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
Read User's CommentsGuitar picks, as it is likely everyone knows, are used to pluck guitar strings to improve sound, and reduce injury on fingers. However, there are many types of guitar picks to choose from- from materials, to shapes, and as well as sizes and colors. Some guitar picks are even used for special purposes, such as a double-sided pick for “double plucking.”
Guitar picks are commonly made out of plastic, but also may incorporate nylon, rubber, felt, tortoiseshell, wood, stone, metals, and even gemstone guitar picks to the composition. Each of the materials has a separate sound or grip from the other. For instance, metal has a very unique sound when plucked against a guitar string- but offers little grip. Tortoiseshell is one of the best for gripping, although an international ban led to the creation of Tortex picks. Choosing the right material is a matter of trying them all out, and deciding on which sound and grip works for you playing style- whether it be metal, bues, or jazz. If all else fails, weird guitar picks aren’t unheard of- from bone, to an Allen wrench- just about anything can become a good plectrum!
Figure 1 - Traditional picks, a thumb pick, and a triangle pick example
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