# Guitar Picks - Reliable Online Source? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 18, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890 "2009-05-18T19:39:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/1 "2009-05-18T19:39:11Z")
I’m bored by the selection of guitar picks offered by the Guitar Center. Are there any other reliable online sources of picks with wider selections? I’m looking for the old-fashioned, large, tortoiseshell-pattern picks, as well as novelty designs. (Is there any such thing as porn picks?) ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/2 "2009-05-18T19:43:30Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > (Is there any such thing as porn picks?) Possibly not quite safe for work: [noparse][Music Accessories | Musician's Friend](http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Coffin-Girls-Guitar-Picks-6Pack?sku=110711%5B/noparse%5D) I buy a lot of picks from [Big City Strings](http://bigcitystrings.com/picks.htm). ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/3 "2009-05-18T19:50:47Z")
::grabbing popcorn and taking a seat, since I just uses Dunlop Tortex picks by the gross and so never look for picks online:: ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/4 "2009-05-18T20:23:24Z")
You routinely break Tortex picks? Jeez, no wonder you use 12s. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/5 "2009-05-18T20:42:27Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > ::grabbing popcorn and taking a seat, since I just uses Dunlop Tortex picks by the gross and so never look for picks online:: Hi, anyone sitting here? I’ll trade you some Jujubees for some popcorn. I don’t break Tortex picks, but they eventually get lost. There is a particular shape that is the only one I use, but it’s nearly impossible to find. I’ve used it for so long that I can no longer use anything else. I sound like a rank beginner with anything but that. A guy at Daddy’s special ordered some for me. I went back a few weeks later and bought 10 and put them in my pocket. Then I went to the dentist, who turned me upside down in the chair. When I got home, I only had 2 picks left! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/6 "2009-05-18T20:56:52Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > You routinely break Tortex picks? Jeez, no wonder you use 12s. 🙂 What I do is play them down - the end gets rounded off pretty quickly (a few hours of play), or if I am doing string scrapes, I wear a hole into the side-edge. Also, I pre-bend them: I take one, put the tip of my left thumb on the tortoise in the logo and use my right thumb and forefinger to bend the pick and put a bit of “dish” into it - something you can’t do with a standard Fender pick. My pick-hand thumb sits in that little bend - I have always called it “potato chipping the pick” - my buddies think I am nuts and hate using my picks as a result…I just started doing it because my old picks got worn in that way, so I decided to cut to the chase… \*\*tdn \*\*- you got Dots? I love me some Dots. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/7 "2009-05-18T21:03:36Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > There is a particular shape that is the only one I use, but it’s nearly impossible to find. I’ve used it for so long that I can no longer use anything else. I sound like a rank beginner with anything but that. That’s funny – I used to be like this, wedded to one obscure weight and shape of pick. Now I can adjust to almost anything (but seem to drift back to Fender-medium-celluloid-style eventually). I have Dunlop Jazz IIs that are older than my marriage, and I still pick them up sometimes, feel awkward for a bit, then adjust (although they’re not optimal for playing chucka chuka rhythm stuff). For the OP: [Agate picks](http://www.expectone.com/apick.html) [This guy makes his own picks](http://www.flickr.com/photos/aud1073ch/2598378171/) [Hello kitty!](http://www.kittyhell.com/2007/04/22/hello-kitty-guitar-picks/)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/8 "2009-05-18T21:07:43Z")
All I ever use are Claytons (Acetal, rounded triangle). Here’s Musician’s Friend’s assortment: > **[clayton picks Results | Musician's Friend](https://www.musiciansfriend.com/search?sB=r&Ntt=clayton%2Bpicks&src=3WWRWXYB&ZYXSEM=0)** > > Your clayton picks, results provided by Musician's Friend They last a long time. I bang out chords with .38mm picks on ultralight phosphor bronze acoustics, usually D’Addario or Martin. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/9 "2009-05-18T21:16:58Z")
Anybody on the Dope use those clear V-Picks? They have ads in the git-mags and many folks online claim that it helps their playing and tone…but I guess I am skeptical… ---
**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/10 "2009-05-18T21:17:58Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Hi, anyone sitting here? I’ll trade you some Jujubees for some popcorn. > > I don’t break Tortex picks, but they eventually get lost. There is a particular shape that is the only one I use, but it’s nearly impossible to find. I’ve used it for so long that I can no longer use anything else. I sound like a rank beginner with anything but that. > > A guy at Daddy’s special ordered some for me. I went back a few weeks later and bought 10 and put them in my pocket. Then I went to the dentist, who turned me upside down in the chair. When I got home, I only had 2 picks left! I’ll trade you my popcorn AND my Dots for some Sno-Caps. I have the same problem. My particular shape is the Tortex Sharp. I use them for bass. I feel naked without them. Used to be I only used the black ones (don’t remember the thickness), but then I couldn’t find those. Found some purple ones at GC (they never have sharps – this was a fluke). They are almost as good. Still have a handful of those, but pretty soon I may have to go and order some from Dunlop, even though they discourage (!) ordering directly from them. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/11 "2009-05-18T21:53:58Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > What I do is play them down - the end gets rounded off pretty quickly (a few hours of play), or if I am doing string scrapes, I wear a hole into the side-edge. Wow, I still have tortex picks from when I was a teenager! And my picking style is hardly dainty, but I’m obviously not in your class. > [@](#): > > Also, I pre-bend them: I take one, put the tip of my left thumb on the tortoise in the logo and use my right thumb and forefinger to bend the pick and put a bit of “dish” into it - something you can’t do with a standard Fender pick. My pick-hand thumb sits in that little bend - I have always called it “potato chipping the pick” - my buddies think I am nuts and hate using my picks as a result…I just started doing it because my old picks got worn in that way, so I decided to cut to the chase… Ha! I have some of those yellow Fender Ms (which are pretty heavy Ms), which I think are not Tortex(?), and they do this “potato chipping” (good name) …and it drives me nuts! And of course your prefer them that way. Chuckle. OTOH, Dots rock. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/12 "2009-05-18T22:01:32Z")
Ugh, can’t stand those Tortex tater chips. What I wish I could get more of are the [Kradl](http://www.curtsheller.com/images_common/logos/K/logo-KradlPicks.png) picks–yellow teardrops with a stairstep ridge on each side that keeps them super-secure with even a light grip. The company appears to be defunct. ---
**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/13 "2009-05-18T22:22:12Z")
I have a bunch of these ( [http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-Tortex-Standard-Purple-1-14mm/dp/B0002GXKB8](http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-Tortex-Standard-Purple-1-14mm/dp/B0002GXKB8) ) Tortex X-Heavy picks that I’ve been using for probably 10 years. I guess I don’t get “bored” with my picks, and these heavy Tortex picks hardly seem to wear–I don’t use the same one all the time 'til it wears down, I just grab one out of the pile and toss it back in when I’m done, so they’re constantly rotated I guess. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/14 "2009-05-18T23:56:22Z")
> [@troub](#): > > I have a bunch of these ( [Amazon.com: Jim Dunlop Tortex Standard Pick 1.14MM - 12 Pack : Everything Else](http://www.amazon.com/Dunlop-Tortex-Standard-Purple-1-14mm/dp/B0002GXKB8) ) Tortex X-Heavy picks that I’ve been using for probably 10 years. I guess I don’t get “bored” with my picks, and these heavy Tortex picks hardly seem to wear–I don’t use the same one all the time 'til it wears down, I just grab one out of the pile and toss it back in when I’m done, so they’re constantly rotated I guess. Yeah, those (the purple one) are the ones I’ve had for, oh gosh, 25 years? They seem well-nigh indestructible and don’t wear AFAIK. But am I reading the green one right? 88mm! Hey, **Wordman** , I think we got a pick that will last you for life. Unfortunately it spans 5 strings. ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-picks-reliable-online-source/496890/15 "2009-05-19T01:02:43Z")
Not a guitar player, but play a mountain dulcimer. Never buy picks - make my own out of old credit cards. Can get just the shape I want with some judicious snips of the scissors. And the price and availability can’t be beat.