V-Picks

[SonicGator]

Anyone else using them? I bought a Psycho and Insanity on a whim and am really enjoying the Psycho. I have used a Thumb-Pick and Fingerstyle for all of my playing, but have been enjoying the tonal change with the Psycho...it really is a fatter tone. The Insanity is just that, totally insane in it's size and I'm still adjusting to it, but it is really good for heavy strumming with thick strings.

Psycho (http://www.v-picks.com/psycho.html)

Insanity (http://www.v-picks.com/Colassal.html)


Still waiting on Vinni to make a thumb-pick, but I do enjoy these picks better than any others I've used.

[guitarzan]

I read about these on TGP, but I can't fathom the idea of playing with something that looks like it has a rounded edge. How do you get any attack when picking single note lines?

[tom]

got one at the namm show. no attack here from it. shreaders might like it since you can play real fast because the pick slides off the string. for me it's too one tone, you can't vary the sound by angling it.

[SonicGator]

How do you get any attack when picking single note lines?


The Psycho has a beveled edge, which makes it good for single-note lines and strumming. The Insanity is very hard to pick single lines and has a real "clank" to the sound, but works for strumming.

I'm still partial to a Thumb-Pick and fingers as that's just how I play now. I'm not a shredder by any means, but the V-Picks are a nice change of pace at times.


Tom, which one did you try?

[John Price]

I just ordered a small pointed and should have it next week. I use the dunlop H3 so I hope this is similar.....

I'll chime in when I get it!

JP

[tom]

i got the smallest one i think. i use the teardrop shaped tortex pic normally.

[LeonD]

I started playing with their smaller, thinner pick and can't play with anything else now. Granted, it did take a while to get used to it.

One other benefit is that they work great on bass. I normally use fingers but for when I do use a pick, these rock.

LeonD

[stratoquack]

I ordered his sample pack. I didn't really bond with any of them. A friend gave me a Wegan bluegrass pick http://www.wegenpicks.com/ and it feels a lot more natural to me. I've really gotten used to it and like it.
Bill

[mbrown3]

Yeah, I like the little jazz sized picks, so no V picks for me. I mostly (90% of the time) use fingers, so when I do use picks I'm really particular, and only like the jazz size ones because they get me real close to the strings like with fingers. I've tried the Wegens and Dugains and some others, but they're all too thick. Great tone from some of the wood and bone and horn ones but too darn thick.

So I stick with the little dunlop jazz III tortex green ones (.88mm, I think) and I love those. I actually prefer the tone of the red jazz III (the old ones are better, the ones Eric Johnson uses that they brought back with his name on them) but they slip out of my fingers a lot easier so I stick with the green ones that have the tortex coating on them.

Can't seem to find a thinner one made out of bone/wood/etc. I would think it wouldn't be too brittle with the density of most of those materials even at that thickness, but oh well.

[LearnedHand]

I have used Vinni's picks. I like the little pointed ones because they are like the dunlop jazz III's but a little bigger. As for Tom's comment of being "one tone," I think, yes, but because he has a variety of sizes and shapes, that is where you get you difference in tones. Also, I modify Vinni's pointed picks by rounding the point so that it is not so sharp. I have a few hybrid picks Vinni made for me by rounding the edges of his pointed picks to give the pick a mix between his rounded and pointed picks. I have to give Vinni a lot of credit for thinking hard about the first thing, next to your head and fingers, that starts your tone.

[SonicGator]

I used the Dunlop Jazz III Tortex picks (purple and green) for a long time too. I didn't jump straight to the V-Picks from the Dunlops though, so the change was not a drastic one for me.

[John Price]

I received the picks this week and spent some time with them.
I like the small pointed pick. It's very articulate with a smooth response and it wasn't a big adjustment from my dunlop tortex H3's that I use. The big surprise was the Diamond pick! This pick is much fatter in size but feels very comfortable to hold with very nice tone and articulation with single notes. I'm still testing them out and I usually like to spend a few weeks before I commit to a particular piece of gear but so far I'm diggin' them.......

[paleolith54]

I'm with Sonicgator here. Tried a couple of v-picks for 4-5 days, and liked them but didn't love them. Went back to my Jazz IIIs, and realized my notes sounded muffled and I was over-playing with the right hand trying to pull more out of the string than it would give.

Like anything, it's all in what your ears are looking for; for me, I've decided I'll put up with a bit of chirp on some strings in some positions in exchange for more right-hand relaxation, better note definition, more volume, and what is to my ears a generally fuller sound (especially clean on chords).

I guess blues/rock is the best label for what I play (Clapton, Bonamassa are probably representative of what I try to do). For this, I like the Screamer a lot and almost settled on it. After talking to Vinnnie about preferences, I tried the Dimension unbuffed and, to my astonishment, am settling on it after only about 3 days of dedicated use.

Another 2 cents, but I'm liking these things more and more.

[mslugano]

I was very skeptical of the better tone and easier picking claims. I mean, better tone?...from a pick? I had used Dunlop Totex 1.0mm for about 20 years and thought they were pretty stiff and gave good tone. I actually found I liked both the Screamer and medium pointed very much and now that's all I play with. Occassionally, I go back and try a Tortex but they sound so thin and tone-less that I go back to the V-Pick. I find that I can vary the tone depending on the angle of attack but the Screamer is no better at pinch harmonics than Tortex as claimed...maybe worse actually...but pinches are plenty easy with the medium pointed.

I gotta say, some guys really go overboard with these picks and the TGP thread on V-picks is ridiculous but at least you gotta hand it to Vinni that he is a good marketeer.

My only real gripe is that he won't make them in any color but clear or glow. I lose the clear very easy and the glow ones sound/play different and wear down quicker. I can't figure out why he can make a glow pick but says he can not make colored ones. For $4 each I'd like something that wasn't so prone to getting lost.

[John Price]

Wow! I forgot about this thread! Since it's been awhile since the last post I've had plenty of time to decide on what works best for me and after all the smoke cleared I ended up with my Dunlop H3 Picks..........

[jeff h]

I use the Screamers. Fast with lots of attack.

[mchoi32]

Ultra light mediums. They have that rock solid feel with the perfect amount of give. Great amount of surface area and they won't slip out of my hands ever.

I used to enjoy the thicker picks (above 1.0 mm) but they just slow you down too much IMO. I became less accurate. I owned every single premium pick and still have the Colossal just for kicks :)