With headphones it's easy to hear that the 3R has almost no string noise, with the CT55 being a distant second in that regard. A while back I bought some triangular Clayton picks, but I decided they were too thin. I've been gluing them together with epoxy, reshaping, and beveling them by hand. I'm not a great player, but the process of shaping the picks has taught me a lot about tone. They end up costing about $1.25 a piece.
biggest difference to me isn't the tone. But, the wegen being a white material. Will be easier to spot. On most barroom floors, carpets, campgrounds, and church basements. Cause we've all had this happen. Where you drop a pick and it's now camouflaged!
I’m a Dunlop Primetone guy. 1.5mm three point for mandolin, .73mm teardrop for guitar. Also Wegen or Golden Gate (3 pt rounded) are 2nd choices. I compared a friend’s Blue Chip to Primetone…couldn’t tell much difference, especially for the price & availability factors. The price of Blue Chip and TS picks given the exchange on US to Canadian dollar aren’t worth it to me. Lastly David, there were subtle differences between the 4 but the Wegen is certainly acceptable considering its price. Wish you had included the Primetone.
Love this video! I use the CT 55. I agree the FS Darth Tri sounded the most similar to the 55. The CT 55 gives the most high end sheen on it. I might even prefer the slightly less high end produced by the FS Darth Tri. May have to try it out... I think the CT 55 and the FS Darth Tri upstage the Wegen. And the 3R is so different than the other three I think of it in a separate category almost. Great job comparing!
They all sound really close, maybe the difference is more pronounced in person. I could tell the more rounded picks did have less brightness especially on the higher strings. I've been using a Red Bear Trading Co tri-tip for a while now. It's interesting because it has three different corners, a sharp point, less sharp, and very rounded so you can sort of swap around as you go for different effects.
Great video, David... as usual! In the blind test, I chose the Blue Chip with the tri-corner as a very close second. For budget reasons, I still use the Golden Gate. I also like the Dunlop Ultex rounded triangle.
I’m not a working musician nor a very good mandolin player but regardless, I am a shameless pick junky and have some pretty good comparative knowledge, at least from my very beginner bedroom perspective, which admittedly doesn’t much align to what may be best in a live band situation nor a professional players recording perspective. I love all of the subtle differences between these picks and how depending on the style and targeted emotional experience a person is going for, how it’s great to have a variety. I think there is a future for a tri-tip that incorporates 3 different materials and perhaps with even 3 different gauges. Imagine depending on the part of the song or maybe even what string, being able to just, with a little turn of the pick go from bright to warm or wet to dry, I think that would be pretty cool. Oh yeah I also think it would be great for you to include an Apollo in the mix, especially the Mike Marshall one and their casein, which I found to be one if the best.
I like the rounded corner on a pick . The Wegen , which I use sounds the same as the Blue Chip. Dunlop 1.3 round edge is good also. A lot depends on the mandolin.
I'd been loving the CT-55 but got the Darth Tone FS Tri Corner 1.3 to try. The Tone Slab continues to come in second to the BlueChip because of its pick noise. The CT-55 is quieter and smoother, while only very slightly brighter. I like dark, but the pick noise is annoying. I will stick with the CT-55. As for durability, I've had to buff the TS a lot more often than I'd anticipated or like.
I change what pick I use as my strings get older to try and compensate for the dull sound of the strings after heavy use . I am on a massive budget and can only afford to really change my strings every few months . I hope to be able to try some of these soon . Really enjoyed this video David . Thank you
I have a box of almost every pick out there.. so I'll have to see if I can add this to it. I've tried so many mandolin picks but have "settled" on my TD40 .. the second fav for me is the John Pearse Fast Turtles - while not a conventional mando pick shape, the tone it gave I still can't get from anything else. (My goto guitar pick now). The one that surprised me the most for dislike was my Wegen... didn't jive with it at all... same with the golden gates and bone, horn, etc..... The Blue chip and Fast turtles are the ones most close to the tone and feel on the strings to the old actual tortoise shell my Dad has when we compared them. All that aside, it's definitely a mandolin thing - 30 years of guitar I used maybe one or two types of picks - start playing mandolin and I've got hundreds from all major brands - even the costly D'addario Chris Thile pick (gotta love player points) - I'll probably settle on something, read that Bill Monroe used a sharpened button or something, and start over... 🤣
I am experimenting with picks. I play a Collings oval hole mandolin and sometimes want more articulation when playing in different sessions. Old time, Irish, the acoustics of the venue, how many people are there, how fast the tune is, can have a major impact on which pick to use. At home I am pretty happy with the Wegen tf 140. In the last session I was in I had to pull out the Wegen 140 guitar pick which gave me more articulation at least to my ears. This is getting as complicated and fun and expensive as string brands and fiddle bows. :D I can absolutely hear all the differences with each pick demonstrated in the video. I wonder how much the feel/texture of the pick influences how one holds it and thus changes the strike tone.
They all sound identical to me. I challenge anyone to do a blind test and tell the difference. All really great picks!! I do prefer the rounded tips personally. All of those picks will CERTAINLY outlast the tortoise shell! Thanks for the review -- I just ordered two of them!
In the blind test I could identify the rounded pick and the Wegen, but the Blue Chip and the Darth Tri were too close to call. If the durability is good, I think they might make a good CT55 alternative, though I really wish somebody would make a boutique pick that came in some sort of bright color, so us butterfingers pickers could find them easier on the floor!
They all sounded great but I'd still say that CT-55 is a step above from what i can hear... and lucky me that's what I already use😂 Would definitely love to try sone more different tone slabs in person though!
What is the song played at 4:25? It sounds a lot like "Two Hornpipes (Tortuga)" From the Pirates of the Caribbean 2 soundtrack, which I've been trying to figure out how to play on my mandolin.
I still haven't found anything I like better than Dunlop 205 jazz picks. They are small, but the bigger version just isn't the same. For tremolo I resort to the Blue chip CT 55 since the small jazz pick is always dangerously close to flying out of my hand.
In this particular test Wegan is the winner for me both blind and labeled. The sound it brings forth ......on this mandolin in the hands of this player in this video...... has more body, more oomph, more depth.
I am more interested in these now that they are made of imide. Also now that they lowered the price to $35. The bluechips are king and the original line of toneslabs (imo) did not offer a better product. And they also came in at a higher price. This is the firat toneslabs product i would consider buying. I dont think they have dethroned bluechip. But at least now they are offering similar performance at the same price. That is good for players.
- when asking friends which pick sounds better, without letting them see the pick? they never (seriously) hear a diff' so i jst use a pick that feels goodest (it that evn a word?) i rue the day i 'll need a $40 pick
With headphones it's easy to hear that the 3R has almost no string noise, with the CT55 being a distant second in that regard.
A while back I bought some triangular Clayton picks, but I decided they were too thin. I've been gluing them together with epoxy, reshaping, and beveling them by hand. I'm not a great player, but the process of shaping the picks has taught me a lot about tone. They end up costing about $1.25 a piece.
biggest difference to me isn't the tone. But, the wegen being a white material. Will be easier to spot. On most barroom floors, carpets, campgrounds, and church basements. Cause we've all had this happen. Where you drop a pick and it's now camouflaged!
I’m a Dunlop Primetone guy. 1.5mm three point for mandolin, .73mm teardrop for guitar. Also Wegen or Golden Gate (3 pt rounded) are 2nd choices. I compared a friend’s Blue Chip to Primetone…couldn’t tell much difference, especially for the price & availability factors. The price of Blue Chip and TS picks given the exchange on US to Canadian dollar aren’t worth it to me. Lastly David, there were subtle differences between the 4 but the Wegen is certainly acceptable considering its price. Wish you had included the Primetone.
I agree with the primetone 1.5, I have a CT-55 but I actually prefer the primetone
Love this video!
I use the CT 55. I agree the FS Darth Tri sounded the most similar to the 55. The CT 55 gives the most high end sheen on it. I might even prefer the slightly less high end produced by the FS Darth Tri. May have to try it out...
I think the CT 55 and the FS Darth Tri upstage the Wegen. And the 3R is so different than the other three I think of it in a separate category almost.
Great job comparing!
On the blind playing I liked the "B" pick best, and figured it was the BC, but I also thought "D" was very comparable to it.
They all sound really close, maybe the difference is more pronounced in person. I could tell the more rounded picks did have less brightness especially on the higher strings.
I've been using a Red Bear Trading Co tri-tip for a while now. It's interesting because it has three different corners, a sharp point, less sharp, and very rounded so you can sort of swap around as you go for different effects.
I’ve been using the bc 55 a couple years but considering a change . Thanks for the comparisons. I’m pretty picky!
I go Blue Chip CT 55 .
Great video, David... as usual! In the blind test, I chose the Blue Chip with the tri-corner as a very close second.
For budget reasons, I still use the Golden Gate. I also like the Dunlop Ultex rounded triangle.
I’m not a working musician nor a very good mandolin player but regardless, I am a shameless pick junky and have some pretty good comparative knowledge, at least from my very beginner bedroom perspective, which admittedly doesn’t much align to what may be best in a live band situation nor a professional players recording perspective.
I love all of the subtle differences between these picks and how depending on the style and targeted emotional experience a person is going for, how it’s great to have a variety.
I think there is a future for a tri-tip that incorporates 3 different materials and perhaps with even 3 different gauges. Imagine depending on the part of the song or maybe even what string, being able to just, with a little turn of the pick go from bright to warm or wet to dry, I think that would be pretty cool.
Oh yeah I also think it would be great for you to include an Apollo in the mix, especially the Mike Marshall one and their casein, which I found to be one if the best.
I use an Apollo pick, one of the John Reischman customized ones. I like the weight of it and the slightly rounded 3 corners.
I like the rounded corner on a pick . The Wegen , which I use sounds the same as the Blue Chip. Dunlop 1.3 round edge is good also. A lot depends on the mandolin.
I'd been loving the CT-55 but got the Darth Tone FS Tri Corner 1.3 to try. The Tone Slab continues to come in second to the BlueChip because of its pick noise. The CT-55 is quieter and smoother, while only very slightly brighter. I like dark, but the pick noise is annoying. I will stick with the CT-55. As for durability, I've had to buff the TS a lot more often than I'd anticipated or like.
I change what pick I use as my strings get older to try and compensate for the dull sound of the strings after heavy use . I am on a massive budget and can only afford to really change my strings every few months . I hope to be able to try some of these soon . Really enjoyed this video David . Thank you
. . . i change strings every three years whether they need it or not :)
Great point- consider the situation. a nod is as good as a wink/blind horse analogy .
I have a box of almost every pick out there.. so I'll have to see if I can add this to it. I've tried so many mandolin picks but have "settled" on my TD40 .. the second fav for me is the John Pearse Fast Turtles - while not a conventional mando pick shape, the tone it gave I still can't get from anything else. (My goto guitar pick now). The one that surprised me the most for dislike was my Wegen... didn't jive with it at all... same with the golden gates and bone, horn, etc..... The Blue chip and Fast turtles are the ones most close to the tone and feel on the strings to the old actual tortoise shell my Dad has when we compared them.
All that aside, it's definitely a mandolin thing - 30 years of guitar I used maybe one or two types of picks - start playing mandolin and I've got hundreds from all major brands - even the costly D'addario Chris Thile pick (gotta love player points) - I'll probably settle on something, read that Bill Monroe used a sharpened button or something, and start over...
🤣
I am experimenting with picks. I play a Collings oval hole mandolin and sometimes want more articulation when playing in different sessions. Old time, Irish, the acoustics of the venue, how many people are there, how fast the tune is, can have a major impact on which pick to use. At home I am pretty happy with the Wegen tf 140. In the last session I was in I had to pull out the Wegen 140 guitar pick which gave me more articulation at least to my ears. This is getting as complicated and fun and expensive as string brands and fiddle bows. :D I can absolutely hear all the differences with each pick demonstrated in the video. I wonder how much the feel/texture of the pick influences how one holds it and thus changes the strike tone.
The large triangles are just too big for me so I went with the Tweener size , rounded corners, and rh bevel. Works best for me.
They all sound identical to me. I challenge anyone to do a blind test and tell the difference. All really great picks!! I do prefer the rounded tips personally. All of those picks will CERTAINLY outlast the tortoise shell! Thanks for the review -- I just ordered two of them!
On the blind test I could tell the CT 55 was either B or D.
I am still too new to get into using fancy picks. But this is good to know for when I make it through the mountain of guitar picks I horded.
The blue chip does not need reshaping after playing one for a while. That’s a big plus to me.
In the blind test I could identify the rounded pick and the Wegen, but the Blue Chip and the Darth Tri were too close to call. If the durability is good, I think they might make a good CT55 alternative, though I really wish somebody would make a boutique pick that came in some sort of bright color, so us butterfingers pickers could find them easier on the floor!
Great comparison video! Does anyone like David Grisman's Dawg picks? I enjoy them alot.
@@MandoMojo77 I find them too thick and stiff
Tweener 3 round with holes, it's the way!
They all sounded great but I'd still say that CT-55 is a step above from what i can hear... and lucky me that's what I already use😂
Would definitely love to try sone more different tone slabs in person though!
What is the song played at 4:25? It sounds a lot like "Two Hornpipes (Tortuga)" From the Pirates of the Caribbean 2 soundtrack, which I've been trying to figure out how to play on my mandolin.
I just ordered the FS Darth Tone 3 R to compare to my BC TAD 3R both 1.5. Anxious to see how they compare.
Definitely the blue chip for me!
I still haven't found anything I like better than Dunlop 205 jazz picks. They are small, but the bigger version just isn't the same. For tremolo I resort to the Blue chip CT 55 since the small jazz pick is always dangerously close to flying out of my hand.
In this particular test Wegan is the winner for me both blind and labeled. The sound it brings forth ......on this mandolin in the hands of this player in this video...... has more body, more oomph, more depth.
Blueship❤and 3r yea for me
I am more interested in these now that they are made of imide. Also now that they lowered the price to $35. The bluechips are king and the original line of toneslabs (imo) did not offer a better product. And they also came in at a higher price. This is the firat toneslabs product i would consider buying. I dont think they have dethroned bluechip. But at least now they are offering similar performance at the same price. That is good for players.
Darth Tri 3R for me
Ugggg, please stop enabling my addiction.
Still think the BlueChip has the edge.
The 3R is sweet
Dunlop Prime Tone 1.5mm here. Couldn’t discern any significant differences between the four in the video.
- when asking friends which pick sounds better, without letting them see the pick? they never (seriously) hear a diff' so i jst use a pick that feels goodest (it that evn a word?) i rue the day i 'll need a $40 pick
I picked B in the blind test
Apollo PEI picks all day
Bog Steet picks FTW.
A $3.00 pick and PRACTICE makes the most difference...
Imagine a $40 pick and practice…
The real Tortoise shell is still better
How can you get more durable than the CT55, BC just do not wear, not to mention it is still the king. Sorry toneslab.
picks are made of amide, surely?
tone slab tri
Sound is to dull with all these picks, since they are to thick. About 1.13 makes it sound like a mandolin.