Today most musicians favor plastic guitar picks, but before 1922 when Luigi D’Andrea punched his first plectrum from celluloid, musicians played with plectra fashioned from materials such as bone, horn, metal, tortoise shell, stone, or wood. These exotic picks, together with the variety of plastic materials, offer musicians a wide range of possibilities in tone, volume, and price.
Plastic Guitar Picks
When guitarists set out to experiment with finding their favorite plastic guitar pick, they’ll soon discover there are more than one type of material in this category. One major difference between the plastics used to manufacture picks is their hardness. The softer plastics will be more flexible, while the harder plastics will bend less as they come into contact with the strings.
A guitar pick’s flexibility is due in large part to its material, but in the case of plastic picks, also depends on its thickness. Most beginning guitarists and rhythm players appreciate some bend in their picks. Some give in the pick prevents it from getting caught in the strings. On the other hand, bass players, mandolin players, and other musicians who play a melody line tend to prefer thicker and more rigid picks.
Types of Plastic Guitar Picks
Nylon is a flexible plastic and is often used for thin picks. Acetal is next in line. Delrin is a bit harder. Tortex by Jim Dunlop and Delrex by D’Andrea are brand names for Delrin which attempt to recreate the sound and feel of tortoise shell. Lexan is a bit more rigid than Delrin. Ultem is the hardest plastic with almost no flexibility.
Plastic picks are the most affordable option, but they will need to be replaced often. Picks made from softer plastics will wear or break easily. Even thicker plastic picks won’t hold up as long as those made from other materials.
Wooden Guitar Picks
Some guitarists and other musicians appreciate the warm, natural tone offered by picks made from wood. Though any species of wood can be carved into shape, the extreme density of a wood known as Lignum Vitae makes it a popular choice. Though wood guitar picks offer wonderful tone, they seem to pack a bit less volume.
Bone and Ivory Guitar Picks
At one time, tortoise shell was the gold standard when it came to pick material. The ban on tortoise shell forced musicians to search for other materials with similar properties. Many guitarists experiment with picks made from bone, buffalo horn, and fossilized ivory.
Like wood, these materials are very rigid but offer a brighter tone. Though sound can vary from pick to pick. Horn and ivory are generally a bit mellower in tone than bone. Picks from these materials seem to be a bit louder and brighter than those made from wood, though they still offer much more of a natural sound than plastic plectra.
Stone Guitar Picks
Perhaps the most beautiful of the exotic guitar picks are those cut from gem stones or agates. Stone plectrums produce a loud, bright, bell-like tone which sounds far more natural than plastic. Jade, tigereye, jasper, agate, quarts, petrified wood, and amber are all colorful options for handcrafted guitar picks.
Metal Guitar Picks
Finally, some musicians prefer metal guitar picks. On the downside, these picks can easily scratch the surface of an instrument if a player hasn’t yet developed good control. Also, metal picks do cause some wear to the strings. On the other hand, some classic techniques and a distinctly metallic tone are only possible with metal plectra.
Experimentation is the best way to determine which pick materials best suit the needs of musicians and their instruments. In related articles, players can:
- Discover guidelines for selecting the best guitar pick based on style of playing and personal preference,
- Learn how the thickness of a guitar plectrum affects its tone,
- Read about the various shapes of guitar picks to find which works best for them.
Historical facts gained from Picks!: The Colorful Saga of Vintage Celluloid Guitar Plectrums by Will Hoover, 1995.
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