This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 29th, 2007 at 4:37 pm and is filed under Guitar Picks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
29/05/2007
A Gemstone pick may seem like a luxury, but in some ways they are just as different as nylon and metal picks. On average, they can cost around thirty times as much as the standard nylon or plastic guitar picks- but is the price worth it?
Figure 1 - Agate Stone Pick - $32
Those who have used stone picks claim that they give a much more crisp tone than even metal picks. While the picks are indeed much more durable- they won’t harm guitar strings. Thanks to finely smoothed edges, stone picks should be just as safe as plastic picks to use- given you bought them from a store, and haven’t decided to use your rock collection as picks. Needless to say, you might not get any use out of using your wedding ringeither- sorry, guys.
Essentially, stone picks give a unique tone because of a few characteristics such as density, flexibility, and durability. Imagine striking a large bell with a plastic hammer- it will be much different than striking the same bell with a rock. From this example, many different specialty stores have started to sell such picks as a new way to control precise tones. Interestingly, plastic will absorb part of the tone when struck against a string- while stone will not.
Figure 2 - Black Brasilian Stone Pick - $44
Gemstone picks will last a very long time, and offer good grip control- even more so than Tortex picks. The only problem with a gemstone pick is losing it. If you are like most guitar enthusiasts, losng picks around the room or house- even in pockets- can be a common nuisance. With single picks costing upwards of around $30 each, there is obviously a need to reform old habits. In fact, some companies will try and tell you that a stone guitar pick is the last one you will ever need to buy. While this is indeed possible, it is much more likely it will be lost long before it breaks.
If you are indeed looking to acquire a stone pick, you will most likely have to go on-line, or visit a rather large music retail shop. They are much harder to find than the dozens of boxes of plastic, nylon, and metal picks littering musician shops. While $30 may seem a little high, the “cool” factor gained through bragging to friends and fellow musicians is sometimes well worth the money. Different shapes, gems, translucencies, and sizes can all be crafted from many types of stones- as well as customizations and extra gripping features. If you are looking for extra tone, this could be a good upgrade to your collection.
One Response to “Guitar Picks - Gemstones”
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May 29th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
I like the idea of a stone pick. The concepts behind the crispness of tone seem reasonable and it would be great to show off. My only problem is the one mentioned above, I lose picks all the time. I have heard that where ever you go, there a spider with in 7 feet of you. In my house every where you go there is a guitar pick with in six inches of you.
The Digital Guitar