Is the Dunlop Sharp plectrum harder to pick with?

What are your experiences with using the Dunlop Sharp pick? Do you find it is more difficult to play with, or just the same as a regular kind of pick - either Jazz III or 351 shape?

Personally I find this pick more difficult to play with, perhaps it’s something to do with the sharp tip giving you a smaller area that connects with the strings?

I also noticed that a lot of people don’t use this pick, so maybe it presents a similar difficulty for a lot of players?

Those, I don’t like. Your right in that they grab a bit much particularly on the wound strings. If you want to go with something pointy I would suggest the Dunlop flow:

Jim Dunlop Flow Standard Grip 1.0mm Guitar Picks (549R1.0) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079X4F7Q2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_G1W1H9M7Z98P5M71512T?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

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I had forgotten I had tried this pick when you mentioned something about sharp picks being an issue elsewhere.
I remember it felt a little sticky on upstrokes at times, especially a new pick that hasn’t been worn down a little.
In the end I settled on a jazz III. A fresh one of those I have no issues with it sticking.

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yes, on the wound strings they are particularly troublesome. Not too bad on the non-wound strings, but still tricky to play with.

I think it’s because the edge is so straight. Hasn’t got any curve to work with at all.

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That’s pretty much it. If the pick has some sort of bevel, even if slight, it decreases its catch and stickiness on the string by quite a bit.

After sharpening the rounded tortex picks for years by scraping them on carpet I finally realized that those exist. Have been my one-and-only picks for years. Played the 1.14mm? Version for years. No problem with them at all. But if you play a more rounded pick and try one of them I can imagine some garage spike effect coming up so they might take some getting used to or adaptation in the beginning.
If one likes the sound, don’t be afraid.

Some years ago I just wanted to change something for no special reason and ended up with Jazz III XL Ultex picks and stuck with them.

These have been my preferred picks as well. Really like their durability and feel.

Also I tried ordering some of those pointy Tortex Sharps and… literally got standard issue rounds from amazon so, your mileage may vary with actually sourcing them through that hellsite :smiley:

As I mentioned, you can quite easily sharpen them. Just drag them along their side with some pressure applied over a rough carpet. Maybe not the good living room one but the one in front of your door to clean your shoes on and they will be pretty much the same as the pointy ones.
If you don’t like it you can still use the remaining rounded ones as christmas gifts for your fellow guitarists, almost anyone will be fine with them I think :wink:

Tom

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Dunlop Sharp 1.5mm’s have been my main pick for a while. I love the Jazz III size/shape too so my picks end up like this after modding :slight_smile:

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very cool, looks like you’ve bevelled the edges of the Sharp?

No, that’s just natural wear from playing. The 1.5mm has a natural bevel to it due to its thickness that the thinner Sharp’s don’t have.

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I have no idea, but if one compares tips it seems that the only real differences will show up if the pick bites off a lot of string to have contact far from the point. I recall Rusty Cooley once saying that he aims to hit the top half of his strings!

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