I see all manner of shapes of guitar picks—large equilateral triangles, scalloped versions of the same, small and large teardrop shaped, that one really common shape (an isoceles triangle with the two like angles scalloped), nearly round versions, even parallelogram-shaped. Is there a line of logic that follows behind each shape? For instance, why wouldn’t one or two shapes suffice?
For me, there is only one shape I can use. Any others and I make lots of mistakes. It probably has something to do with the shape of my fingers.
Unfortunately, I only have 8 of them left, and they’re no longer made. What I have will need to last me the rest of my life.
Bummer! What kind of picks are they, anyway? Is getting them custom-made (or even making them yourself) an option?
I think comfort is a very large part of the reason for the variety. Of course, there other factors: A smaller pick helps with smaller instruments, like a mandolin, the thickness and material of the pick produce a different sound, etc.
Shape is basically just for your own preferences. I doubt it affects the sound as much as thickness or material does.
They’re Tortex picks, which are still made, but not in that shape. I haven’t seen any in music stores for 20 years.
How would I go about getting them custom-made? I’ve never even heard of non-corporate pick makers.
I think the answer is to live the life of a rock star. That way I can die young, so the picks will last me until that time.
The only flatpicks I use have a very unusual shape. They are made by Dunlop, and I bought a bazillion of them (five bucks worth) years ago.
To picture the shape, imagine a standard-shaped pick with one of the upper corners cut off with a round cut. (It also has a serrated edge (like a saw blade), but I’ve never use that).
What I like about the shape is that the round cut dovetails with the curve of my index finger. This makes it easier to hold onto than a standard-shaped pick.
Also helpful for added gripping ease with any flatpick: drill a quarter-inch hole in it, right in the center of where you grip it. The flesh of the fingers and thumb presses through the hole.
What shape are they exactly? How big? A good industrial plastics store should have similar material in the correct thickness, perhaps you could make your own?
Anyone familiar with the pick design that looks like two picks melded together?
Essentially a pick with two tips. Is this used for a chorus effect, one tip striking a string slightly after the first?
They’re more or less the same shape as a standard pick but a little smaller. The material is quite different, though, with a bit less springiness.
Yes, I’ve seen that one – never could get it to work for me though.
I recently was shown a weird pick – it’s standard shape, but the tip is twisted in two different directions, sort of like a boat rudder – it’s supposed to offer better speed.
People who like them could argue for it, I’m sure. The reason for all the variety is just different personal preferences. I used to use jazz-style picks - very thick, small, teardrop shaped. But I gave up on picks a while ago and just use my fingers now.
Pick shape does affect sound, for me at least. I use sharpened cheap thick picks. I take standard thick picks and flaten the curve on both sides of the tip using a file. Then I clean them up by rubbing the edges on paper*.
The sharpened picks give a cleaner, sharper attack. They also give me greater control of pick harmonics and I play way cleaner with the sharpened picks. In fact I now hate playing with non sharpened picks.
Of coarse picks are a personal choice.
Slee
*I actually got this idea from my friend Bryan. He got it, I believe, from a guitarist named Craig Small who was with a band called 9.0.
8 picks or 8 fingers? 
Fingers, of course! Fortunately, I also have two thumbs.
Fascinating subject. I had no idea there was such variety in guitar picks! Looking at Dunlop’s Tortex pick page, I see that they all appear to be made of the same material, but have different thickness, sharpness, and shape.
Are yours original tortoise shell? That would explain the difficulty in finding replacements…
Just curious.