In the room, I couldn't really hear that much of a difference but yeah listening back to them you can definitely hear a difference and in my opinion I think the flow 0.73 and 1mm sounded the best. SUBSCRIBE!
personal preference obviously, thicker plecs have more oomph in the tone, but i always stay at around 1mm~ and lighter because its fun to play and obviously personal preference right here
I've been a finger picking bass player for almost thirty years now and never realized there was so much difference between picks effecting guitar sound. This vid definitely showed how varied the sound can be with different picks. Thanks
In case anyone wants to know this stuff, these ultex picks are based on Jim Dunlop Jazztone 208 polycarbonate picks. The Andy James picks are practically jt208 picks. The Petrucci models are smaller Andy James picks, somewhere between Jazz 3 and your standard picks. Both have smooth surfaces while the standard Flow varieties feature a low profile grip and are available in thicknesses from .73 mm to 3 mm and two sizes. Source: selective memory and not being able to rest till I'm able to grab these in my country
I was surprised I can actually hear the difference between the picks! I have been listening to you play guitar for so many years, that must be why. My favorite are the Tortex and then the Flow. I use the TIII tortex. I think they have a mean bite to them that I like.
I used Gator Grip (1.14mm) for a long time, then switched to Nylon 1.14mm for an even longer time. I'm now trying TIII, i could never get on well with sharp tip or small picks but now i'm enjoying the TIII and the nylons and gators don't get much use. I just never gave it enough time to get used to i think. How do those Ultex jazz XL compare to TIII ? Plectra and strings can make such a difference in sound for very little money.
The Dunlop Ultex Sharp .90 picks are amazing picks. They have a great sound and glide on the strings so nice and smooth it makes alternate picking easier.
The differences were very subtle (at least audibly) but I believe that the right pick more or less imparts a big impact on your feel and the way you play. Everything just starts to feel right. With that said I've been using the Ultex II Jazz 3's for years now but I wanna try the Flow series.
I really believe that if you get such comments you have "peaked" as a TH-camr. I can't imagine how happy Ola gets when he stumbles upon such short, yet wholesome messages of appreciation. A bit irrelevant but yeah, must feel so good
I like my 4.2mm Flow pick. It's very easy to hold and it glides over the strings easily. The only problem is that I don't like the way it sounds. I prefer the brightness and attack of thinner picks. It's great for practicing unplugged, though.
Watching 11 minutes of Ola shooting out picks... what am I doing with my life?! . . . Just kidding, I found it very interesting and you can hear a subtle difference between each pick, love you brOla!
You should probably just use the pick that fits for you best, the extra comfort is gonna make your playing sound much better compared to if you just picked the best sounding pick
I used to use the Jazz III's until I found Petrucci's, the extra length really helps Jazz III's and really should be the standard on them, I try to pick them up whenever I can.
I got a couple in a mix bag and was very surprised that there actually was a difference I could feel. Not too sure about the actual sound, but they're very comfortable to play / handle.
So why does everybody like Jazz picks? I assume we're talking about the little bitty ones like the Jazz III. No argument on heavy picks, I don't like any flex, really. But I have a hard enough time hanging on to standard size picks, so I don't care for little ones, especially since I use 3 fingers on the pick sometimes. That said, I'm not a huge fan of the larger, near perfectly triangular ones either, which seems counterintuitive, but is true nonetheless. 🤷♂️
@@ledchickenfpv7164 You're closer to the strings. And since there's less pick material the force you hold the pick with translates better. As far as grip goes, that has to do with the surface not the size.
those thicker picks seem to open up the low end more, like an eq tweak. (i am thinking that less pick flex puts more of a snap into the heavier string) Your original tortex has more definition but is thinner sounding. I use 0.96 Gator grips, so i'm probably fail and you can ignore my comments. However, I think we can agree on "Dunlop for life". Have a great day. \m/ \m/
I have a couple purple plectrums, and those take a bit of effort but sound pretty good. Otherwise I prefer thicker picks 1mm + with a grippy feel to the thumb section with raised dots and text, less it fly free of my fingers whilst pinch harmonics are being played.
I'd played medium plex for years. Than I tried out some Flows and I asked myself why I don't checked out some others. I think the Flows are perfect for sweep or speed picking. But sometimes I need some resistance at the strings... My mind is now open, but I'm still surching.
ive been using john petruccis new sig dunlop 2mm flow pick.!! and i love it.!! Andy james actually handed john Petrucci one of his sig picks to try and he fell in love with it.!! Petruccis pick is exactly like Andy James pick but smaller.!!
Thank you for making this video. I think different materials and thicknesses make a noticeable difference in which frequencies get emphasized. A highly overlooked aspect of guitar playing.
I was at a soilwork concert yrs ago and the guitarist threw a pick. I caught it and found it was exactly what i use. Dunlop 0.88 the grey ones. Gave it to some collector fan there. I seen many who use them. These days so much variety.
John Petrucci flow is a little bit smaller then the Andy James flow. Personally I've gotten to where I like a thicker pick it sounds good on Riffing and improves accuracy on solos.
I also thought the thicker picks would be difficult to use. But after using a 2mm pick I've found they make leads easier to play. Think I'll have to give the 3mm a try.
Muddy??? Try a hufschmid Anvil, just insane how much clarity you can get from this pick...as thick as a pebble and if you flick it hard enough at people you might take out someone's eye!
I just got some Dunlop FLOW picks yesterday and loved them right away. They cut through the strings much easier due to the bevel and have really good tone; fuller, IMO. Great stuff, Ola
Should check out Zenfire Picks, Since trying their Phat Jazz picks (similar to the Jazz 3) I can't play a lick without them. Addicting! I think it's the grip pads and beveled edges.
When I use a pick playing bass I only use a 1 mm pick. I think on bass you need a little more give than on guitar. Maybe not, i dont know but I dont like anything thinner and just dig in too hard with anything thicker if thats even possible.
I'm currently really enjoying the Hetfield Black Fang picks. The flow shape seems to work really well if you have a fairly pronounced angle to your picking, but the thinner gauge (i'm using the 1.0) has a better tone than I think anything over 1.14 does. I'm going to buy some more thinner Flow shaped stuff to try. I generally use TIIIs or the Jazz 3 Carbon.
All great picks there, but I don’t think any pick will overtake the .88mm Tortex Jazz III for me. It’s thick enough for added grind and precision, but thin enough for clarity and my horribly aggressive picking hand. Any pick thicker than 1mm and strings start snapping.
I can hear a difference in the picks. And seeing how your picking mechanics works with them. To me tortex has more resistance and grabs more. I love the Ultex sharp .90. Very fast release. The flow tones I am going to have to try They have smooth release and clear sound. The Petrucci almost lacks edge for riffs to me. But is very round and fat on single notes.
The pick attack of the tortex sits on the high mid side of the spectrum. The Flows are more bassy. Flows and regular Jazz IIIs help eliminate the scratchy sting noize from fast alternate picking but the tortex sounds better with more groovie/djenty stuff.
I personally got addicted to the primetone jazz 3's after buying a pack. I use those mainly and only switch back to a regular red jazz 3 pick for "the trooper" or "knights of cydonia"(or anything that involves tremolo picking on the wound strings). I'm going to order a set of these flow picks now, let's compare them to my previous favorite pick the jazztone 205.
i used to use the rhino picks and i switched to jazz 3's 1.14 and never went back since. cant take em. tried the jazz 3 stubby and that was a terrible waste of money. dont think ill change my picks anytime soon.
Ola, you should try swiss picks. I use the blue cheese. They sound like the tortex picks but have that pick recoil, you know that little scratchy sound that bounce back when you pick. The swiss pick feels like the pick is removed from the equation
I started to use 0.88 mm tortex because James Hetfield used that pick back in the day. I've tried almost any kind of pick released by Jim Dunlop and I still like the feel of a .88 tortex pick...
I'm a bit of a pick junky lol.. I have about every kind of tortex there is I think. I used to always use the yellow .73 then started using heavier ones when I started using heavier strings for detuning and got into 7 and now 8 string guitars. I just seen online the other day meshuggah has signature picks so I had to order them lol
What I found was a good additional test for finding a guitar pick that worked for me, was to play the tremolo riffs (1/16th notes) at high BPMs. I have the Flow 1.5mm and the Jazz III Nylon 1.38mm and I find that for tremolo picking, the Jazz III makes it a bit easier to play those fast notes and with the Flow 1.5mm I need to work a bit harder to get those notes out clean and consistently. Perhaps something for you to try out and see if that makes any difference for you, Ola? :)
recently I got the Petrucci Flow pick and really dug it for a couple gigs and rehearsals.. but then I wanted to re-try the white GraphTech Tusq 1.4 teardrop pick which I had a couple years ago.. so I ordered some and I think I'll stay with them.. they sound great.. they feel right.. and really easy to find when dropped on the floor.. haha!
I’ve been a jazz 3 tortex player for about a year. Tried a couple flows and now the Petrucci is go. Never thought I’d like a pick that’s so thick, but there’s a smoothness to the feel and definitely a different tone that the J3 tortex.
I play with the Tortex J3 1.14mm as well. I love them...But I started with the USA 208 back in the day. And the Flows are based on these. J3 is more focused on mids, mellow on highs. Flows (JP) sound even more smooth in mids. Back in the day I love that because rhythms sounded fat and amazing, but I used to have problems with fast alternate picking as it seemed to miss up the notes....Or maybe it was just me, duh.....
I used to play 1mm picks until my teacher converted me to Dunlop Stubby 3mm picks. Took a while to get used to but I soon noticed increased pick attack and accuracy, especially when doing fast leads.
I moved from Hetfield's Ultex 1.14 to that red Primetone as well. But unfortunately they wear down to a stump almost just as fast and they're way too expensive to do that with. - I went to those thick black Primetones, which are a little too chunky too hold, but they don't go below 3mm or something (I think it's basically the Flow Jumbo, except I don't know about the material), but they last a lot longer. I really wanted to try a new model from Dragon's Heart picks, but while the guy promised they were coming around like halfway 2017, they're still not out and he won't respond to any mention of them. - Weird...
I generally use prime tone 1.3 and the same purple 1.14 tortex picks used in your video. I like the sharp attack from the prime tone picks, and tortex picks last forever.
I used to play metal without a pick, but a couple weeks ago i found a Dunlop Little Stubby 3mm and the tone is just insane! Just dont like the grip scoop they have so ill give these a shot! Thanks Brola
I honestly either use Jazz3 1.-1.14s or glue a fake fingernail to my index so it dont wear my nail thin. Much better subtle articulation using a fake nail with less 'pick noise'.
I use the Big Stubby 3mm (nylon) and once you get used to the center shape.. it helps speedwise, and the sound you get it's.. more "alive"¿ ... but seeing this, I'll probably try the Flow 3mm, it's a more familiar pick shape. Thank you Ola!
Petrucci doesn't use ultex material I think with his flow? Cause I remember watching somewhere John enjoys nylon stuff while James prefer ultex. Both are flow (3 mm thickness with rounded edges yet pointy shape) and aim for easy playing but different material I think (havent bought it yet, too expensive to me, I'm still doing custom made with 10 USD for 100 pcs from local dude)
To me it sounded like the thicker flows made the guitar sound more even just as you mentioned and it seemed like it got rid of some harsh frequencies that other licks were giving the guitar.
I gave the 3mm dunlop stubby a chance and I'm totally sold. I love the tone and ease of use. I always try them out with a clean tone. It's just a peference.
For some reason I like the Tortex the best. I personally kind of like a duller sound; the thicker picks with rounded edges can bring out some unpleasantly high-pitched squeaky sounds. Could also just be cognitive dissonance though, since I find tortex and the like much more comfortable in the hand and maybe that’s just tricking my ear. Curious if anyone else has this experience.
They should've branded them as light, medium and heavy Flow. Is there any difference between the normal Flow picks and the Petrucci/Andy James ones? The signatures are 2mm and there are 2mm non-sig ones. They're all made of ultex, which I have really grown to like since trying the JP Jazz III picks (my favorite pointy pick). I really like Dunlop Americana picks (the round variety) as well for more strummy playing. The Flows have a good point to them but also round and symmetrical corners, so maybe they combine everything I like in one pick. I can't find a good size reference of the jumbo Flows. It looks like the standard Flows are a bit bigger than a regular Tortex or nylon pick. I doubt my local store will have them all in stock so I guess I'll have to take a gamble.
I got a bag of the Andy James Picks and I can honestly say it improved my playing, I was using Jazz III XLs and the previous Petrucci pick but the love the flow!
I've been using Jazz III for 5 or 6 years and my only complaint was they were kinda slippery but then they came out with a high grip one that is great.
I've tried a ton of picks and the Tortex jazz iii and the the ultex jazz iii are my favorite. I still pick up other ones depending on the feel of each guitar.
Before you said it I was thinking the same how tortex sounded brighter almost like it was missing something and the flow pick makes it sound more full and rounded
I found that thick rounded off picks I can solo like crazy with because they glide across the strings smoothly. But I loose that crispness I get from my 1.14s So I recently changed to 1.14s myself and like the more edgy tone.
A pick review! That was a first for me...but was surprising how I could actually hear subtle differences. I've always "picked" based on feel and never considered actual change in the attack sound. Luckily, tortex is already my fave and I just started experimenting with jazz picks. I really like the sharp point and the textured grip helps keep them in place between my fingers. Great video idea!
When it comes to guitar picks, you should listen to the DI's to hear the difference. I was playing classic Jazz III and got back on tortex .88mm because of how much low end you loose with the Jazz III, specially in palm mutes. I wasn't able to hear that much of a difference with the distorsion on but without it you hear a very big difference !
I've found the 1.4 prime tones have the same sound as the Eric johnson 1.4's. The main difference I found was in the resonance of the material and the smoother edges . If you drop them both on a table the prime tones ring like a bell.
The Flow is the perfect shape for technical playing, felt right from first time trying it and much better than the regular 351 shape or the sharp pointed ones.
Have you tried the Dunlop Max Grip Jazz III Carbon Fiber Picks ? They have a little bit of flex because of the carbon compared to nylon, and they last forever too! Great video btw!
In the room, I couldn't really hear that much of a difference but yeah listening back to them you can definitely hear a difference and in my opinion I think the flow 0.73 and 1mm sounded the best. SUBSCRIBE!
try dragon heart picks feels weird at first but after a few days you click with it
personal preference obviously, thicker plecs have more oomph in the tone, but i always stay at around 1mm~ and lighter because its fun to play and obviously personal preference right here
Ok. Men vilket va skönast att spela med? Chuggs, tremolo...och vilket flyger bäst när man slänger det på skrikande fans?
I've always used of the Tortex .80mm as its great for both rhythm and lead. Might have too look into these Flow picks though
Hahaha! The best way to put a Call to Action in a sticky youtube comment. Ola, you are revolutionizing the rules of copywriting web.
The way that the 5150 is sitting on the cab is about to give me a heart attack
Andrew Baena RIGHT?!?!
OCD bruhh
It’s already giving me a heart attack.
BRUH I NEVER NOTICED THAT I HAD A MINI HEART ATTACK WHEN I LOOKED AT THE 5150 LMAO
@@alessandroramirez5906 It's not OCD its because hes scared that the expensive 5150 is going to fall off the cab
P I C K R E V I E W
*clap clap*
Man I wish I could tell my 18 year old self that in a decade I would be sitting in my practice room watching guitar pick review videos on TH-cam
Same. I play guitar but I don't know why I am watching this instead of playing lol.
I'm 18 and I'm doing that right now
LOL
Why
Same, same
I've been a finger picking bass player for almost thirty years now and never realized there was so much difference between picks effecting guitar sound. This vid definitely showed how varied the sound can be with different picks. Thanks
It wasn't worthless because I'm totally buying some flow picks
you won't be disappointed. Month in since I got some and the honeymoon hasn't worn off. They are sweet!
That's the entire reason Ola got these picks in the first place.
Thanks mate, I totally dind't realise. Real eye opener.
Great pic !!!! ( Flow Pertrucci )
Is anyone else getting an anxious feeling from the 5150 hanging OFF THE CAB in the background?
Nope?
Just me?
Cool
In case anyone wants to know this stuff, these ultex picks are based on Jim Dunlop Jazztone 208 polycarbonate picks. The Andy James picks are practically jt208 picks. The Petrucci models are smaller Andy James picks, somewhere between Jazz 3 and your standard picks. Both have smooth surfaces while the standard Flow varieties feature a low profile grip and are available in thicknesses from .73 mm to 3 mm and two sizes. Source: selective memory and not being able to rest till I'm able to grab these in my country
I was surprised I can actually hear the difference between the picks! I have been listening to you play guitar for so many years, that must be why. My favorite are the Tortex and then the Flow. I use the TIII tortex. I think they have a mean bite to them that I like.
My favourite is still Dunlop Big Stubby 3mm and it's a bit thinner (up to 2mm to the point)
@@NickVolk my 2nd fav after the Dunlop Flow 420
I used Gator Grip (1.14mm) for a long time, then switched to Nylon 1.14mm for an even longer time. I'm now trying TIII, i could never get on well with sharp tip or small picks but now i'm enjoying the TIII and the nylons and gators don't get much use. I just never gave it enough time to get used to i think. How do those Ultex jazz XL compare to TIII ? Plectra and strings can make such a difference in sound for very little money.
The Dunlop Ultex Sharp .90 picks are amazing picks. They have a great sound and glide on the strings so nice and smooth it makes alternate picking easier.
The differences were very subtle (at least audibly) but I believe that the right pick more or less imparts a big impact on your feel and the way you play. Everything just starts to feel right. With that said I've been using the Ultex II Jazz 3's for years now but I wanna try the Flow series.
ola in the morning and a cup of coffee
cant get better
BEHEMOTH im doing the same! Drink deathwish! Hails!
I really believe that if you get such comments you have "peaked" as a TH-camr. I can't imagine how happy Ola gets when he stumbles upon such short, yet wholesome messages of appreciation. A bit irrelevant but yeah, must feel so good
Contrary to what you are saying, you sound badass with EMG81
I cant stand watching your 5150 videos. Make me regret even more that I sold mine 2 years ago with a mesa cab FeelsBadman
I like my 4.2mm Flow pick. It's very easy to hold and it glides over the strings easily. The only problem is that I don't like the way it sounds. I prefer the brightness and attack of thinner picks. It's great for practicing unplugged, though.
If you could get it in different materials would solve the problem.
Then maybe try out the chicken picks @justmarc2015
@justmarc2015 then maybe just try out chicken picks
You should have tried pinch harmonics with the various types of picks
Gonzo the Guitar Guy great idea dude I'm on it 👊
Harmonics aren’t about pick type
Watching 11 minutes of Ola shooting out picks... what am I doing with my life?!
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.
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Just kidding, I found it very interesting and you can hear a subtle difference between each pick, love you brOla!
3:03
Let´s be honest here, the 5150 with the EMG 81 is your best rig to this date. Sound killer!!!
The 3.0 sounds awesome too!
You should probably just use the pick that fits for you best, the extra comfort is gonna make your playing sound much better compared to if you just picked the best sounding pick
My personal preferences ended up being the Tortex Flow .88 (green) for Electric; .73 (yellow) for acoustic
Just got me some Flow picks and the 1.5mm just kills it! Haven't enjoyed playing the gtr this much in ages.
I used to use the Jazz III's until I found Petrucci's, the extra length really helps Jazz III's and really should be the standard on them, I try to pick them up whenever I can.
I got a couple in a mix bag and was very surprised that there actually was a difference I could feel. Not too sure about the actual sound, but they're very comfortable to play / handle.
I really am a huge advocate for the Ernie Ball Prodigy line of guitar picks. Especially their jazz pick.
So why does everybody like Jazz picks? I assume we're talking about the little bitty ones like the Jazz III. No argument on heavy picks, I don't like any flex, really. But I have a hard enough time hanging on to standard size picks, so I don't care for little ones, especially since I use 3 fingers on the pick sometimes. That said, I'm not a huge fan of the larger, near perfectly triangular ones either, which seems counterintuitive, but is true nonetheless. 🤷♂️
@@ledchickenfpv7164 i feel the smaller ones are easier to grip. I cant play with regular sized picks
@@ledchickenfpv7164 You're closer to the strings. And since there's less pick material the force you hold the pick with translates better. As far as grip goes, that has to do with the surface not the size.
those thicker picks seem to open up the low end more, like an eq tweak. (i am thinking that less pick flex puts more of a snap into the heavier string) Your original tortex has more definition but is thinner sounding. I use 0.96 Gator grips, so i'm probably fail and you can ignore my comments. However, I think we can agree on "Dunlop for life". Have a great day. \m/ \m/
jj rusy I think it's more of the thicker picks buffing out the high end frequencies so that the lower end frequencies stand out more.
I have a couple purple plectrums, and those take a bit of effort but sound pretty good. Otherwise I prefer thicker picks 1mm + with a grippy feel to the thumb section with raised dots and text, less it fly free of my fingers whilst pinch harmonics are being played.
I'd played medium plex for years. Than I tried out some Flows and I asked myself why I don't checked out some others. I think the Flows are perfect for sweep or speed picking. But sometimes I need some resistance at the strings... My mind is now open, but I'm still surching.
Guess I'll give the flow a try altho I'm currently happy with my Dunlop Big Stubby 3.0mm. 😎
Waiting on my JP 2.0 picks to show up This Friday!They sound full and thick.Can’t wait to give them a test drive!!
ive been using john petruccis new sig dunlop 2mm flow pick.!! and i love it.!! Andy james actually handed john Petrucci one of his sig picks to try and he fell in love with it.!! Petruccis pick is exactly like Andy James pick but smaller.!!
Thank you for making this video. I think different materials and thicknesses make a noticeable difference in which frequencies get emphasized. A highly overlooked aspect of guitar playing.
I was at a soilwork concert yrs ago and the guitarist threw a pick. I caught it and found it was exactly what i use. Dunlop 0.88 the grey ones. Gave it to some collector fan there. I seen many who use them. These days so much variety.
John Petrucci flow is a little bit smaller then the Andy James flow. Personally I've gotten to where I like a thicker pick it sounds good on Riffing and improves accuracy on solos.
James Melton same here :) thicker is quicker
have you ever tried the andy james? Considering in trying it
I also thought the thicker picks would be difficult to use. But after using a 2mm pick I've found they make leads easier to play. Think I'll have to give the 3mm a try.
In general, I prefer the sound of thicker picks.
Radityo Pramono Adi I agree they give more attack sound
They can get a bit muddy, but you just have to compensate for that with your knobs and such. They just feel a lot better to me.
Yes, and play bit closer to the bridge helps the clarity too. Having said that, I like my tone a little bit muffled.
Muddy??? Try a hufschmid Anvil, just insane how much clarity you can get from this pick...as thick as a pebble and if you flick it hard enough at people you might take out someone's eye!
Yeah man I saw it too on IG. Pretty awesome picks...
I just got some Dunlop FLOW picks yesterday and loved them right away. They cut through the strings much easier due to the bevel and have really good tone; fuller, IMO. Great stuff, Ola
i use the Dunlop Gator 2.0 picks...i got 2 of them and are awesome, i feel very confy with them...absolutely recomended
Thanks for all the content lately Ola!
Should check out Zenfire Picks, Since trying their Phat Jazz picks (similar to the Jazz 3) I can't play a lick without them. Addicting! I think it's the grip pads and beveled edges.
When I use a pick playing bass I only use a 1 mm pick. I think on bass you need a little more give than on guitar. Maybe not, i dont know but I dont like anything thinner and just dig in too hard with anything thicker if thats even possible.
I use Dunlop Gator Grips .73mm the purple ones, very smooth texture but tons of grip for sweaty hands. I highly recommend them
I'm really shocked at just how much the tone varies between certain picks. This was a great comparison.
I'm currently really enjoying the Hetfield Black Fang picks. The flow shape seems to work really well if you have a fairly pronounced angle to your picking, but the thinner gauge (i'm using the 1.0) has a better tone than I think anything over 1.14 does. I'm going to buy some more thinner Flow shaped stuff to try. I generally use TIIIs or the Jazz 3 Carbon.
All great picks there, but I don’t think any pick will overtake the .88mm Tortex Jazz III for me. It’s thick enough for added grind and precision, but thin enough for clarity and my horribly aggressive picking hand. Any pick thicker than 1mm and strings start snapping.
I can hear a difference in the picks. And seeing how your picking mechanics works with them. To me tortex has more resistance and grabs more. I love the Ultex sharp .90. Very fast release. The flow tones I am going to have to try They have smooth release and clear sound. The Petrucci almost lacks edge for riffs to me. But is very round and fat on single notes.
I switched from Jazz III XL to the Flow 1.0 a few months ago and I actually can't believe how much of a difference it made
My preference now is Jazz III Gator Grip, Jazz III Flex, or Jazz III Max Grip. Probably in that order.
Hetfield White Fang is not too bad also.
Ola i use a dunlop-. 46mm there thin, but I like the shred action, what do you think 🤔
Im fine with the Tortex 1.14mm, but i really want to try out some others now.
The John Petrucci Flow 2.0 is my favorite pick. I am newer so not the most skilled, but it has worked the best for me overall so far.
The pick attack of the tortex sits on the high mid side of the spectrum. The Flows are more bassy. Flows and regular Jazz IIIs help eliminate the scratchy sting noize from fast alternate picking but the tortex sounds better with more groovie/djenty stuff.
2:08 A ghost! (watch the knobs on the 5150)
I personally got addicted to the primetone jazz 3's after buying a pack. I use those mainly and only switch back to a regular red jazz 3 pick for "the trooper" or "knights of cydonia"(or anything that involves tremolo picking on the wound strings). I'm going to order a set of these flow picks now, let's compare them to my previous favorite pick the jazztone 205.
i used to use the rhino picks and i switched to jazz 3's 1.14 and never went back since. cant take em. tried the jazz 3 stubby and that was a terrible waste of money. dont think ill change my picks anytime soon.
Loved the close up view of your playing...love it!!
Ola, you should try swiss picks. I use the blue cheese. They sound like the tortex picks but have that pick recoil, you know that little scratchy sound that bounce back when you pick. The swiss pick feels like the pick is removed from the equation
I started to use 0.88 mm tortex because James Hetfield used that pick back in the day. I've tried almost any kind of pick released by Jim Dunlop and I still like the feel of a .88 tortex pick...
I'm a bit of a pick junky lol.. I have about every kind of tortex there is I think. I used to always use the yellow .73 then started using heavier ones when I started using heavier strings for detuning and got into 7 and now 8 string guitars. I just seen online the other day meshuggah has signature picks so I had to order them lol
What I found was a good additional test for finding a guitar pick that worked for me, was to play the tremolo riffs (1/16th notes) at high BPMs. I have the Flow 1.5mm and the Jazz III Nylon 1.38mm and I find that for tremolo picking, the Jazz III makes it a bit easier to play those fast notes and with the Flow 1.5mm I need to work a bit harder to get those notes out clean and consistently.
Perhaps something for you to try out and see if that makes any difference for you, Ola? :)
recently I got the Petrucci Flow pick and really dug it for a couple gigs and rehearsals.. but then I wanted to re-try the white GraphTech Tusq 1.4 teardrop pick which I had a couple years ago.. so I ordered some and I think I'll stay with them.. they sound great.. they feel right.. and really easy to find when dropped on the floor.. haha!
I’ve used Fender Heavy for years but then switched to Jazz 3 and now John Petrucci picks. For me it makes a slight improvement for faster picking
I love the Dunlop Red Jazz III picks; all I use period. They really helped redefine my playing many years ago when I started using them.
I’ve been a jazz 3 tortex player for about a year. Tried a couple flows and now the Petrucci is go. Never thought I’d like a pick that’s so thick, but there’s a smoothness to the feel and definitely a different tone that the J3 tortex.
Your guitar is so pretty 🤩 what's the scale width? I see plenty of space between the strings... My personal preference
I play with the Tortex J3 1.14mm as well. I love them...But I started with the USA 208 back in the day. And the Flows are based on these. J3 is more focused on mids, mellow on highs. Flows (JP) sound even more smooth in mids. Back in the day I love that because rhythms sounded fat and amazing, but I used to have problems with fast alternate picking as it seemed to miss up the notes....Or maybe it was just me, duh.....
I used to play 1mm picks until my teacher converted me to Dunlop Stubby 3mm picks. Took a while to get used to but I soon noticed increased pick attack and accuracy, especially when doing fast leads.
My favorite guitar pick goes to Jim Dunlop Flow Jumbo Standard 3.0 mm. This one is very smooth when I picking.
I moved from Hetfield's Ultex 1.14 to that red Primetone as well. But unfortunately they wear down to a stump almost just as fast and they're way too expensive to do that with. - I went to those thick black Primetones, which are a little too chunky too hold, but they don't go below 3mm or something (I think it's basically the Flow Jumbo, except I don't know about the material), but they last a lot longer.
I really wanted to try a new model from Dragon's Heart picks, but while the guy promised they were coming around like halfway 2017, they're still not out and he won't respond to any mention of them. - Weird...
I generally use prime tone 1.3 and the same purple 1.14 tortex picks used in your video. I like the sharp attack from the prime tone picks, and tortex picks last forever.
I love the purple 1.14 Tolex triangle picks. Gives me three sides to use.
I used to play metal without a pick, but a couple weeks ago i found a Dunlop Little Stubby 3mm and the tone is just insane! Just dont like the grip scoop they have so ill give these a shot! Thanks Brola
I've been using ultex 1.0 for my main. Use the JP flow for ultra fast picking.
I honestly either use Jazz3 1.-1.14s or glue a fake fingernail to my index so it dont wear my nail thin. Much better subtle articulation using a fake nail with less 'pick noise'.
Love the video, and love your honest review. Good stuff my dude, keep rockin
I use the Big Stubby 3mm (nylon) and once you get used to the center shape.. it helps speedwise, and the sound you get it's.. more "alive"¿ ... but seeing this, I'll probably try the Flow 3mm, it's a more familiar pick shape. Thank you Ola!
Hey Ola- Try the Gravity picks and let's see the sound comparison. Both rough and polished ones. (If you've never tried it before)
Petrucci doesn't use ultex material I think with his flow? Cause I remember watching somewhere John enjoys nylon stuff while James prefer ultex. Both are flow (3 mm thickness with rounded edges yet pointy shape) and aim for easy playing but different material I think (havent bought it yet, too expensive to me, I'm still doing custom made with 10 USD for 100 pcs from local dude)
To me it sounded like the thicker flows made the guitar sound more even just as you mentioned and it seemed like it got rid of some harsh frequencies that other licks were giving the guitar.
I use the Dunlop 3mm stubby. Haven't looked back.
I gave the 3mm dunlop stubby a chance and I'm totally sold. I love the tone and ease of use. I always try them out with a clean tone. It's just a peference.
For some reason I like the Tortex the best. I personally kind of like a duller sound; the thicker picks with rounded edges can bring out some unpleasantly high-pitched squeaky sounds. Could also just be cognitive dissonance though, since I find tortex and the like much more comfortable in the hand and maybe that’s just tricking my ear. Curious if anyone else has this experience.
They should've branded them as light, medium and heavy Flow.
Is there any difference between the normal Flow picks and the Petrucci/Andy James ones? The signatures are 2mm and there are 2mm non-sig ones. They're all made of ultex, which I have really grown to like since trying the JP Jazz III picks (my favorite pointy pick). I really like Dunlop Americana picks (the round variety) as well for more strummy playing. The Flows have a good point to them but also round and symmetrical corners, so maybe they combine everything I like in one pick.
I can't find a good size reference of the jumbo Flows. It looks like the standard Flows are a bit bigger than a regular Tortex or nylon pick. I doubt my local store will have them all in stock so I guess I'll have to take a gamble.
I got a bag of the Andy James Picks and I can honestly say it improved my playing, I was using Jazz III XLs and the previous Petrucci pick but the love the flow!
I just switched to Brain Snarling Dog picks 2 days ago and all your pick dropping has confirmed my decision. Thanks, Ola!
I've been using Jazz III for 5 or 6 years and my only complaint was they were kinda slippery but then they came out with a high grip one that is great.
It's all about the bevel. Cuts down on pick noise, helps the pick glide over strings and doesn't get all stuck on the strings.
Some needed to do this..Great work... never seen anyone else do it
I've tried a ton of picks and the Tortex jazz iii and the the ultex jazz iii are my favorite. I still pick up other ones depending on the feel of each guitar.
3mm 474 jazz stubby's for me and I also rock the BHL wizard pro in 4mm. I only have several of those though, they are $25 each lol.
Just bought some of the flow 4.2 mm…
Really like them they can have a little bit of a click if you’re not careful how you use them
Before you said it I was thinking the same how tortex sounded brighter almost like it was missing something and the flow pick makes it sound more full and rounded
I found that thick rounded off picks I can solo like crazy with because they glide across the strings smoothly. But I loose that crispness I get from my 1.14s So I recently changed to 1.14s myself and like the more edgy tone.
I'm gonna try out the Flows. My current favourite pick is John Petrucci Ultex Primetone. Have you tried those Ola?
I ordered the John petrucci flow I already have a John petrucci jazz iii I love it so I'm trying my luck with another John petrucci pick
A pick review! That was a first for me...but was surprising how I could actually hear subtle differences. I've always "picked" based on feel and never considered actual change in the attack sound. Luckily, tortex is already my fave and I just started experimenting with jazz picks. I really like the sharp point and the textured grip helps keep them in place between my fingers. Great video idea!
When it comes to guitar picks, you should listen to the DI's to hear the difference. I was playing classic Jazz III and got back on tortex .88mm because of how much low end you loose with the Jazz III, specially in palm mutes. I wasn't able to hear that much of a difference with the distorsion on but without it you hear a very big difference !
Giorgio Tskhadadze
Very true !
I've found the 1.4 prime tones have the same sound as the Eric johnson 1.4's. The main difference I found was in the resonance of the material and the smoother edges . If you drop them both on a table the prime tones ring like a bell.
The Flow is the perfect shape for technical playing, felt right from first time trying it and much better than the regular 351 shape or the sharp pointed ones.
Have you tried the Dunlop
Max Grip Jazz III Carbon Fiber Picks ? They have a little bit of flex because of the carbon compared to nylon, and they last forever too! Great video btw!