COLUMNS
Take Your Pick !
My Experience with Collecting Guitar Plectrums
By Jean-Philippe Comeau
I
have been playing guitar since I was nine years old and started collecting guitar picks without even realizing it . My only goal was to find the perfect pick for me ; one pick to rule them all ! How foolish of me to think such a thing could exist . The right pick changes depending on my mood , the instrument , the style of music I play , and the result I have in mind .
You think I ’ m crazy ? Keep reading and you ’ ll see , I truly am crazy about these things , and maybe you should be too !
A Rich History Plectra ( the formal plural of plectrum ) have been around for much longer than the guitar as we know it . According to the Oxford English Dictionary , the word itself comes from the Greek plēktron , which means “ something with which to strike .” From feather quills to tortoiseshell to celluloid and the whole host of materials that have been used by manufacturers in the last few decades , the choices are nearly endless when it comes to choosing your string striking apparatus . The modern guitar pick is a direct descendant of Luigi D ’ Andrea ’ s innovation ( he commercialized celluloid plectrums and standardized the shapes ), which literally changed the fate of the guitar and made it possible for the instrument to rise to the forefront of popular music . For an in-depth look at the history of celluloid picks , I strongly suggest you check out Will Hoover ’ s book Picks !: The Colorful Saga of Vintage Celluloid Guitar Plectrums .
A Plethora of Plectra Like most beginner guitarists , my first picks were the ones that came with the guitar I got for Christmas . They were all made from Delrin ( also known as Tortex ) and mostly pretty thin . At that point , they were merely tools to get the job done , but I quickly started to figure out the differences between the various thicknesses , bevels ( without even knowing what that was ), and finishes .
I couldn ’ t explain what was going on but I knew there was something , so I bought more picks in different gauges and materials and experimented with them , hoping to find the perfect one for me . I got used to the feeling of thicker picks early on and loved the control they gave me on my playing and their richer , fatter tone . I ’ ve tried many different gauges since then , but one thing never changed : I ’ m not comfortable playing with a pick that flexes , even slightly ( except for acoustic guitar strumming in the studio ).
I then discovered handmade plectrums . They weren ’ t so easily available at the time , so I had to dig a little bit to find somewhere to buy the first ones , but I succeeded and got really hooked . I tried picks made from ebony , bone , and horn , and used these for quite some time . At that point , I was already pretty far down the rabbit hole without even knowing it , but the past few years are when I put more thought than ever into my plectrum choice , and I discovered so much exciting stuff ! I acquired picks ranging from around 1mm to 6mm thick , presented in all sorts of shapes and made from all of these materials : acrylic , Delrin , nylon , Ultex , coconut shell , metal , stone , casein , tagua , Richlite , and high-end aerospace-grade thermoplastics . Needless to say , I never had so much tonal diversity at my disposal !
It ’ s truly amazing how much of a difference a simple thing like a plectrum can make , but you have to try it for yourself to really feel it . It changes the whole playing experience and can even make you approach your instrument from a new angle . You can go from gliding across the strings effortlessly with a warm , round tone to a raspy , biting attack with a super bright tone and anything in between without changing anything other than your pick . It ’ s quite astonishing when you think about it . That ’ s why I think it ’ s crucial to take the time to explore what ’ s available and find out what suits your playing the best , just like so many people already do with guitars , pedals , and amps .
The Journey Continues Although I ’ m still on the quest to find my personal holy grail plectrum , I ’ m enjoying the journey more than ever . Thanks to social media , I ’ m able to connect with a ton of like-minded people and small makers who all share the same passion , and that makes the experience even richer . There ’ s a whole universe of plectra out there , a “ plectroverse ” if you will ( I didn ’ t come up with that term , but I love it ) and I highly encourage you to explore it . Maybe it won ’ t make you stray from what you ’ re currently using ( and that ’ s okay !), but it ’ ll open your ears and challenge your hands , making you appreciate all the nuances such a little piece of equipment can bring to your playing . After all , it ’ s the cheapest way to change your tone , not unlike having an EQ between your fingers . So what are you waiting for ? Grab your guitar and take your pick !
Jean-Philippe Comeau is a Montreal-based guitar player / multiinstrumentalist , singer , and teacher with a bachelor ’ s degree in music perfo rmance . He ’ s been active for more than 15 years on the local scene playing in various bands . In 2021 , he teamed up with long-time collaborator and singer-songwriter Karolane Millette to co-produce her debut album , La Tête Haute .
PHOTO : STEVE GAUTHIER PHOTOGRAPHER
58 CANADIAN MUSICIAN