Best Acoustic Guitar Pick – Everything You Need To Know About Guitar Picks
Well, choosing the right pick can make a huge difference when it comes to playing guitar. There are so many aspects different types of picks to choose from when you’re trying to find the right pick for yourself, from the material, the thickness, and the shape; everything affects the guitar and the feel of your guitar.
In this blog, we will tell you about the various types of acoustic guitar picks and everything you need to know to select the right pick for your playing style.Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced guitar player, this blog will help you find the perfect pick and take your guitar-playing skills to another level.
Types of Guitar Picks for Acoustic Guitars
The guitar picks come in several shapes and sizes; each has its advantage or application. Some allow high precision, while others help you with strumming, so it comes to your playing technique at the end of the day.
Some of the most common types of guitar picks are the following:
- Flat Picks
Flat picks are the most common type, generally held between your index finger and thumb. These picks allow you to play the guitar precisely; this is the best weather for strumming chords or picking the strings.
- Thumb Picks
The thumb pick attaches to your thumb, making it easier for guitar players to pick each string individually while strumming the chords. The thumb pick produces a cleaner sound while playing the guitar.
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- Finger Picks
The finger picks, on the other hand, attach to acoustic guitar players’ fingers and provide the guitar player with better control over their instrument. Mostly, banjo players and bluegrass players use this type of pick.
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What Thickness Pick Should I Use For the Acoustic Guitar?
The guitar pick thickness impacts the sound when strumming a guitar’s strings. As a beginner, you should experiment with various pick thicknesses to see which best suits your playing preferences and style. However, the majority of guitarists begin with a medium-gauge guitar pick.
- Thicker Picks
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Thick guitar picks are more solid and robust than other guitar picks. However, due to their increased thickness, they are not overly flexible. Heavy music, like metal or punk, is usually played with the help of thicker picks. They have an improved grip and produce a louder sound due to their rigidity.
Using a thick pick for playing guitar produces darker, more prosperous, and mellower tones. Typically, musicians that play fast alternate picking use a thicker pick.
- Medium Picks
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The medium gauge picks for acoustic guitars are about 0.5 mm-0.8 mm thick. This thickness gives guitarists a perfect balance of flexibility and rigidity, making them one of the best choices for guitar picks.
These medium guitar picks produce a brighter, more defined tone than the thinner ones. So, a medium pick is the best option for playing acoustic guitar, as it is easy to handle and hold. They give guitarists some control to strum the guitar with fluid and precise movements.
- Thinner Picks
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A thin pick is known for being a flexible pick, and it is used to produce a quieter and brighter tone. The thickness of thin picks is about 0.5mm and offer several benefits to acoustic guitar players.
A thinner pick is ideal for strumming and playing different rhythms on the guitar. These picks require less pressure to grip, so they are a good choice for beginners. However, thin picks wear down very quickly than the other ones.
In the end, the thickness of the pick is your personal preference. The best way to pick the right thickness is by trying out different pick thicknesses and then selecting the one that works best for you.
Pick Shape and Size
After the thickness, another essential thing to consider when buying the picks is the shape of it. As you might already know, guitar picks come in various shapes and sizes.
Standard Pick:
The standard pick is considered the most common type of pick. It has two rounded ends and a pointed tip. Most acoustic guitars guitar players worldwide use them worldwide as they are best known for Flatpicking and strumming.
Jazz Pick:
Jazz picks for acoustic guitars are just like the standard picks, which means they also have a sharp point which helps with precise picking. They are usually preferred by jazz and blues players because these picks produce a very clear tone.
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Triangle Pick:
The triangle pick is known for its large surface area, which helps with strumming and produces a full, rich sound. They are commonly used for playing lead guitar.
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Teardrop Pick:
The tip is less pointed in the teardrop pick and has completely round ends. As you can see, the teardrop picks have a wider body than standard picks.
Thumb Pick:
The thumb picks are big in size and have curved surfaces that fit over the thumb. Guitarists commonly use them in fingerstyle playing, giving them a more defined tone.
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Finger Pick:
For everyone who is used to strumming chords a lot, it is a no-brainer that you need this in your toolkit. They fit over your fingertips; they help you produce a bright tone rather than your bare finger.
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What Kind of Pick is Best for Fast Strumming?
The best type of pick for acoustic guitar is any guitar pick with a thickness of around 0.5mm – 1.2mm. Picks with these thicknesses work well when it comes to strumming the guitar.
The thicker ones give you a more rigid and defined tone, allowing your individual notes to stand out. The thinner ones give you more of a delicate sound, but they are a perfect option for strumming because they are super easy to hold and carry.
In short, anything that feels comfortable in your hand is the best guitar pick for you, so it’s better to experiment rather than stick to the first pick you come across.
What Are Guitar Picks Made of?
Plastic and Metal are the two most common materials used for guitar picks. Both of these materials have their advantages and disadvantages.
The metal picks usually are made up of stainless steel, copper, and brass and are more rigid than the plastic picks. Players who prefer brighter sounds often use metal picks because they allow precise picking. The disadvantage of using metal picks is that they are harsh on things, resulting in your guitar strings breaking.
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On the other hand, plastic picks are way more flexible than metal picks. People around the world usually prefer plastic picks because they are cheaper and soft on the guitar strings. Plastic picks give a softer sound and are available in many shapes and sizes.
Ultimately, the type of material depends on what material you feel more comfortable with.
Metal Picks vs Plastic Picks?
Well, the pick you need highly depends on your picking technique. Not every pick goes well with your style, so while choosing the material for your pick.
Tone
What kind of tone do you want? The metal guitar picks produce a bright tone, while the plastic ones are for mellow tones.
Playing Style
Another thing that matters is your style, even though metal guitar picks allow great precision and are often considered the best for lead playing. The plastic picks are famous for strumming and rhythm playing.
Durability
is another crucial factor when considering the suitable material for your pick the metal ones are very highly lasting, while on the other hand, plastic picks wear out after a couple of months.
Different Types of Metal Picks
Although metal guitar picks are not used as much as plastic picks for acoustic guitars, let’s see what types of metal picks are popular, what kind of sounds they produce, and how they affect the guitar’s playability. Many guitarists prefer these as they are more durable.
- Stainless steel picks:
Stainless steel picks are famous among guitarists for their ability to avoid distortion and cut through the background noise when playing the guitar with a distinctive attack. They can also withstand repeated usage. They are highly suitable for playing bright tones on a guitar.
People claim that the sole drawback of using stainless steel picks is that you must be ready for your strings to become damaged with time, mainly if you use lighter strings.
- Copper Picks
are cost-effective alternatives for traditional picks made from different plastics. Although heavier than plastic picks and more sturdy, they offer a similar bright but more focused sound.
Some guitarists say that copper picks’ natural tarnish adds uniqueness to their style, personality, and originality over time.
- Titanium Picks:
Guitarists are slowly embracing the new titanium picks. They don’t shatter easily as they are strong and long-lasting. Picks made of titanium offer excellent precision and are easier to handle. Guitarists particularly enjoy it for its distinct tonal clarity. Apart from that, it is ideal for playing with speed or accuracy.
Titanium guitar picks can be pricey compared to other options, but they are an excellent long-term investment.
- Brass Picks
One of the best picks for acoustic guitar is the brass pick. These are amazing for heavy strumming and flat-picking. Perfect-quality brass picks produce a very unique sound that stands out among other sounds. It all depends on how you use brass picks because they can make soft and harsh sounds when used a certain way.
These are also cheap and can be found easily in the market.
Different Types of Plastic Picks
The material of the pick affects the type of sound a guitar produces. This shows how the pick’s composition affects the vibration of the guitar strings. Guitarists should also consider the kind of material that feels comfortable in their hands when buying a guitar pick.
As plastic guitar picks are more commonly used to play guitars, let’s explore a few different types of plastic used in making guitar picks. Nylon, celluloid, and delrin are the three plastics most frequently used in the production of guitar picks. You’ll notice that all the different guitar pick materials will produce a unique sound.
- Nylon Guitar Picks:
Nylon guitar picks have multiple advantages, unlike other materials. They provide a level, uniform playing surface and are sturdy, durable, and resistant to wear. They also offer more precision and control because of their flexibility and texture, which can be customized to a guitarist’s particular way of playing.
A nylon guitar pick also has a brighter sound than one made of tortoiseshell or celluloid. Nylon picks are a popular alternative for guitarists of all ability levels and are also an affordable option. For guitarists who like a consistent sound and cozy feel.
Nylon picks are ideal for playing both acoustic and electric guitars.
- Celluloid Guitar Picks:
Celluloid guitar picks are known for producing a warmer sound and for having a natural feel. Celluloid picks are available in a variety of shapes and thicknesses and are often highly polished and smooth. Many jazz and blues musicians appreciate them for their well-known mellow tone.
Celluloid picks are said to be more fragile and prone to breaking or fracture. Other than that, celluloid picks have reportedly been known to fade over time through exposure to light and moisture. Despite this, many guitarists still like celluloid picks for their distinctive tone and feel.
- Delrin Guitar Picks:
Delrin, a thermoplastic polyoxymethylene, is used to make picks that are renowned for their strength and durability. The matte surface of Delrin picks helps players easily grasp onto them while playing and prevents them from slipping out of their fingertips.
Guitarists looking for a pick that can withstand continuous use while still providing a crisp, clear tone should consider using Delrin picks since they are a reliable and long-lasting solution.
Delrin picks offer a brighter tone that is comparable to nylon picks with greater attack and definition. This is the reason that they are mainly used by guitarists that play rock, punk, and metal. They are able to resist aggressive strumming and picking techniques.
- Ultex Guitar Picks
Ultex guitar picks work well with acoustic guitars because of their durable polymer structure, which provides you with more control over the strings. They are built solidly so that you may use them regularly without worrying about them breaking or wearing out too soon, and they have a smooth playing surface so that you can strum the guitar quickly and precisely.
These are perfect for guitarists who enjoy playing with a lot of attack and desire a clear, crisp tone. These picks are firm, which causes a reduction in undesired noise and string rattling as well as high-gain and distorted guitar tones.
- Carbon Fiber Picks:
Carbon fiber, which combines rigidity and durability, is used to make guitar picks due to its lightweight and high strength. Carbon fiber picks can withstand heavy use. Many guitarists prefer these as they are the ideal choice because of their stiffness, which enables controlled and precise picking and strumming techniques.
Rock, metal, and other genres call for picks that can stand out from the background din of amplified music, which is why the majority of guitarists who play such styles do so. They come in a variety of forms and thicknesses to meet different playing styles and aesthetic preferences.
Are Acoustic and Electric Guitar Picks The Same?
While similar picks can be used on both acoustic and electric guitars, most picks have distinct shapes, sizes, thicknesses, and materials because certain picks might be more appropriate for each type of guitar.
When playing an acoustic guitar, thinner and more flexible picks are mainly used to produce natural soft tones instead of the thicker picks which produce deeper sounds and are better suited for electric guitars. It also depends on the guitarist because every musician has their own personal tastes and style.
With the help of all the information provided in this article, I am sure you will be able to play guitar with picks more easily and figure out your personal preference. A pick can make the playability of acoustic instruments more convenient, and one of its major advantages is that it may protect your fingers from developing calluses. I urge you to go to a local music store right now and try out different picks and see how they feel in your hand.
What Makes Zager Pick Unique?
Zager carbon guitar picks with the thumb hole pivot point are pretty unique, or you can say it is one of the best acoustic guitar pick in the market. The Zager picks have a patented flex tip design that smoothly rolls over the string, eliminating string breakage or tuning issues. The thumb pivot point allows a comfortable grip making long music sessions way easier. Also, the holes for the thumb, pointer, and middle fingers allow for multiple finger positions that feel natural in your hand.
Zager gives a lifetime warranty for picks and a 100% money-back guarantee. If you break it, we replace it for free. You can buy a pack of 5 picks for just 19$.
About Zager
The most outstanding features of modern technology and traditional craftsmanship are combined during our registered method for designing and manufacturing guitars. The best perk for beginners is that Zager offers a package deal where each instrument you buy comes with an accessory bundle that includes everything you need when purchasing a guitar.
The Zager’s accessory pack consists of the following:
- Free Zager pro-ABS digital humidified case $199
- Free lifetime membership to Mr. Zager’s Guitar Lesson Library for $295
- Free years’ worth of Zager custom EZ-Play pillow touch strings for $89
- Free years’ worth of Zager carbon guitar picks for $39
- Free Zager leather padded strap $48
- Free Zager pro stainless capo $39
- Free expedited shipping for $79
Due to its bespoke bracing system and unique string spacing, Zager guitars are the best and easiest to play. Due to how little give the bracing has in the face, there is no unintentional buzzing or rattling. Therefore, you only need to press the instrument to create chords lightly.
FAQS
How Often Should I Replace My Guitar Pick?
The lifespan of a guitar pick normally depends on how much you use it or how hard it’s played. Sometimes the picks become worn out or broken, which highly affects playability, so changing them every 2-3 weeks is better.
Can I Use a Flat-Pick or Thumb Pick For Fingerstyle Playing Style?
Normally the fingerpicks are used for fingerstyle guitar playing. However, some players prefer using flat picks or thumb picks instead. So YES, you can, but it depends on how comfortable you are with them.
How Do I Clean My Guitar Pick?
The best play to clean your guitar pick is by wiping them using a clean, dry cloth. Otherwise, you can also wash them with soap and water but make sure to dry them properly afterwards.
What is a Hybrid Pick?
It is a picking technique that combines both fingerstyle and pick playing. You play specific notes using the pick while others are played with your fingers.
Can I Use a Coin or Other Items as a Guitar Pick?
You can use a coin or some other item as a guitar pick. However, it is not recommended since these aren’t designed for guitars. It may damage the strings on your instrument which would be bad for the guitar’s tone quality.
