quote:

Originally posted by Papi:
Joe, great job of casting a spell on the forum.
Now I want one too. Can you tell me what the difference is between a TP and a TAD? they look exactly alike to me

The TAD is bigger.

Compare the photos here:

http://www.bluechippick.net/photo.htm

You're right Homer!
Thank's, Buddy.

I'm goin' for the rounded 60- I loves me a thick pick, a complete 180 from years of Fender mediums. 25 years ago, some excellent players in Jackson Hole told me I needed a smaller, thicker pick, but, as usual, it took me ten years to heed the advice. too soon old, too late schmatt, as they say. I haven't played anything thinner than a 1.5 for years. If I were multi tracking in the studio, and had a straight rhythm part, particularly capoed up, I'd go to a thinner pick for that shiny, slappy sound. Otherwise, uh uh. tom

I succumbed to PAS (Pick Acquisition Syndrome) and ordered a TP60 on Friday. I sent an email to Matthew Goins to ask about the 50 vs. 60, and he told me I could order either one and if I didn't like it he'd let me exchange it or get a refund. I'm dying to try it out and I'm glad he offers the TP shape and size. I have a Wegen in that size that I really like.

Shawn - I've had a TAD50 for a few weeks now and while I love it, I find it "kinda bright." Sometimes this is fine. I don't think I would like it on a D1A, although I no longer own one of those beasts, so I can't say for sure. The TAD50 works beautifully on my Mitch Corbin D-18 style, but it's a much different tone than the D1As.

I'll be quite interested in your findings on the 50 vs. 60, please do report back.

For others on the fence about this pick, I replied on another thread on this forum that I find the BlueChip as good as ts - my all time favorite by a wide margin - and, perhaps even better. On pure tone the two are too close to call. TS is maybe a bit more tactile, feels better in my hand and is much prettier(!). BlueChip slides off the strings a little better than ts, is indestructible and doesn't involve killing endangered species and/or illegal trading. Since I have more sizes and shapes of ts I tend to use it more often, but my only BlueChip gets a great deal of playing time. I will certainly be ordering a couple more.

Has anyone tried the TP40 or the TAD40?
When I play, I do 70% strumming 30% flatpicking so I like the 1.0 gauge on my Dunlop picks.

Just ordered one of each type in the 40 so now the wait begins. I like my Red Bears but based on everyone's comments, getting these should be a real treat!

StephenT28,

Please let me know how they work out for you, I am very anxious to know.
They sure do make them (everyone's comments) sound like they're great guitar picks.

quote:

Originally posted by FreeBlues:
Shawn - I've had a TAD50 for a few weeks now and while I love it, I find it "kinda bright."

Oh man. There goes my heartfelt Blue Chip defense. I don't have a lacquer D1A, but I just A/B'd a TAD50 vs. a similar Red Bear Medium on my Varnish D1A, Slobod D-18 and Rockbridge Hog/Adi dread. Don't have the Corbin yet to compare. The Red Bear was noticeably brighter (and noisier) on all. Of course, this is to my ear and my ear is getting older all the time. I'm shocked how much "huh?" and "whadja say?" have become a part of my daily vernacular.

Homer - I'll defer to your judgment! I generally like a "kinda bright" pick, when I use one I'm playing far more single notes than strumming. I have a Red Bear medium, same exact shape, so I'll try the two together and report back. My "kinda bright" comparison is to a ts, same shape as the TAD50, 1.30mm which is slightly warmer. I'd say the TAD50 is very close to brightness to a 1.20mm ts pick with the same shape.

I'm trying to decide if I want to order a TAD60 or a TPR50 for a slightly warmer, more strumming-friendly type sound.

Oh yeah, I took delivery on Friday of a brand new NGC 18 style dread, mahogany and adi, the thing is still very new and green but has a HUGE voice, much more Collings-like than Corbin-like meaning it has more chime and sparkle. Another guitar just to try out picks!

quote:

Originally posted by Papi:
StephenT28,

Please let me know how they work out for you, I am very anxious to know.
They sure do make them (everyone's comments) sound like they're great guitar picks.

Will do. Not sure how fast they process the orders but I am hoping they show up later this week!

I did a fairly quick "pick-off" comparing the following 4 picks. All the picks were near identical shape which is the TAD50 and Red Bear Style C medium:
1) TS 1.18mm
2) TS 1.36mm
3) BlueChip TAD50 (1.28 according to my calipers)
4) Red Bear Style C medium (1.23mm)

I used my new NGC mahogany/Adi dread and my Blazer & Henkes SJ, modeled after a 1942 Gibson SJ with Braz and Alpine spruce. These are VERY different sounding guitars; the NGC is LOUD, punchy, good mahogany chime, wonderful D-18/D1A Varnish type sound. The B&H is louder still (loudest guitar I've ever played), big, warm honkin' Gibson type sound, will really bark if you lay into it. I noodled around with a variety of cross-picking type things, single notes, arpeggios, chords and strums.

I did this quickly at home and suspect my impressions might change when I play out. I've got a gig tomorrow, so if things change I'll report back.

Based on "brightness" alone, the brightest was the 1.18mm ts and the least bright was the 1.36mm ts. The Red Bear was closer to the 1.36 ts but a bit brighter, the BluePick ("BCP") was closer to the 1.18 ts but not quite as bright. The differences were subtle but still noticeable to me.

Today (knowing how our ears and preferences change), based on tone alone, I think I liked the 1.36mm ts best, the BCP next followed by the 1.18mm ts and the Red Bear last. I continue to prefer the feel of ts in my hands, it's smooth and tacky at the same time, very easy to grip. Actually, Red Bear's are the stickiest in my hands, which many will find a good thing, but I feel that stickiness also applies to the attack on the strings, it seems to stick just ever-so-slightly, like it might slow someone faster than me down. I thought the BCP was slipperiest on the strings and just a very, very tiny bit less sticky in my hand.

So, if ts were widely available and legal I'd probably opt for real ts as my favorite. The BCP was very, very close to tone and feel is as good a substitute as I've ever encountered. Did I mention that it's indestructible and legal? I used to like Red Bear, next to anything but ts it was clearly better, but once I got the few ts I have I virtually stopped using them. Now that BlueChip is available I can see that I might stop using ts.