Photo courtesy of V-Picks
September 22nd, 2008 – V-picks are advertised as being the ultimate guitar pick. They are supposedly good because they are very thick, thereby reducing grip fatigue. They make many models, each with different beveled edge thicknesses, and shapes.
I use Brain picks exclusively right now which are pretty thin. I’m not even sure if they still manufacture them because I bought a dozen years ago and they’ve lasted me until now. I don’t think I’ve even lost any of them, not that I’m a prolific guitarist or anything anyways. I don’t have a lot of grip fatigue because I don’t play for extended periods, but the Brain pick has a sandpaper-like grip that ensures I don’t drop it. I imagine, however, that the V-Pick’s thickness would mean you didn’t have to grip it as hard making it easier to play for longer.
I have always used different parts of my picks or used different grips to achieve different sounds but the V-Picks make choosing the right pick for the right tone, extremely easy. They make suggestions on their website for whatever style you’re looking to play. I’m not sure that you wouldn’t get those tones if you were diligent in looking for a pick that would suit your style elsewhere, but V-Picks have their grip thickness as a unique selling point. They have thickness for grip, but thinness in the bevel design so you get the best of both worlds.
They are priced at around $4 which seems like a lot compared to the 25 cent picks out there but the long term benefits of your potentially increased musicianship could be worth it. And really, $4 doesn’t even buy a cup of coffee these days. Give them a try, I think I will. If I do, I’ll post up a review and let you know my thoughts.
2 Comments, Comment or Ping
Alf
Whoa it’s 2.75mm thick! That’s almost twice as thick as the one I use (dunlop Jazz III’s) and those are often considered thick. I’ve tried a 2mm one but it felt overbearing. It seems intriguing but that is a steep price, regardless $4 means today.
Sep 22nd, 2008
3NOS
I like Brain picks as well. I picked up a few recently at Rufus Guitar Shop here in Vancouver and the textured grip is very nice.
As for thickness of the pick, I’ve tried using masking tape to add thickness to one of my picks. I was in a car accident recently and one of the symptoms was increased grip fatigue as well as loss of overall grip strength. With the tape, it was easier to hold the pick while I played. However, this limites the amount of playable surface area on the pick, but it sure didn’t cost me $4.
Sep 26th, 2008
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