Jazz I & II picks: anybody using them?

[EsquireBoy]

The Jazz III stiffo (the black iteration) has become my main pick, but yesterday I grabbed a Jazz I and a Jazz II at my local music store.

So many players swear by the III, but I'm wondering how many of you tried and prefer the I or the II.

After comparing them, I find them equally comfortable. Maybe the I, which is shorter because of the most rounded tip of the three, is a little bit too small for me. Otherwise they feel quite the same when playing.

I took them all in the same material, and they definitely sound quite different. With the rounded tip you get a slower attack and the pick makes a bit of a friction noise on the thicker strings, which is most obvious with the Jazz I. It kind of reminds me of the tone you get with your thumbnail on a classical guitar, but I'm not sure if I like it or not.

 

[EsquireBoy]

 

[Dan German]

Jazz II for me. III is a bit too pointy for my tastes. I had a couple of Jazz I around here, but I don’t know where they went. I always find them in red, though. I’ve never seen a black one. Do I live a sheltered life?

 

[EsquireBoy]

Jazz II for me. III is a bit too pointy for my tastes. I had a couple of Jazz I around here, but I don’t know where they went. I always find them in red, though. I’ve never seen a black one. Do I live a sheltered life?

Have you noticed a big difference with the jazz III tone wise? I don't know why, but I'm finding the II is the one that sounds the less like the "classic" jazz III.

 

[Dan German]

Have you noticed a big difference with the jazz III tone wise? I don't know why, but I'm finding the II is the one that sounds the less like the "classic" jazz III.

No, more a difference in feel. I would have to do a back-to-back comparison to be sure, and I haven’t had a III around in years. Picking feels smoother with the II to me, although of course playing more smoothly will make a difference to tone.

 

[Tele295]

Jazz II for me. III is a bit too pointy for my tastes. I had a couple of Jazz I around here, but I don’t know where they went. I always find them in red, though. I’ve never seen a black one. Do I live a sheltered life?

I found some Jazz III’s in a brownish Ultex. Sound great. Unfortunately, I can’t see em when I drop the on the hardwood flooring, so I painted one side with white nail polish.

 

[driver8]

I prefer the "max grip" Jazz III and use them pretty much exclusively. I can tell just by looking at that picture that I wouldn't get along with the Jazz I. The pick would be slipping and sliding all over the place.

 

[douellette]

Jazz III's in Ultex for me. The tone is very close to my fingers' tone, so they work great for hybrid picking. (But yeah, tough to see when dropped.)

 

[nicknklv]

Jazz III XL in black Tortex for me. These cost a little more but I love how sleak they are.

Didn't know there was a Jazz I and II.

 

[Dan German]

I just took a look at the Jim Dunlop site, and there are a lot of different versions of Jazz III, but the II and one only come in red nylon and black Stiffo. Hmm...

I tried the Jazz Stubby once, and the thickness I liked was clear and untinted. I don’t see those on the site anymore. Whose idea was it to make a clear pick??? (Whose idea was it to buy one? Mine. Idiot. Actually I bought a six pack.) No matter what you drop them on, they disappear.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

They're too small for me. I like the Big Stubby (isn't that a contradiction?) picks. 3mm -- the purple ones.

 

[stxrus]

Before I was introduced to V-Picks I used Jazz III (hard black) and Stubby 3.0 (purple)
I had a few Jazz IIs but I really like a pointy pick
The Screamer is my current choice and has been for around 10 years

 

[EsquireBoy]

They're too small for me. I like the Big Stubby (isn't that a contradiction?) picks. 3mm -- the purple ones.

I like the little stubby in 3mm soundwise, but they are too slippery for me. I've tried the big ones but they're too big and I do not like the concave grip, it comes in the way of my thumb.

 

[EsquireBoy]

I prefer the "max grip" Jazz III and use them pretty much exclusively. I can tell just by looking at that picture that I wouldn't get along with the Jazz I. The pick would be slipping and sliding all over the place.

These picks have a surprisingly good grip, although everything should make them slippery: they are small and made out of nylon.
I honestly did not find a big difference between the jazz I and the two others on that matter.

 

[EsquireBoy]

No, more a difference in feel. I would have to do a back-to-back comparison to be sure, and I haven’t had a III around in years. Picking feels smoother with the II to me, although of course playing more smoothly will make a difference to tone.

Right: out of the three, the II is the one that feels the smoothest on the strings IMO.

 

[driver8]

These picks have a surprisingly good grip, although everything should make them slippery: they are small and made out of nylon.
I honestly did not find a big difference between the jazz I and the two others on that matter.

Oh - I wasn't referring to the grip, but to the action of the rounded point on the strings. For me it seems like it would lose a lot of precision and slide all over them! I tend to pick at a slight angle, maybe that helps visualize what I mean.

 

[Texsunburst59]

View attachment 816545

My go to pick right now is a Red Jazz III

I drilled 5 small holes in the body of the pick to get more grip, and it mad a bid difference in being able to keep it secure.

 

[Gregorski]

 

[Blues Twanger]

I use the Stubby Jazz 1.0mm, the little red one. I find the combination of material, size and shape perfect and I have tried almost all the iterations and materials of Jazz and Stubby they've put out.

 

[honeycreek]

Red Jazz III for me (for electric guitar) which are the easiest to see in questionable lighting. I have some black ones but they haven’t broke into the rotation yet. I used to use the yellow ones that are a different material. Those I’s and II’s look like some of my well used III’s. Once they start looking like the I’s, they get retired.