How to Choose a Guitar Pick

The more tools in your kit as a guitar player, the more options you have. And one of the most misunderstood and under-appreciated tools is… the pick (aka “plectrum”).

As you know if you’ve ever stood in a guitar store checkout line, picks come in a staggering number of sizes, shapes, and thicknesses, and in many different materials. Maybe you thought this was just marketing—like the different varieties of Arizona Ice Tea.

But these qualities can make a huge difference in tonal character. In this respect, picks are a little like wine glasses. Just as some glass shapes are best suited for certain wine varieties than others, some picks are better for producing a certain tone. Including the tone you’re looking for.   

Part of it is physics: The mass of the pick determines the energy and force of your attack.

Heavier picks produce a meatier tone, and tend to be used by artists who want an explosive sound.

Thinner picks, which are usually more flexible, result in a softer sound. I prefer thinner picks when I’m plucking. Easier to move. More flexible picks are often preferred by rhythm players.

Firm picks can produce a bright, biting sound (try it with humbuckers flipped to the neck pickups). Think Pete Townshend.

Shapes make a difference, too. Triangular picks dig into the string, for a rich, thick sound.

Round-edged picks provide warmer tone that can reduce output. To borrow an old tagline from Ovation, the sound is rounder.

And then there are materials. Genuine tortoiseshell combines overall stiffness with pliability near the tip, making it a favorite among many players. Picks made from this material haven’t been in production since the 1970s, but you can still find these old picks if you look around.

Nylon is often used by country players. It has more flexibility than other materials, and sounds particularly good on acoustics

Let your choice of pick(s) be determined by the kind of music you play, your style of playing, your attack—and, in the end, what sounds good to your ear.

With all these options, though, how do you choose? Unlike most equipment we buy, picks are relatively cheap. Next time you’re at the music store, spend $10 or $20 and get as many varieties of picks as you can. Buy different shapes, sizes, and materials.

Then take them home and play them until you find a few that work well with your style. It’s by far the cheapest way to experiment with your sound.

You may not abandon your favorite picks, but then again you may surprise yourself. Johnny Marr once said that when he started playing a Tele, entirely new avenues of creativity opened up to him—just because of the way the guitar sounded and played in his hands.

Changing your equipment—even your picks—can change your world, sometimes for the better.