one myself. I can second what someone else said about V-Picks though. They make a huge variety of thicker shapes that are a bit less costly than the Wegen. They're a pretty good choice in the middle price range if you didn't want to spend quite as much for the Wegen.

You could probably get the job done just fine with a thinner standard Dunlop Jazz III. My personal favorites are the Ultex or Eric Johnson versions in that order and are an excellent pick for many styles. They still aren't quite as well suited to the gypsy jazz stuff as much though due to a relatively thin profile. The Dunlop 2.00mm Stubby would probably be my pick of choice as a budget gypsy jazz pick.

Red Bear makes a GJ gauge pick in any shape you want but I believe it would be even more expensive than the Wegen would be. The material sounds awesome, wears slowly, and for some people can be extremely temperamental. I've never had a problem with mine, but I've heard plenty of people who have suffered warping or even splitting. My guess is that unless you have some outrageously crazy body chemistry, or left it in a pocket and sent it through the washing machine, it would be difficult to get the really thick gauges to warp on you.


----------

