Ukulele Picks

Aloha everyone!

Quick question - I play almost exclusively with a pick because I tune my Uke's like a mandolin so as to play lead melody lines.

So, what is the current thought/ fan favorites with regards to Ukulele picks? I'm currently using Thin D'Andrea Celluloid, but I would love to hear about what everyone else is using.

Thanks a Gazillion,

Joe (still penniless due to an insane Koaloha buying spree):wallbash:

Aaron Keim made a nice YouTube video about ukulele picks. When I use a pick, I use the Herco picks that he mentions.

I never play with a pick, but when I was learning guitar I liked thick ones better for lead playing. For $10 you can go to your local music shop and get a wide variety of styles and thicknesses to try.

I will respectfully disagree with the above video in which felt picks were bashed. In fact, in that video it was the felt pick that was the only one I liked. Now, truth be told, I use picks almost all the time and play in a flat pick style that comes from Americana guitar style that both strums chords and picks out melodies with both up and down strokes. The picks I like are either felt or leather, but one thing in common to both is having a hole in the center of the pick. That somehow allows you to hold it loosely to get more of a traditional ukulele strum sound, without dropping the pick. I don't know why the hole works so well to solve the problem, but it does. Having said all that, I will also note that I have been repeatedly "pick shamed" by other players who feel that there are really only a few ways to play ukulele, either strumming or what many wear proudly as "finger style." I love all of those styles, including mine which I'll call "plectrum style." So, if that is how you play, enjoy it.

For thumb pick try the Kodiak crossover. It has a softer adjustable "strap" around your your thumb and allows you to play as a normal thumbpick or as a normal pick with two fingers on the pick but also allows you to strum with only your thumb,(if you use metalpicks on the other fingers) which to my knowledge is unique for the Kodiaks.

I have modified mine by cutting the original pick down and then double taped any pick I like and in the angle I like onto the remaining original pick.

They are super expensive,but on my guitars, for single note playing, Blue Chip picks are fantastic

I play with flat picks. I have a large assortment / collection (various materials of plastics, composites, bone, and horn), but my go to is the little Dunlop Jazz III’s. I have some custom bone and horn picks made in this shape that are nice from time to time, but the cheaper plastics are still my preferred.

I hate picks. For me, it makes me feel somewhat removed from the tenor I'm playing. I feel much more connected if I'm using my fingers and thumb. Silly, I know. But it's how I like to play.

I have friends who are guitar players as well, and they only play using a plectrum. And they can outplay me any day of the week and twice on Friday.

Their ukes usually have some pretty severe scratches and scrapes in the tops from the picks. Especially if it has a soft tonewood soundboard. Mine have only very superficial strum/picking scratches.