PICKS..A DUMB QUESTION PROBABLY

flyingb54 · March 11th, 2004, 05:01 PM

Is it me or are Fender medium picks thinner than they used to be? I mean, many times when I go through a new batch they seem warped and thinner than I remember.
Maybe its old age setting in on me...but I'd like to think I know Fender mediums cause thats all Ive ever used for 42 years.
JB
www.johnbeland.com

tiny e · March 11th, 2004, 05:03 PM

those seem to change in stiffneess and thickness as compared to the solid colors

flyingb54 · March 11th, 2004, 05:11 PM

Just the regular brown ones..but now that you mention it...all of Fenders medium picks. They all seem different.
JB

tellypicker · March 11th, 2004, 07:58 PM

...I bought a gross of Fender mediums back in the mid 70's. Then I spent then next 25 or 30 years trying every pick out there and sticking with each one for a few days/weeks/months. I'm a pick junkie. Whenever I decide my technique/tone/solos suck, I blame the pick. Hi, my name is Jim, and I'm a Pickaholic. Anyway, I have a jar of everything including new Fender mediums. They are different than those old ones, of which I still have about a hundred left. Different feel, different print, and most importantly, they sound different.

gtrplr2 · March 11th, 2004, 08:31 PM

I have reached a point where I use the little Fender "jazz" heavy picks. I agree the new ones do sound different than the old ones; I wonder if the material being used has anything to do with it?

Jeff

stevedenver · March 12th, 2004, 11:49 AM

like telepicker i too bought a gross in 1970 of mediums,old 'trainsiont' logo, white print, and just to please you...i compared several of those to a few of new fender mediums-and heres my unscientific evaluation.....no difference..not in tortoise..not in the colored swirly marble stuff... not in the confetti..not in the delux moto-just gave em all a flex between thumb and fingers...felt pretty much the same

i have found that i heavily lean toward heavy or jazz picks now..used to use thins when i started..probably to compensate for picking too deeply and lack of control...especially when trying to flatpick bluegrass....

Oster · March 12th, 2004, 11:59 AM

I have an old 3-sided Fender Tortoise Pick HEAVY. The new HEAVY ones are more 'heavy', that is - A little thinner. Don't know how old this fave pick o' mine is but it's my main acoustic pick, gets used all the time and barely shows any wear. CELLULOID! Apparently Fender is phasing out or has phased out completely all solid colour celluloids. Either way the stuff is only used for ping pong balls and picks nowadays. Maybe there was more to go around back then.

Stan Martin · March 12th, 2004, 12:05 PM

Yes they are thinner. I find that the solid white is a wee bit stiffer than the faux tortoise.

I switched to the mini heavy's. Not the jazz ones but the same shaped Fender (351) just smaller. They're hard to find but worth it. I find picking speed and accuracy has increased immensely. Less pick, less slop.

JohnnyAtomic · March 12th, 2004, 12:20 PM

i would be shocked to find out fender actually made picks. i figure they have them contracted out to pick manufacturing companies, and they are probably now using a different supplier. so i guess the answer is yes i guess they are different.
johnny atomic

stantheman · March 12th, 2004, 12:41 PM

Q'uest que c'est "pick" Monsieur?

Seriously, Jon The Kid mentioned that a couple of months
ago too. Sounds like a "Vendor Issue". I'm surprised it
wasn't "caught" in inspection. Everyone is doing this
sort of thing though....just walkin' through a Supermarket
cans are smaller, cartons have less too and "sales" are just the prices that they were....to my way of thinking
the mere notion of "SALE" translates "PRICE HIKE COMING" or as we in The Merrimack Valley are fond of saying "bohico" :(

March 11th, 2004, 05:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
flyingb54 Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: BRENHAM TEXAS Age: 59 Posts: 811	PICKS..A DUMB QUESTION PROBABLY Is it me or are Fender medium picks thinner than they used to be? I mean, many times when I go through a new batch they seem warped and thinner than I remember. Maybe its old age setting in on me...but I'd like to think I know Fender mediums cause thats all Ive ever used for 42 years. JB www.johnbeland.com

March 11th, 2004, 05:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
tiny e Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 118	are you talking tortise those seem to change in stiffneess and thickness as compared to the solid colors

March 11th, 2004, 05:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
flyingb54 Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: BRENHAM TEXAS Age: 59 Posts: 811	just talking about the standard brown Fender Picks Just the regular brown ones..but now that you mention it...all of Fenders medium picks. They all seem different. JB

March 11th, 2004, 07:58 PM	#4 (permalink)
tellypicker Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 340	I think they have too... ...I bought a gross of Fender mediums back in the mid 70's. Then I spent then next 25 or 30 years trying every pick out there and sticking with each one for a few days/weeks/months. I'm a pick junkie. Whenever I decide my technique/tone/solos suck, I blame the pick. Hi, my name is Jim, and I'm a Pickaholic. Anyway, I have a jar of everything including new Fender mediums. They are different than those old ones, of which I still have about a hundred left. Different feel, different print, and most importantly, they sound different. __________________ What would Scooby Do?

March 12th, 2004, 11:49 AM	#6 (permalink)
stevedenver Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: the mile high city Posts: 1,198 14 Photos	like telepicker i too bought a gross in 1970 of mediums,old 'trainsiont' logo, white print, and just to please you...i compared several of those to a few of new fender mediums-and heres my unscientific evaluation.....no difference..not in tortoise..not in the colored swirly marble stuff... not in the confetti..not in the delux moto-just gave em all a flex between thumb and fingers...felt pretty much the same i have found that i heavily lean toward heavy or jazz picks now..used to use thins when i started..probably to compensate for picking too deeply and lack of control...especially when trying to flatpick bluegrass.... __________________ Im really a Les Paul guy at heart, but .....

March 11th, 2004, 08:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
gtrplr2 Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 198	I have reached a point where I use the little Fender "jazz" heavy picks. I agree the new ones do sound different than the old ones; I wonder if the material being used has anything to do with it? Jeff

March 12th, 2004, 11:59 AM	#7 (permalink)
Oster Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Latveria Age: 39 Posts: 2,663	I have an old 3-sided Fender Tortoise Pick HEAVY. The new HEAVY ones are more 'heavy', that is - A little thinner. Don't know how old this fave pick o' mine is but it's my main acoustic pick, gets used all the time and barely shows any wear. CELLULOID! Apparently Fender is phasing out or has phased out completely all solid colour celluloids. Either way the stuff is only used for ping pong balls and picks nowadays. Maybe there was more to go around back then. __________________ "What would we do baby, without us?" Play On.

March 12th, 2004, 12:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
Stan Martin Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Pepperell Posts: 810	picks Yes they are thinner. I find that the solid white is a wee bit stiffer than the faux tortoise. I switched to the mini heavy's. Not the jazz ones but the same shaped Fender (351) just smaller. They're hard to find but worth it. I find picking speed and accuracy has increased immensely. Less pick, less slop. __________________ http://www.stanmartin.net http://www.myspace.com/stanmartinsongs http://cdbaby.com/cd/stanmartin3

March 12th, 2004, 12:20 PM	#9 (permalink)
JohnnyAtomic Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 1,338	i would be shocked to find out fender actually made picks. i figure they have them contracted out to pick manufacturing companies, and they are probably now using a different supplier. so i guess the answer is yes i guess they are different. johnny atomic __________________ flaming hamper of rock! www.myspace.com/johnnyatomicmusic

March 12th, 2004, 12:41 PM	#10 (permalink)
stantheman Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: White Mountains Posts: 5,021	Q'uest que c'est "pick" Monsieur? Seriously, Jon The Kid mentioned that a couple of months ago too. Sounds like a "Vendor Issue". I'm surprised it wasn't "caught" in inspection. Everyone is doing this sort of thing though....just walkin' through a Supermarket cans are smaller, cartons have less too and "sales" are just the prices that they were....to my way of thinking the mere notion of "SALE" translates "PRICE HIKE COMING" or as we in The Merrimack Valley are fond of saying "bohico" :( __________________ Somebody Loan Me A Dime