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Plectrums – To Pick or Not

Posted by Benjamin on December 16, 2008 Filed under: bassguitar, Players, shows tagged: Andy Billups, plectrums, technique, tone, Trip Walmsley

I tend not to think about basses and plectrums, but I’ve been forced to in the last twenty four hours. The Bass Starter Kit arrived with 3 plectrums, then last night I headed out with a group of friends to see The Hampsters. Not my normal musical fair I have to say, but they do have their very own page on Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hamsters – so I thought they couldn’t be all that bad. They are a rock/r’n’b (old style) three piece, with guitar, bass and drums.

They have had three different bassists in their 20+ years of gigging, the latest fellow is Ms Zsa Zsa Poltergeist (aka Andy Billups). Andy played a 5 string Fender Jazz for the most part, using a thumb side pick. Side picks don’t photograph well, so let me describe it: imagine a plectrum that curls around your thumb like a ring. That’s basically it. Sort of a pick that you can’t drop. It gave a hearty dose of attack to the sound, which suited the band’s heavy rock stylings.

That got me thinking. When I saw Trip Walmsley (can’t find trip’s homepage – anyone? – here’s a video of him) I seem to remember him playing fretless with a plectrum. When I started playing bass, the community I was part of seriously frowned on pick-using bassists, and that has stuck with me for some reason. May be time to shake off an old habit? Playing with a plectrum gives a very different sound. Something to experiment with!

Oh, and the Hampsters were very good, including an impressive bit of instrument swapping in the later half of the set, and some good three part harmonies. Right, I’m off to find some plectrums (or is that plectra?).

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38 Responses to “Plectrums – To Pick or Not”

  1. MikeF, on December 16th, 2008 at 1:07 PM Said:

    I’m not really a great fan of plectrums, but they do have their uses, and if you need that sound for a particular track there’s no other way to get it. Can I heartily recommend the heaviest gauge of Jim Dunlop Nylon – .88 I think – very dark grey? They have good grip, very smooth edges, and just the right degree of bite for roundwounds. (I find most guitar picks far too scratchy…)

  2. Benjamin, on December 17th, 2008 at 10:54 AM Said:

    I’m with you Mike! Sound advice – I’d forgotten about the range of sizes/thickness and grip types. A whole new world to explore!

  3. Christopher N, on February 3rd, 2009 at 7:16 PM Said:

    When I play with a pick it reminds me of when I used to use a bow to play double bass (upright bass) in an orchestra. I love the feel of the give and take of the pick against the string similar to how the bow felt each time it would grip the string in the short staccato notes or when scrubbing.

    When you first start playing with a pick you will need to adjust your eq settings either on your bass, your amp or both, as playing with a pick will bring out the highs and hide the lows. This is great if you have a damn guitar player who is walking in on your sonic area, but you don’t want to get into a volume war (believe it or not the guitar players are so picky with not turning down so as to not wreck their tone.) (sorry guitar players) This helps to cut through the mix. (a lot of that high end clicking that sounds awful isn’t heard once in the full mix of the band and the tone becomes very clean, great if you have a guitar player who likes their sound to have bass.. or they are playing with those huge marshalls)

    Also I find that when playing with a pick I can add more delay bassed FX to the sound as the sharpness of the attack from playing with a pick is not lost in the reverb or delay to the same extent as finger playing.

    one thing to akeep in mind is that playing the pick on different areas between the bridge and the fret board will produce different tones. e.g. playing near the bridge will produce a sharper punchier harder attack, but requires more energy on the part of the player to make the string sing.

    Give playing with a pick a try, I use both and love both. Don’t be put off by the sound the bass will make the first time you strike it with a pick.. remember to adjust the eq settings to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.

    I like to reduce the highs, bring up the lower mids, and accentuate the bass which gives me a very hard punchy growly sound that still keeps the natural warmth of the instrument’s tamber.

    I also play aggressively so I like my picks a little thicker.(I am not even a metal player I am a rock funk blues jazz guy) so I use between a .88 and a 1.14 gauge. I find that this gives me both the stiffness that I need as well as the slight flux of the pick which gives the subtleties to the note quality (it adds a bit of warmth by holding onto the string for that much longer.

    Also if you hold the pick closed to the tip with a firmer grip and strike the string it will have a similar effect as having a harder thicker pick and vice-versa.

    I prefer the large equilateral triangle picks, as I will often switch between pick and fingers during a song. so I put the pick in my mouth or wherever, but when I pick it up again I don’t have to worry as much about which way the pick is facing since I can use all three sides. (makes for quicker on the fly changes)

    Playing with a pick with the treble on high will produce an awful bass tone, but it is great for learning to play cleanly, as every note rings out for all to hear complete with any imperfections (not pressing hard enough with the left hand, not close enough to the fret, etc.)

    Have fun.

  4. Benjamin, on February 4th, 2009 at 4:33 PM Said:

    Christopher, utterly brilliant – thank you for that – brilliant tips in there.

  5. Boz, on February 5th, 2009 at 3:45 AM Said:

    Like Mike, I never really liked playing with a pick. Part of my attraction to the bass was how cool those guys looked playing Motown Grooves. That said, McCartney had a great sound with his Hoffner and a pick, each note was warm, clean and distinct, he cut through but didn’t overpowered.

    I am working on an acoustic bass guitar design and tried a very thick for additional volume. It was very loud, but too bright. I did like the sound up between the 5th and 13th fret area. There is potential, but not without some design adjustments. If I can use a pick, I may be able to play in small cafes without an amp. Well, very small cafes anyway.

  6. Mike Farley, on February 5th, 2009 at 4:53 PM Said:

    Boz is right – the first time I played seriously with a pick I was shocked at the increase in volume 😉 Some wonderful players do use picks, McCartney certainly, but also, sometimes, one of my absolute favourite bass players, Gail Ann Dorsey. There’s a terrific YouTube of her playing – and singing! – Under Pressure with the David Bowie band, using a pick with her old Stingray. What a woman! From the way she holds her hand, it looks like a very heavy pick, possibly one of the equilateral ones Boz likes. Never could love ’em myself, too hard and scrapy with roundwound strings. You can actually hear the click in the first couple of bars of Under Pressure, so Gail Ann has the same problem – she just steams on through!

  7. Boz, on February 6th, 2009 at 3:08 AM Said:

    Acutaly, I just use my fingers on my electric bass. I am still trying to look cool like the old soul players.

    Also, I ment to write thick pick, above.

    The pick I used on my ABG had some sort of fiber embeded in the material that gave it a fuzzy feel, but it still had a very hard attack. So I just plug it in and use my thumb up around the bottom of the neck.

    When I was a kid, my dad brought some very large and thick felt picks home. They must have been .25″ thick. They had a good sound at first, but would break down before you could finish one song.

  8. Mike Farley, on February 6th, 2009 at 8:21 AM Said:

    My bad, Boz, it was Christopher N who likes the big equilateral picks – I was reading two posts as one, or something! And yes, like you, I use my fingers alone whenever I can get away with it. I do prefer the sound, and personally I feel much more fluent, much more in touch with the instrument, using fingerstyle. It’s just that there are some pieces (Under Pressure would be one of them) you just have to use a pick for, which is where I break out my trusty old heavy nylon Jim Dunlops.

  9. Boz, on February 11th, 2009 at 12:07 AM Said:

    Christopher has really has thought this out and I am sure it reflects in his music. I am inspired to try some differnt picks. Please share your oppinions on the follwoing.
    1. What is the perfect shape for a pick?
    2. What is the perfect size?
    3. What is the perfect thickness?
    4. What would the perfect material or surface for a bass
    pick be? rough soft, smooth etc.

  10. Mike Farley, on February 12th, 2009 at 2:57 PM Said:

    I’ve said this already, effectively, Boz, so forgive me if I repeat myself here – but my answers are:

    1. Perfect shape – traditional teardrop. I did try using the big equilateral ones, and persevered for a couple of years off and on, but I never did get used to them.

    2. Size – medium for me. Big ones can’t move in your fingers enough to work smoothly on up/down passages, string crossing etc., little ones get dropped, and then they bounce under a cab, or down the floorboards. Well mine do.

    3. Thickness – 1.0mm or a little less. The Dunlop .88mm work best for me.

    4. Material & finish – smooth on the striking surface, rough where you grip. And resilient – roundwounds chew up the hard plastic ‘tortoiseshell’ type, and then you get a scratchy, snaggy playing edge they sounds horrible, and feels worse. The Jim Dunlop nylon ones never seem to wear rough, and they have a nice knurled grippy bit with embossed letters, which is easy to keep hold of even with sweaty fingers, and doesn’t easily let the pick swivel round out of position.

    Everyone has different hands and different ears though, as well as different strings on different instruments. Thank goodness picks are so cheap – it’s not like buying a Little Mark II and then finding you simply can’t get your own sound, however you set the thing 😉

  11. Christopher N, on February 25th, 2009 at 7:13 PM Said:

    Boz,

    Music is often a personal journey and about what works for you and what brings you enjoyment so…

    1 Perfect shape. = the one you like the best, and don’t be afraid to try new ones if you already have a preferred shape. And when you try something give it a real effort. Play with the eq and play with the grip etc.. You have your whole life and sometimes spending the time to learn something as simple as holding a different pick shape can be refreshing change and challenge from the normal.

    2. perfect size, same as 1, try them all, try holding them differently. Maybe you come to like a few depending on the song and style.

    3. Thickness – try them all, I prefer the .88 – 1.14 range but that is because of the sounds and attack I put on, but this is personal. (I play with a pick almost in the same manor as I play slap, double thumb style for alternate picking, but I also get a nice “pop” sounds if I really grab the string and flick up with the pick like popping the string) But I play aggressively enough that I will wear out my picks (both sides all corners) in about 1 week of heavy playing…. but don’t get rid of that pick, as sometimes the razor sharp edge that develops from the wear gives it its own unique sounds and presents its own unique and fun challenges.

    4. Material & finish – same as 1 😉 try them all, for a few $$ you can get a whole whack of different picks so money should not be a factor.. (I do find that some picks wear faster then others, but in return you may get a sound that you like better)

    I suggest trying and learning as much as you can. Don’t limit yourself with preconceived ideas of what is “right” and “wrong” or how you should/must play and with what.

    on a side note
    you never know when you might hurt your finger/hand and don’t have your own pick available, to be able to use any pick to some degree of competency is a wonderful safety net!

    Plus guitar player’s thinner pick while he is chatting up the woman you had your eye on all night, then using the pick and nailing that run/lick/riff better then he does is a wonderful vindicating feeling 😉

  12. Benjamin, on February 26th, 2009 at 10:12 AM Said:

    Thanks for sharing that Christopher. We all have different styles and fingers (and basses!), so it makes sense that the ‘ideal’ plectrum will vary from player to player. There are probably some dead ends though, and bass is very different that other pick-using instruments – thicker strings if nothing else!

    Some class advice Chris – thanks again!

  13. Boz, on February 26th, 2009 at 2:38 PM Said:

    Since I began building basses, I have accumulated a large amount of scrap wood. Good stuff like Ebony, Rosewood, Mahogany, Maple etc. I have an incredible love for wood and an equal dislike wasting it. So I keep every little scarp from my projects with the hope of finding a good use at a later date. In fact, I use scraps of wood for the logo for the head inlay. This blog inspired the idea of wood picks. As soon as I catch up with my orders, I plan to put some of my scrap wood to use as guitar stands, sheet music stands and wood picks. The picks would be cool give-a-ways I could share with friends as a novelty thing. I don’t expect wood picks to last very long in regular use.

  14. Benjamin, on February 27th, 2009 at 11:59 AM Said:

    Boz, email some pictures once you’ve made them – sounds like they would be very good looking plectrums. And always good to hear from someone with a passion for wood (plastic is over rated 😉 ).

  15. Boz, on March 11th, 2009 at 12:44 AM Said:

    Better yet,

    If you send me an address I can send you some to pass around to the Bloggers for a test.

  16. House Concerts Comments and Travelling | The Bass Guitar Blog, on March 20th, 2009 at 3:45 PM Said:

    […] Plectrums – To Pick or Not […]

  17. The Bassist, on July 2nd, 2009 at 2:24 AM Said:

    I enjoyed reading this post. If you really want to open up your bass playing skills I think it is important to learn picking with your fingers and with a pick. You will have more flexibility as a player. Great post I will be sure to check out your other ones.

  18. Bry In Sanford, on July 15th, 2009 at 10:57 AM Said:

    I played with a plectrum more when I was younger. I rarely need it now.
    If something requires a lot of fast picking or staccato, I generally use the Victor Wooten technique of strumming back and forth rapidly with the thumb. It’s really whatever works best for you. I see the vast majority of bass players have learned to do everything with their first two fingers on the picking hand. I do that some, but I use a lot of alternate picking with my thumb and index finger. It’s strange to most people, but I like to do the stops that way and I seem to be better positioned for damping with the heel of the right hand too. I just got used to it and sometimes it seems awkward and difficult to try to alternate pick evenly with the first two fingers instead.

    I can see still using the plectrum for some really fast playing when it’s necessary. I don’t think there’s a huge advantage or a huge difference in the sound. Bass guitar is basically heard as a thud, regardless of what causes it (grin!)

  19. Mike Farley, on July 15th, 2009 at 7:14 PM Said:

    Fascinating, these different approaches to technique. Muting now! It would feel so unnatural to me to use palm muting with fingerstyle: I always use my thumb for that, never for plucking! On the other hand, palm muting is natural and instinctive for me when I’m using a pick.

    Just goes to show there are few absolute rights and wrongs when it comes to technique, but many different preferences!

  20. Ceviche, on August 22nd, 2009 at 6:06 PM Said:

    Great feedback on this issue, glad to find this site.

    I learned bass as a kid mainly by listening to Led Zep, The Who and Yes. For Zep and Who I played with fingers and, of course, Yes I played with a pick so I’ve never really had an issue of one or the other. Chris Squire’s beautiful phrasing and flying melodious bass lines are perfect for learning/brushing up on pick technique.

    For most of my music now I play with fingers but I always have a few pics around (and one tucked under the pic guard on my fender jazz) for the few times I use them. Dunlop nylon .88 (occasionally the .73).

  21. Bass Guitar Dude, on August 27th, 2009 at 3:01 PM Said:

    I say do what ever you want to get the sound you want. Pick, no pick or take your shoe off and hit the strings with it. The only thing that matters is the sound.

    I think people forget that the bass guitar in an instrument. It’s a “tool” to make music and sound with. The sound that comes out is the only thing that matters.

  22. Benjamin, on August 28th, 2009 at 5:30 PM Said:

    I’ll go with that Bass Guitar Dude!

  23. subcontrabass, on September 9th, 2009 at 1:54 AM Said:

    I always use my fingers but am now getting into slapping, so all styles need different techniques. (but I think picks suck they sound terrible)My favorite is Geddy Lee.

  24. Boz, on September 11th, 2009 at 5:03 PM Said:

    Great job of keeping the discussion alive!

    I wish there was an alternative for my other hand. I just cut the tip of the middle finger almost off of my fretting hand. It was saved, however I need to use a three finger technique for a while.

    I was messing around with some wood picks a while ago. The attack is different, but I haven’t given a full effort into it yet. I have been working on a Throughneck ArchTop Bass with a number unique features I beleive may lend nicely to a wood pick attack. It employs a combination of acoustic (under the top) and magnetic pickups, I am weeks away from stringing it up. A wood pick my not be very durable, but I am expecting its attach to help in creating a more hollow tone. More in a month or so.

  25. Colin Gibb, on October 6th, 2009 at 12:19 AM Said:

    Picks? Yes and No. It totally depends on your music, the sound you want, and of course your personal ability, some players just cant use a pick and play well and some can’t use fingers. (How would Chris Squires of Yes, ever got his signature sound without a pick?) I personally play finger style most of he time, but occasionally use a pick to achieve an aggressive sound by scraping the pick over the string (round wound) at the same time as plucking it. The art is not to scrape too heavily and use a medium pick.

  26. sirpatrick33, on October 6th, 2009 at 3:50 AM Said:

    Just as every baasist is different, so is every bass. Case in point, when I played my Rickenbacker 4003, using a pick was the only way I could coax out that signature Rick sound. I tried finger style and even some slapping, but she just wasn’t happy without feeling the force of a plectrum against her strings. 95% of the time, I used a Jim Dunlop nylon .88. I preferred the Dunlops because of the texture. On a rare occasion, I would use a felt pick to get that deep thump of a stand up.

    On the other hand, my Alembic totally refused to let me use a pick. For some strange reason, when I first picked up that bass, my right hand techniques improved 10 fold. When I tried to use my trusty old pick, it was awkward and uncomfortable. She just would not let me use a pick.

  27. Mike Farley, on October 6th, 2009 at 8:38 AM Said:

    That’s a very good point, Sir Patrick! Although I’m basically a fingerstyle player, I’m quite happy using a pick on a P-Bass, less so on a J-Bass, but it feels very uncomfortable on my current squeeze, an Indie IB-604, which is an active bass with no pickguard and a carved top. Interesting to think what it is about a bass that might make it more or less a picking instrument…

  28. Harry, on December 22nd, 2009 at 7:53 PM Said:

    I think pickin’ is the way to go for punk and hard rock.
    I used Dunlop .88 for years (and I’m not the only one I noticed) but changed to the black Dunlop 1.0 and I think it’s even better (louder!) and your timing is more accurate with a thicker pick.
    For the more jazzy, bluesy and souly stuff I use my fingers.

  29. Benjamin, on December 26th, 2009 at 9:11 PM Said:

    Yes, the Dunlop .88 does seem a popular call!

  30. Mike Farley, on December 26th, 2009 at 9:19 PM Said:

    I prefer the Dunlop .88 to the 1.0mm simply because it feels more articulate. Being a natural fingerstyle player, that’s the thing I tend to miss if I play with a pick. The .88’s heavy enough to get that clank, but not so heavy I feel like I’m wearing a ball and chain 😉

  31. John, on March 31st, 2010 at 6:02 PM Said:

    I’ve got a show coming up in a couple of months where we’re doing some 80s cover tunes and some punk-style stuff. To give my right hand a break, I’m considering using a pick on a few songs, but anticipate having little time to switch back and forth between fingerstyle and pick. What do you guys do with the pick when you’re fingerstyling? I can’t see digging around my pocket to find the pick…

  32. MikeF, on March 31st, 2010 at 8:53 PM Said:

    If it’s just for one song I put it in my mouth! Otherwise, I put it on top of the amp, where it usually vibrates off and bounces underneath a cab… If my bass had a pickguard I’d stick it behind there, which I used to do with a P-Bass, but my present squeeze is carved swamp ash – nowhere to secrete a pick. (If you sing, and use a pick often, there are those slidey holders that go on the mic stand…)

  33. John, on March 31st, 2010 at 9:31 PM Said:

    Mike…thanks. I will most likely be doing some back-up vocals and have thought about sliding the pick under the pickguard on my J-Bass, but I’d have to loosen a couple screws to do that. From what I understand, I’ll be plugged directly in the system (no amp) and will be going back and forth between pick and fingerstyle.

    Jazz guitarist Martin Taylor has a pretty slick pick-swapping technique where he stashes the pick between his ring finger and pinky or middle finger and ring finger (can’t remember which) as he goes back and forth. Doesn’t quite work for the bass, but I like the concept.

  34. >Picking, Slapping, and Plucking, on August 12th, 2010 at 5:17 PM Said:

    […] or plectrum. If it’s something you thought about head over bassguitarblog.com for their post Plectrums – To Pick or Not? It’s a thoughtful post that’s followed by some great commentary by the […]

  35. Bassists Who Never Were : Play Da Bass!, on December 31st, 2010 at 4:53 AM Said:

    […] Plectrums – To Pick or Not […]

  36. Terry, on November 26th, 2011 at 5:03 PM Said:

    I don’t use a pick because I like to control the exact moment the note stops by muting with the picking fingers. Muting by lifting the fret finger can make a rattle and makes extra work for the left hand. If I ever want any boing in my sound I can always snap.

  37. MWest, on January 31st, 2012 at 2:00 AM Said:

    There are those who dislike using plectrums and there are those who do. Although some say that the utilization of guitar picks is necessary, it is still true that sometimes, whatever works for guitar players is what they would follow. However, it is also true that picks can greatly help in enhancing the produced sound.

  38. Justin Levitt, on January 10th, 2018 at 7:48 PM Said:

    For the most part I enjoy playing with my fingers on the bass and avoid using a bass pick at all costs. However, there are just some songs and basslines that require a pick to achieve that sound. This is especially true when it comes to cover bands which I’m in. I find that certain tunes just have to have a pick to sound like the original.

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