Am I being too picky about Picks?

[Chris Johnston]

Hey guys! I’ll cut straight to the point with my query.
I’ve been using the 2.0mm purple Dunlop delrin guitar picks for over 3 years now and I love them. Nothing else feels quite right when economy picking etc. I’ve noticed a trend in my playing where when if I’ve been gigging/playing for long periods of time (which is typical as I am a guitar tutor), I get used to the slight pick wear. My playing then feels slightly smoother. However, I find once I go back to playing with a brand new pick, that I need to re-calibrate my technique slightly to make up for the extra tension of the un-smoothed pick. (Hope this doesn’t sound like over analysed nonsense! haha)
(ps. I am not by any means a heavy/harsh picker, but I do pick/economy pick/sweep frequently when I play)
My query is this:
1. Does this happen to anyone else?
2. Am I being too picky about Picks?
Any suggestions on solving this or should I just suck it up?
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this. Hope you’re all well!
Chris from Sunny Scotland.

 

[Ed Seith]

This is normal. Picks wear out. How fast depends on the material they’re made of.
Real or imitation tortoise shell lasts the longest, without getting into rocks and steel and shit. Red Bear Trading handmakes some of these, but they’re not cheap and you WAIT for them. I got mine with “speed bevels,” which meant “pre-worn” a little. I paid $25 for one, waited 9 weeks for it and it was easily and hands down the best pick I ever had in my life. Did the same thing for a replacement about two years later (that’s how long it lasted), and the replacement wasn’t as good, so I started looking for a more mass-market solution.
I tried a number of different picks and what I came down to was liking a pick made of Ultex. They last a good month or so, and even then the wear is just barely noticeable. They sound great on the strings, and even feel slightly “sticky” to your pick hand – they stay put.
I could use some sandpaper or something and give them “speed bevels,” but since they don’t wear down like traditional picks, I don’t get used to the “broken in” feeling.
Experiment.
PS: Not too picky – it’s your human contact point with your instrument. You want it as close to right as possible. But sometimes, that costs – you could make all your brand-new Delrin picks comfy with sandpaper, but they’ll only last a couple days then.

 

[Chris Johnston]

Ed, thank you so much for your input! I’ll look into those picks that you mentioned in your post.

 

[Jamie London]

If it ain’t 1.5 or 2.0 gator grip, I don’t want it haha jk But those are my go to’s. I’m always open to checking out and experimenting with others though! I have a few different types and brands as back ups that I actually really enjoy using from time to time. But I think it’s natural to know what you like and stick with it. There are some REALLY cool picks out there though so keep your eyes peeled and always feel free to experiment!