V-Picks

[stephen]

OK, on another forum someone inquired about picks, and his discussion/complaint centered around dropping picks. I told him about the Everly picks that I use. Good pick that just dont drop outta your fingers, unless you mean to drop it.

Well, I got an email from Vinni Smith at V-Picks. He asked me if I was interested in trying out some of his picks. He would give them too me for free, his one condition was, I gotta say something about em, and he hopes its positive.

Now, I have to back up a little further still. Back in the mid/late 70's, I came across a stone pick. It was highly polished, orange and white striped stone, that was in a traditional pick shape. When I first saw it (at NAMM) I thought, this is nuts: A 20 dollar stone pick? No way Jose! Not for me!" Then the guy let me try it. Three minutes later, I was forking over the 20 bucks + tax, and that became my number one pick. Only problem was, it got as slick as snot from a sick camel once my sweat hit it, so I had to take a dremel type tool and rough up the sides a bit, and it was perfect. Used it for years till I either lost it, or a soon to be ex-girlfriend took it. I never could find a suitable replacement for it, so I went back to the more traditional material picks like nylon, delrin, and plastic, ultimately winding up with Everly Star picks that I have used exclusively now for the last several years.

So when I get this email from Vinni, I almost junked it, but I went and checked out his website:
http://www.v-picks.com/, and it looked interesting, REALLY interesting. So I told him, Yeah, I'm game, and I got them this week. Three styles: A Large Rounded, Large pointed, and a V-Pick Ultra-lite, which is much more traditional pick shaped, and thinner (.5mm vs 2.75mm). My son is helping me with this (more like he saw them and went, "Cool, I'll try this one out", and hasnt set it down yet. Punk).

I've been trying out the Large Rounded, and it is phenomenal! It really does grab that vibe of my old long-lost stone pick, but it is MUCH lighter, and because of the make-up of the lexan, it doesnt shift around or slip between my fingers! Instant grip without a funky feeling surface you got to adapt too. WAY COOL!

This pick just glides across the strings, and allows me to pick faster and smoother, and I still can get all the pinch harmonics and aggressive pick attack thats in my bag-o-guitar-playing-tricks, and I dont see any downside to this pick at all, except it does cost a bit more than standard picks. Standards run about 25 cents each. These ones cost 4 bucks each. Ouch!, but, they seem worth it. You cant take my word for it, you gotta try it for yourself, cause I did go into this thinking, "I dont think its worth the extra coin", but once I played it, I was saying, "TOTALLY WORTH IT!".

Oh, and the thicker profile to it really enhances your tone too. First word that comes to mind is "fatter". I mean, it is incredible how different it is when you A-B a standard style pick to a V-Pick. All of a sudden , your tone sounds thin with a standard pick, and it sounds just so right with the V-Pick. But you gotta hear it for yourself.

I'll be back to update this post with my reviews on the other picks when I get too em, and see if I can get my son to offer up his impressions as well.

[Barry]

You gonna have these at the BBQ/jam for those in attendance to try out? On the rare occasions that I've played 6-string over the years, it's just about always been using the old standard Fender thins or mediums. I'm curious about these V-pics now, but I haven't been playing enough these days to plunk down $4 for one.

[Crunchyriff]

I have some of the V-Picks. I like them, but not for everything. I still use usually Clayton or Dunlop 1.52 or 2.0 mm picks.

I'll have to drag out the V-Picks again. For me- while I found them phenomenal for lead playing, they were too 'fat' sounding for some of the rhythm tones & textures I use, IIRC.

I'll give them another shot 'live'.

Other than that, I believe they are a great product.

[stephen]

And I just found out that Vinni Smith is a brother in the Lord!

[stephen]

Oh, and my son Jeremiah has fallen in love with the V-Pick lite, and wants to stock up on a boatload of em for himself!

I played Sunday morning both services with the Medium Rounded, and it just settled it for me: I gotta get two boatloads of those picks for myself!

I've totally adjusted to them, and now my old Everly picks feel "odd".

And now I find myself wanting to try the V-Pick "Fattie". Oi-Vay!

[Crunchyriff]

I'm using the fat V-picks I haven't tried the V-pick lite. Didn't know they made one.

[stephen]

I'm using the fat V-picks I haven't tried the V-pick lite. Didn't know they made one.

Actually, I called em lites, but they are called "Ultra Lites":

http://www.v-picks.com/UltraLites.html

There .5mm, where my fav's (so far) medium rounded, are 2.75mm

[stephen]

Man, I just keep diggin my V-Pick! I dont want to play with any other pick. I love how it fattens up my tone. It doesnt make sound darker, but its like it gives a warm "girth", and fullness.

And now I'm really jonesin to try that Fattie V-Pick.

I'm startin to think that Vinnie Smith has invented the "crack" of picks, at least in my case that is..........

[Crunchyriff]

I've been using the V-pick for the last two weeks and am digging it again. I just play a little closer to the saddles to bring out the 'chime' for certain things. Either way- Clayton 1.52-2.00mm or the V-Pick, it's all good. That's the type of pick I want for electric guitar.

You shoulda seen the look on my pastor's face yesterday when I handed the V-pick to him to check out... hehehehehe

utter disbelief. :D "You use THAT??"

[stephen]

You shoulda seen the look on my pastor's face yesterday when I handed the V-pick to him to check out... hehehehehe

utter disbelief. :D "You use THAT??"

That "look" alone is almost worth the 4 bucks each!

[Crunchyriff]

It was truly a look of wonder & disbelief in a most incredulous fashion... :)

Yup- wish I would have had my camera for that one.

[Tech Player]

And I just found out that Vinni Smith is a brother in the Lord!


That is just too cool! Thanks for the link, great stuff. I like the therapeutic pick idea that I have worked on too for a good buddy and brother in the Lord.

Anything to keep us playing post-injury, or into our 50's?
:sunny::geezer::guitar7:

[Crunchyriff]

Update after week two with a second test drive:

While i really like the V-pick, and it's a GREAT concept... I'm kinda waffling on it for solitary use (in a live situation). It's almost like too much of a good thing. For me anyway. With the abundance of 'phat' I've seemed to have sacrificed a bit too much chime with some of my single-coil sounds- like positions 2 & 4 on a strat. For me the 1.52 & 2.00mm claytons offer a better compromise and more flexibility in tone.

I may fare better with the thinner V-pick. I dunno.

[Micter]

Stephen let me borrow one of the "shredder" style V picks and for fast runs it works great but to try and play mellow strumming it was worthless.

[SAguitar]

Yah mon, I've been using Vinnie's madness for a few months now, and I have found them excellent for single note work, but somehow I don't like them for strumming stuff. I keep hearing extra noise, like the pick clacking against the strings 'n stuff. Now maybe that's just bad technique on my part, or the fact that I'm using in-ears.

I am going to have to try some of V's Ultralights. They might be just the thing. :smart:

[BuckyB]

Stephen - I forgot to ask to try one these at the bbq! I remember there used to be something similar called a "min'd pick" ( like mind or mined).

[Barry]

I forgot, too. :embarassed:

[dmock66]

I can't say I've tried a V-Pick. I have recognized the difference in tone a pick can make. It's rather remarkable really. It's something I never had considered as a component of overall tone.

I've been playing Jim Dunlop USA Nylon .88 for some time now. To me they feel perfect. The .73s are too lite for my taste where the 1.00 are a smidge thick. I've played both over the years but tend to settle in on the .88s.

I prefer the nylon as they aren't as "clicky" as the plastic Fender type picks I've played but not as dark as the Tortex picks. Also, the nylon last forever. The only reason I stop playing one is because I lose it.

Just my $.02.

[stephen]

Lets see here:

"Mr. I came the Saturday before the jam, because I forgot what day it was", remembered to ask about the pick, and you guys forgot........

Ouch! that musta hurt............

[stephen]

Well, I'm still sold on the V-Picks, and it is the only pick of choice for me.

[Barry]

I just ordered a bunch of them there v-picks. Not that I need picks. I still have a stack of Fender thins and mediums, which I've been using off and on since the 1970s. I just have a hankering to try something that I can grip better and maybe develop a more refined technique.

[stephen]

Play with how you hold it, and attack the strings with it. It will blow your mind how similar, yet dissimilar it is between a V-Pick and a standard style pick. Catch the nuances, and you'll get a lot of mileage out of that pick. Dont, and you'll probably be frustrated with it.

[TheViking]

way cool, I'll drop the dude a mail, haven't seen these anywhere in Scandinavia

[BuckyB]

I guess we'll just have to have annother BBQ/jam so we can try these thingies out!

[stephen]

I guess we'll just have to have annother BBQ/jam so we can try these thingies out!

I guess I better start planning........

[Barry]

Another BBQ/Jam? Awesome idea. All I've got, though, is that little unmodded Valve Jr I brought there last time. The one that got knocked out of the water by everyone else's stuff. It's all I normally need these days but, sadly, it ain't enough for a jam session.

[stephen]

Another BBQ/Jam? Awesome idea. All I've got, though, is that little unmodded Valve Jr I brought there last time. The one that got knocked out of the water by everyone else's stuff. It's all I normally need these days but, sadly, it ain't enough for a jam session.

We'll have an amp for you that can run with the bid dogs, so dontchya worry!

[Barry]

We'll have an amp for you that can run with the bid dogs, so dontchya worry!

Uhm... Okay. But what's a "bid dog"? lol

You're sounding like it's gonna happen there, guy. Fer shur? :dunno:

[stephen]

Uhm... Okay. But what's a "bid dog"? lol

You're sounding like it's gonna happen there, guy. Fer shur? :dunno:

:embarassed: "Big Dogs", not bid dogs.

Yep, I is fer-shure! It's kind of a special b-day this year.

[Barry]

:embarassed: "Big Dogs", not bid dogs.

Yep, I is fer-shure! It's kind of a special b-day this year.

Well, hot dogs are ok too if it's a BBQ. :hungry:

Cool. I guess I'll have to check whether the video camera is still working.

Is the plan for sometime in or around Sept by any chance?

[Barry]

Oh, just to keep on topic....

I got the v-picks! A wide variety of 'em. I'm undecided what my favorites are, but so far the medium rounded or pointed - either - is pretty awesome. I may be a convert. I'll have to put new strings on before I get too comfortable with any of them, tho. Dead strings don't do much for anything.

[stephen]

Cool!

[stephen]

Oh, did you get the clears or the colored ones? The colored ones are way easier to find when you drop them.

[Barry]

clear

[bek]

I have been using the big, rounded-triangle Fender Heavy picks for a long time, but gave V-Picks a try because of curiosity. I tried the Freakishly Large Rounded, which is pretty much a much-thicker version of the Fender, and the Fattie. It was ok, but not really impressive. A few months later I ordered one of his new slides and decided to get a couple glow-in-the-dark Screamers. I didn't expect to like it much, but I got it to give one to my grandson and have one like it so we could share the musical experience. Despite its "shredder/hard rock" sort of description, the pick is pretty dang amazing for me, a classic-rock/blues oriented guy. I personally would like it a size larger, like the Freakishly Large, but it might not play the same, and it is great the way it is. I don't use it for rhythm much, though. YMMV, IMVHO, etc.

[SAguitar]

You know what's really cool about V-picks? I don't lose them!

I guess when I pay that much for picks I tend to keep track of them. I'm still playing the same 5 V-picks I got 2 years ago. :clap:

[stephen]

You know what's really cool about V-picks? I don't lose them!

I guess when I pay that much for picks I tend to keep track of them. I'm still playing the same 5 V-picks I got 2 years ago. :clap:

I dont really lose em either.

But my son loses em for me!