Once you start getting a feel for your playing and develop your technique, you’ll probably revisit the pick in order to hone either your tone or your comfort level while playing. That means deciding what you want among the different materials, shapes, and thicknesses out there. For this list, we’ve focused on plastic flat picks for alternate or hybrid picking. That means no finger picks and no organic materials. These are pick choices for the average player just getting into trying new things. For those in search of their ultimate tone, use our list of the best guitar picks to aid you in your quest.
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon With most picks, there’s a break-in period as the edge develops a worn bevel from playing. This softens the initial attack and eliminates any unwanted noise, but also begins the process of shortening the life of your pick. Dunlop have created a pick made of super-durable Ultex with a hand-beveled edge so these are ready to play the minute you open them up. You definitely pay a premium for this, but the result could be worth it to you.
If you’re playing a lot of shows back to back, having these on hand for when you inevitably lose your pick could be the answer. These also come in triangle, standard, and semi-round shapes.
If you like the Jazz III shape but don’t need the Primetone treatment, you could consider the Eric Johnson Signature Jazz III or Kirk Hammett Signature Jazz III.
Stats:
- Material: Ultex
- Thickness available: 0.73, 0.88, 1.4 mm
- Grip texture: Raised texture
- Pick size: Small
- Shape: Jazz III/Teardrop
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon The Holy Grail is the top of the range for the Herco pick line reissued by Dunlop. The nylon used in these picks was specifically recreated based on the ones produced by the once-independent Herco in the 70s. Favored by Jimmy Page and David Gilmour (and everyone else according to The Captain in this Andertons video), these are slightly warmer than your average nylon pick to recreate a vintage experience.
Among the other options in this line include the Flex 50 and 75 and the Vintage ’66, but the price difference is negligible, so I say go for the special nylon formulation. Alternatively, Dunlop’s Max-Grip Nylons are probably the current standard from the company and feature a fantastic grip.
Stats:
- Material: Nylon
- Thickness available: 0.75 mm
- Grip texture: Raised texture
- Pick size: Standard
- Shape: Standard rounded triangle
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon These unique Dragon’s Heart picks take a completely different approach than your average pick. Rather than offering different thicknesses — 2.5 millimeters is your only option here — they offer different materials that loosely map to hours of playing. The shortest-playing option of 1,000 hours combines the core material of Polyamide-Imide with 12 percent graphite.
The 1,200 hour version uses 100 percent pure Polyamide-Imide, while 1,400 hours uses 30 percent carbon fiber, and the longest playing 1,500 hour pick has 30 percent glass fiber. Each of these has a slightly different tone, as well, with the graphite being the most neutral and the pure being the brightest.
Perhaps the most evident difference is the incorporation of three different playing tips. There’s a rounded edge for strumming, a standard tip, and a narrower tip for super-fast runs. Try this for jazz and metal.
Stats:
- Material: Polyamide-Imide
- Thickness available: 2.5 mm
- Grip texture: None
- Pick size: Large
- Shape: Custom
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Gravity Picks are handmade in California, bringing a custom feel to every playing situation. While they offer more custom shapes like the Sunrise and the Stealth, a good starting place would be their Classic. This is an instantly-familiar shape and feel with an upgraded experience compared to a lot of other picks on the market.
You can also choose your preferred grip. There are four types available: no grip, multi-hole grip, single hole grip, and elipse. Of these, the multi-hole probably offers the best overall grip, but elipse may lend itself well to locking in a particular angle, if that’s what you’re after.
These are polished-edge acrylic picks for very bright and clear tone and excellent memory. They last a very, very long time.
If you want to try a few of their shapes to get an idea, opt for the sampler pack.
Stats:
- Material: Acrylic
- Thickness available: 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 6.0 mm (availability is variable – we’ve featured 2.0 here)
- Grip texture: Your choice of none, multi-holes, elipse, or circle
- Pick size: Standard (though you can get their picks in four sizes depending on availability)
- Shape: Standard rounded triangle
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Handmade in Nashville, Tennessee, V-Picks are very high-quality picks made primarily from acrylic. The Ghost Rim in the name refers to the un-buffed edge that, like the Stubby above, allows for a musical pick attack above and beyond what most picks are capable of.
That rough edge provides a kind of bite that some artists get by having their guitar techs rough up new picks. These are pretty costly, but again, they’re made by hand in the U.S., so you can expect them to be quite a lot better, too.
For more options, shop the full line of V-Picks.
Stats:
- Material: Acrylic
- Thickness available: 1.5 mm
- Grip texture: None
- Pick size: Standard
- Shape: Standard rounded triangle with pointed tip
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon If you’re going to go for a signature pick, you could do a lot worse than a John Petrucci signature – that guy can play. Dunlop offer a few picks bearing his name, but the one most worth considering might be his signature Flow, based on the standard series Flow.
This is a beefy 2.0 mm pick with generous beveled edges which allow for both quick string release and a wide variety of pick attack approaches. This is a great pick for projection and volume, especially in high-gain, touch-sensitive applications.
Petrucci has two more Dunlop signatures you could try, too: a Standard Jazz III and a Primetone Jazz III.
Stats:
- Material: Ultex
- Thickness available: 2.0 mm (standard series are available in 0.73, 0.88, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mm)
- Grip texture: None (standard Flows have a grip)
- Pick size: Standard
- Shape: Teardrop
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon One of the first picks developed specifically to replace tortoiseshell, these picks represent an entire category by themselves. Technically acetal resin thermoplastic, Tortex picks are made from DuPont Delrin using a proprietary process that produces the powdery textured surface. That powder eventually wears off, but the pick still retains a good grip. These became especially popular in the 90s when they found favor with the grunge players as mentioned in this Preimer Guitar piece.
These don’t accentuate any specific set of frequencies and tend to slide off the string smoothly. My bandmate uses these on both acoustic and electric guitars and occasionally on bass. Dunlop also makes the Tortex Flex in the same thicknesses, which combines the memory of Tortex with the warmth of nylon.
Stats:
- Material: Tortex (DuPont Delrin)
- Thickness available: 0.50 (Red), 0.60 (Orange), 0.73 (Yellow), 0.88 (Green), 1.0 (Blue), 1.14 (Purple) mm
- Grip texture: Powder finish
- Pick size: Standard
- Shape: Standard rounded triangle
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Clearly, Dunlop has a lot of entries in the pick game. Another bandmate of mine has used these Stubbies for just about her entire playing career. She tends towards the shreddy and jazz side of things, whereas I prefer chugging rhythm rock.
The thick contoured surface provides a satisfying tactile experience so that every move across the strings allows you to impart flavor and control. These are very fast and very thick. If you haven’t been able to get quite the tone you’re looking for, try this. You may never go back.
The Big Stubby is also available in nylon and triangle versions.
Stats:
- Material: Lexan
- Thickness available: 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 mm
- Grip texture: Contoured rest with light texture
- Pick size: Small
- Shape: Jazz
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Competing most directly with the Dunlop Max-Grips I mentioned above, I first stumbled upon these as a replacement for the Dava Control picks I’d been fighting with for some time. That was probably 10 years ago and I haven’t looked back. These Brain picks have the finest grip of any pick I’ve played — more than enough that it stays put, but not too rough that it’s intrusive.
Despite being made of nylon, I find them to be a bit more resilient than other nylon picks I’ve used, and they have a smoother, more plastic feel. The memory is fantastic and definitely bests the Dunlop version. I thoroughly recommend these, especially for those having grip problems, but it’s fair to say they’re not the most advanced picks in the world and can sound a little plasticky compared to more-evolved options.
Stats:
- Material: Nylon
- Thickness available: 0.53 (Green), 0.60 (Purple), 0.73 (Red), 0.88 (Black), 1.0 (Grey), 1.14 (Orange) mm
- Grip texture: Raised texture
- Pick size: Standard
- Shape: Standard rounded triangle
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Great for superior control and articulation, this option is Ernie Ball’s take on a non-slip Delrin pick in the Tortex mold. Together with the better control, these are shaped with sharper points than a lot of competitors for those who prefer a precise feel.
The edges are also beveled which combines with the fine points for low-drag and good attack flexibility. These are only available in relatively beefy thicknesses. If you need something thinner but prefer to stick with the brand, try their Everlast picks.
Stats:
- Material: Delrin
- Thickness available: 1.5 and 2.0 mm
- Grip texture: Non-slip surface
- Pick size: Standard (Mini also available)
- Shape: Standard rounded triangle, Mini, Shield, Teardrop, or Sharp Standard
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This relatively novel option combines a familiar shape and size with a few less common elements. First, the body of the pick is made of acetyl polymer, which was custom developed for very fast rebound, full tone, and much less flex than other materials.
Second, the grip is called Accu-Grip and is made of a sand-like material. The grip on these is extreme, to be sure. If your main worry is grip, this will solve that. While other more advanced materials tend to highlight volume or high-end, these produce a more well-rounded sound.
These are available in the featured standard shape, as well as jazz and triangle. Cool Picks make a range of options in interesting materials, including a polycarbon fiber pick with a rubber grip. They should have something for just about anyone.
Stats:
- Material: Acetyl polymer
- Thickness available: 0.50, 0.60, 0.80, 1.0 mm
- Grip texture: Accu-Grip sand
- Pick size: Standard
- Shape: Standard rounded triangle
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Combining the innovation of a new grip style with the vintage feel of cellulose, these Pickboy picks may make a fine alternative to some of the others on this list. The holes both provide grip and keep moisture from collecting on the surface. The celluloid material generates a largely warmer tone, which some think is closer to the now-banned tortoiseshell.
These come in gauges at the thicker end of the spectrum because the holes make the picks more flexible, and the manufacturer suggests going up a size from what you’d expect for that reason. That extra flexibility may afford you more dynamics with your attack, though it may come at the cost of reduced memory in the long term.
They also make an Ultem variation, a carbon/nylon variation, and a polycarbonate variation in 1.0 and 0.70. Also, rainbow cellulose for some reason.
Stats:
- Material: Cellulose
- Thickness available: 1.2 and 1.5 mm
- Grip texture: Holes
- Pick size: Standard
- Shape: Raindrop
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon This offering from Clayton Picks is made from Acetal – the same material Tortex picks are made from – and are designed to produce warmer overtones than most other options.
They’re also shaped in such a way to prevent string breaking and drag, which in turn reduces unwanted popping on the strings. Though they have no particular grip, they are very comfortable with a well-developed edge for varied attack.
These are available in an uncommonly wide range of thicknesses, as well as a triangle shape. If you want an option with a grip, try their HexPicks or BeeHold picks.
Stats:
- Material: Acetal
- Thickness available: 0.38, 0.50, 0.63, 0.80, 1.0, 1.26, 1.52, and 1.9 mm
- Grip texture: None
- Pick size: Standard
- Shape: Standard rounded triangle
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Planet Waves makes a huge number of guitar accessories, so it’s not surprising that they have an entry in the pick market. While not as unique as the last entry, this pick does combine a few traditional elements in a new way.
First is the triple-tumbled surface that results in a Tortex-like, soft-touch texture that provides good grip. Compared to the Tortex, it’s a little smoother and less grainy feeling. This takes the shape of a jazz pick, but is oversized for better handling and precise picking.
It’s a solid entry sitting squarely in the middle of many different pick designs.
Stats:
- Material: Duralin (acetyl resin)
- Thickness available: 0.55, 0.80, 1.0, 1.5 mm
- Grip texture: Soft-touch texture
- Pick size: Large
- Shape: Oversized jazz
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Shop now at Amazon From Amazon Beginning with the standard 351 rounded triangle guitar pick, Everly combines two kinds of grips into an otherwise simple pick. First is the Tortex-like texture that covers the whole surface. Second, a punched out star shape ensures above-average grip in all situations.
Available in the standard thicknesses and at a reasonable price, this would make an excellent choice for a beginner or as reliable backups.
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