Guitar Picks — Complete Guide to Thickness, Material, and Shape

The guitar pick is the smallest piece of gear you use and one of the most influential. The same guitarist with two different picks will sound noticeably different — the pick affects attack, tone, dynamic response, and technique. Understanding pick variables helps you make an informed choice rather than using whatever came in the package.

Thickness: The Most Important Variable

Pick thickness determines how much the pick flexes when it strikes the string. This affects attack character, tone, and feel.

Thin Picks (Under 0.6mm)

What they do: Thin picks flex significantly when they contact the string. The flex absorbs some of the picking energy before it reaches the string, producing a softer, less defined attack.

Character:

• Soft, rounded attack
• More strumming-friendly — the flex prevents the pick from catching on individual strings during chord strumming
• Less suitable for fast single-note playing — the flex creates unpredictability in note attack timing
• Produce a slightly brighter, thinner tone due to the nature of the contact

Best for: Strumming acoustic or electric guitar; beginners who want a forgiving feel; light fingerpicking-adjacent styles.

Examples: Dunlop Nylon .46mm, Fender 351 Thin.

Medium Picks (0.6mm–0.9mm)

What they do: Medium picks have some flex but maintain reasonable rigidity. They balance the forgiveness of thin picks with the control of heavy picks.

Character:

• Versatile — handles both strumming and single-note playing
• Clear, defined attack with some warmth
• Most widely used thickness

Best for: Beginners (recommended starting point); players who mix strumming and lead; general-purpose electric and acoustic guitar.

Examples: Dunlop Tortex .73mm (the most popular), Dunlop Nylon .73mm, Jim Dunlop 418P.73.

Why 0.73mm specifically: 0.73mm is the most popular single gauge among guitarists — it provides a good balance of control and comfort. It is the implicit default when someone says "medium pick."

Heavy Picks (0.9mm–1.5mm)

What they do: Heavy picks have minimal flex. When a heavy pick strikes a string, almost all the picking energy transfers directly to the string with minimal absorption.

Character:

• Defined, precise, consistent attack
• Better for fast single-note playing — no flex means no unpredictability between notes
• More resistance when strumming — the pick catches more, which can feel awkward until technique adapts
• Produce a warmer, fuller fundamental tone (more energy into the string)

Best for: Lead guitar players; fast alternate picking; musicians who need precise note articulation; bass guitar.

Examples: Dunlop Tortex 1.0mm, Dunlop Jazz III (1.18mm), Dunlop Ultex 1.0mm.

Extra Heavy / Jazz Picks (1.5mm+)

Ultra-stiff picks used by specific styles of player.

Best for: Jazz guitarists (precise articulation), shred/metal players who want maximum picking precision, players who have adapted to the stiffness.

Examples: Dunlop Jazz III XL (1.38mm), Dunlop Jazz III (1.18mm), Dunlop Ultex 1.5mm.

Material: What the Pick Is Made Of

Pick material affects tone (how the pick interacts with the string acoustically), durability, and feel (grip texture, warmth or coolness to the touch).

Nylon

Character: Flexible, warm to the touch, slightly textured surface. Nylon picks are forgiving and comfortable. They produce a softer, warmer tone than stiffer materials.

Durability: Low — nylon picks wear quickly under heavy use and develop beveled edges within a few hours of playing.

Best for: Beginners; rhythm guitar; strumming; players who prefer a warm, rounded attack.

Example: Dunlop Nylon Standard series (£0.60–1.00 each, typically sold in packs).

Celluloid

Character: The traditional pick material — tortoiseshell-effect celluloid was the standard for decades. Smooth surface, slightly slippery, vintage feel. Produces a warm, rounded tone.

Durability: Moderate — better than nylon but still wears noticeably.

Best for: Players who want a traditional feel; vintage-style playing.

Example: Fender 351 Celluloid picks.

Tortex (Delrin)

Character: Dunlop's Tortex material is a form of Delrin (acetal plastic). It is stiffer than nylon, has a matte texture that resists slipping, and is more durable. The matte texture is the most important feature — it reduces the pick slipping between fingers during playing.

Durability: High — Tortex outlasts nylon and celluloid significantly.

Best for: Virtually all electric guitar playing; the most commonly recommended pick material.

Example: Dunlop Tortex Standard in any thickness (the most popular electric guitar pick range).

Ultem / Ultex

Character: A stiff, transparent golden material. Very bright attack, clear and cutting tone. Less warmth than Tortex, more definition.

Best for: Lead guitar where brightness and definition are priorities.

Example: Dunlop Ultex series.

Carbon Fibre

Character: Very stiff, very light, with a specific tonal brightness. Used by specific players for specific tonal reasons.

Best for: Niche applications; boutique preference.

Felt

Character: Extremely soft, no tone imparted, almost entirely muffles the attack. Used for strumming ukulele or as a muting tool on guitar.

Best for: Ukulele; specific guitar techniques requiring very soft attack.

Bone, Horn, Stone, Metal (Boutique Materials)

Various boutique pick makers produce picks from bone, horn, stone, metal, and other unusual materials. These affect tone in ways specific to each material. Metal picks (tungsten, steel) produce a very bright, distinctive character. Stone picks (jasper, agate) are popular for acoustic finger-pickers.

Shape: Standard vs Jazz vs Teardrop

The shape of the pick affects which part of the pick contacts the string, the angle of contact, and how much of the pick is available as a grip surface.

Standard / 351 Shape

The most common shape. A triangular teardrop with rounded corners, providing multiple playing edges and a wide grip surface.

Best for: Beginners; rhythm guitar; general use.

Example: Fender 351, Dunlop Standard shapes.

Jazz Shape (Small)

A smaller, more rounded shape — typically about 70% of the size of a standard pick. The reduced size and pointed tip provide more precision in string contact.

Why jazz players use it: The pointed tip allows more precise targeting of individual strings in fast bebop lines. The smaller size fits naturally in a jazz/classical grip position.

Broader use: Many rock and metal lead players also use Jazz III picks for the precision tip, regardless of genre.

Example: Dunlop Jazz III (most popular), Dunlop Jazz III XL (larger grip, same tip).

Teardrop Shape

A slightly narrower, more pointed tip than the standard 351. Between the standard and jazz shapes in precision.

Example: Various brands produce teardrop variants.

Equilateral Triangle ("Tri Pick")

A three-sided pick where all edges are equally usable playing surfaces. Rotated when one edge dulls.

Best for: Players who want three usable edges before replacing; long studio sessions.

How Different Picks Affect Tone

The pick's effect on guitar tone is real and measurable:

Thin pick:

• Softer initial transient
• Slightly more high-frequency content (the lighter contact emphasises string resonance)
• Less sustain (less energy transferred to string)

Heavy pick:

• Defined, sharp transient
• More fundamental frequency content (more energy into the string)
• More sustain

Nylon vs Tortex (same thickness):

• Nylon produces a slightly warmer, softer attack
• Tortex produces a slightly cleaner, more defined attack (due to the matte texture and material stiffness)

These are subtle differences. The pick's effect is real but not dramatic. A different amplifier setting or pickup selection will have a larger tonal impact. Pick choice matters most when technique and gear are otherwise optimised.

Which Pick for Which Style

Holding a Guitar Pick Correctly

Many beginners hold the pick incorrectly, which creates technique problems that compound over time.

Correct grip:

1. Make a loose fist with the picking hand, thumb pointing upward
2. Place the pick on the first joint of the index finger, with the tip pointing to the right (for right-handed players)
3. Place the thumb pad across the pick — not the tip of the thumb, but the flat pad
4. The pick should protrude approximately 3–5mm beyond the thumb/index joint
5. The grip should be firm enough that the pick doesn't slip, but not tense

Common mistakes:

• Holding the pick with too much of it protruding (produces sloppy attack)
• Gripping too tightly (restricts wrist movement, causes fatigue)
• Holding the pick at an extreme angle (more than 15–20 degrees from parallel to the string)

Frequently Asked Questions

What pick should a beginner use? A medium thickness pick in Tortex or Nylon (0.73mm) is the most common beginner recommendation. The Dunlop Tortex .73mm (yellow-green colour) is the single most widely used pick and a sensible default.

How often should I replace guitar picks? Picks wear down with use — the tip becomes rounded or beveled, changing the attack and feel. Replace when you notice the tip has changed shape significantly. Frequency depends on playing time; heavy players may replace picks weekly; casual players may use one for months.

Why do picks get slippery? Perspiration and hand oils make smooth-surfaced picks slippery. Picks with matte textures (Tortex, many boutique picks) resist slipping better than smooth-surfaced nylon or celluloid. Grip-enhancing picks (some Dunlop models have a raised grip pattern) address this further.

Does pick thickness affect tone noticeably? Yes, though the difference is relatively subtle compared to picking technique, pickup settings, and amplifier settings. Heavy picks transfer more energy to the string, producing a fuller, warmer fundamental; thin picks produce a softer attack and slightly brighter character due to less energy transfer. The difference is most apparent in A/B comparison and less obvious in a band mix.

What pick does Eric Clapton / SRV / [artist] use? SRV used heavy gauge picks (.96–1.14mm Dunlop) to match his heavy string gauge and aggressive attack. Eric Clapton has used various picks through his career, including thin Herco picks for a softer strumming approach. Most blues players gravitate toward medium to heavy thickness.

Are expensive picks worth buying? At £1–3 each (boutique picks in stone, horn, or metal), the tonal difference over a Tortex pick (around £0.80 each) is real but modest. For practice and general use, Dunlop Tortex or similar picks are entirely adequate. For specific tonal reasons or personal preference, boutique picks can be worth exploring.