guitar pick thickness

One of the most valuable skills when it comes to guitar playing is versatility.

Versatility allows you to adapt to different environments and enriches your playing, making a difference in the final result.

Music is about staying dynamic and monotony kills dynamic. Therefore, the most logical step for you as a guitarist is to expand your repertoire of guitar skills to keep that vital, engaging sound that makes music so joyful.

If you have decided to use a guitar pick for playing guitar, there are seven techniques that are a must.

They will take time to learn and master, but believe me, they make the difference.

1- TREMOLO PICKING:

If you have listened to the music of the last 70 years, you can probably recognize this guitar technique in most rock classic hits.

Tremolo is an Italian word which means “to shake” or “to tremble”.

In the context of guitar, it involves striking one (sometimes more than one) guitar string very fast with alternating strokes. Therefore, this technique is a form of alternate picking. Tremolo picking is very easy to learn but it requires strong discipline and practice to master.

Tremolo picking is essentially useful for any style of music and obviously a big part of the surf guitar sound (I’m a big fan of it!).

In guitar literature, sometimes the words tremolo and vibrato are reversed. This technique has nothing to do with a “tremolo bar” or a "tremolo effects box".

WHY IS TREMOLO PICKING IMPORTANT?

If one of your long-term goals in your guitar learning process is to increase speed, tremolo picking is a good place to start.

It is not only very fun but also can add new textures and some dynamics to your compositions. You would be surprised how well this technique fits even in metal or hardcore music.

A FAMOUS SONG WITH TREMOLO PICKING:

The surf rock version of the song “Misirlou”, from Dick Dale, is probably the greatest example of tremolo picking. The original one is a traditional song from the Eastern Mediterranean area dating back to 1927!

The version of Dick Dale got very popular after appearing in the soundtrack of Pulp Fiction in 1994.

BEST PICK FOR TREMOLO PICKING:

The most influential factors when choosing the best guitar pick for tremolo picking are thickness, material, and grip.

It’s important to have a snappy, responsive guitar pick. For this, medium picks with a medium/pointy tip are my recommendation.

However, there is no consensus in the guitar world for this. Many players have reported preferring thick, rigid picks.

In my case, I have found the best stability and speed using Rombo Origami. This pick can be described as: Flexible but still rigid enough for note control. Right amount of flexibility for a snappy fluid attack that's bright and crisp. The concave surface on the hold area ensures an ergonomic and comfortable hold.

Everyone’s hand is a little different in how they hold the pick and move. The best way to find out is to test different shapes and thicknesses, and then try them out

Good luck!

2- PICK SLIDES:

One very extended technique often performed in the rock, metal, and punk genres is pick slides or pick scrapes.

By holding the edge of the guitar pick against the guitar strings and moving it along the edge, the pick catches the strings’ windings, causing the strings to vibrate and produce a very pleasant textured noise.

Usually, guitar pick slides start near the bridge and end over the higher frets. However, there are countless variations of pick slides depending on the direction, the angle of the pick relative to the strings, and other variables.

Unfortunately, performing pick slides completely ruins the edges of the guitar pick, especially on thinner ones. This won’t directly affect the tone or control of the plectrum, but the damaged sides will develop some dents.

What makes a guitar pick durable? Find our here.

WHY ARE PICK SLIDES IMPORTANT?

Guitar pick slides are not the most relevant aspect of your playing. Nevertheless, a correctly performed slide in the right place will add so much to the moment.

The noisy textures produced by this technique are the perfect weapon of choice for songs using high distortion levels.

A FAMOUS SONG WITH PICK SLIDES:

The first use of the pick slide is attributed to Bo Diddley and can be heard in the opening of his song "Road Runner" from the 60s.

Today, some guitarists have taken this technique to a new level and have created signature variations. A shining example of pick slides from the last years is the metal band Gojira with their famous signature “Gojira-Scrape” that was created by accident and combines several guitar pick techniques

BEST PICK FOR PICK SLIDES:

If you are going to do pick slides frequently, then you need to consider two things:

• Using durable guitar pick materials, and 
• Using thick picks.

Otherwise, your guitar picks will be inoperative after a couple of sessions. The dilemma is that most players get better noisy sounds with a medium guitar pick.

I have found a solution that works for me: medium-heavy picks that are large enough to scrape with higher areas of the pick that won’t touch the strings. From our picks, I prefer Rombo Horizon the most for pick slides. Also, the curvy edge creates different pressure on different strings and that’s nice.

3- PINCH HARMONICS:

Do you know any guitar player who does not like pinch harmonics? I do not either.

Pinch harmonics are created by the picking hand. Playing this technique produces high-pitched tones. This phenomenon occurs when you stop a part of the string vibrations in the right position and create a "node".

There is a simple way to test this; pick a note and apply a small pressure anywhere on the string such that the vibration doesn’t stop completely.

WHY ARE PINCH HARMONICS IMPORTANT?

Pinch harmonics are often related to high gain tones and metal music but they are a powerful tool to add dynamics and textures to any genre of music or type of guitar; electric or acoustic.

It is considered one of the most abstruse techniques for intermediate players. Common problems are pinch harmonics that aren't loud enough or additional noises that make the harmonics not sound clean enough.

Root causes of this problem can be:

• the guitar player does not know the right places on the strings to play pinch harmonics 

• there is unwanted noise coming from unmuted strings

• the pinch harmonic is produced isolated, without combining it with other techniques like vibrato.

Most guitar players (including me) played their first pinch harmonic accidentally.

A FAMOUS SONG WITH PINCH HARMONICS:

Guitarist Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top is considered the father of pinch harmonics. Not because he invented them, but because he brought them to the mainstream. Although he is a well-rounded guitarist with a focused skillset based on blues, he is best known for his pinch harmonics.

BEST PICK FOR PINCH HARMONICS:

There is no special pick to do pinch harmonics. The pinch harmonic is technically produced by the thumb of your picking hand.

However, this technique is widely used in lead guitar in combination with other advanced techniques that work especially well with thick, small guitar picks.

Therefore, although you can learn pinch harmonics using thin picks, I recommend using thick picks.

#If you want to learn more about the differences between thin and thick guitar picks read our article "Thick guitar picks vs thin guitar picks".

4- PALM MUTE:

Palm mute is a very regular technique used by most guitarists. By placing the side of the picking hand on the strings close to the bridge and dampening the guitar strings (when necessary), the strings produce muted sounds.

You can control the dampening effect by moving your hand to a different position further from the bridge.

Although this technique isn't seen as a very difficult one, these are common mistakes that prevent players from learning it properly:

• wrong hand position
• not having a relaxed posture
• problems by keeping a stable tempo
• too much pressure on the strings

WHY IS PALM MUTE IMPORTANT?

As a guitarist or bassist, you are always on the lookout to make your music sound natural, creative, and exciting.

Palm-muting is a great skill for dynamic control exercises. This means you will automatically learn how to shape your sound using fluctuations in volume and intensity.

With this skill in your repertoire, your music will sound more vocal and dynamic.

A FAMOUS SONG WITH PALM MUTE:

This technique is very old. As old as the invention of the electric guitar (1936). Most classical players have been using it for centuries with all kinds of instruments.

Today, palm muting is widely used in heavy metal, thrash, speed, and death metal. It is often found in music that features distortion effects.

Is there any good song to practice palm muting for getting better at it? “Master of Puppets” from Metallica—it’s a masterclass in palm muting and down picking.

BEST PICK FOR PALM MUTE:

I recommend using a thick guitar pick for this. They provide high volume, a broader dynamic range, and more control over single notes (in case you use palm mute arpeggios). In addition, palm muting is a demanding technique that causes a lot of guitar pick wear. As you might know, thick guitar picks are more durable.

My favorite choice for this technique is Rombo Diamond.

5- PICK STRUMMING:

Guitar pick strumming is a way of playing guitar. A strum is a sweeping action where a pick (or finger!) brushes over the guitar strings and generates sounds.

For most guitar players, this is the first technique they learned and the technique that caused most headaches as a beginner.

Learning how to strum correctly takes time and practice. Most beginners lack the necessary muscle memory it takes to play while remaining relaxed or having a good posture.

WHY IS PICK STRUMMING IMPORTANT?

In many ways, understanding this skill is essential for understanding guitar. Great strumming skills mean being a great rhythm guitarist. Therefore, this should be your number one goal as a beginner.

Learning chords is important, but they are just static shapes. The diversity of the hundreds (if not thousands) of strumming patterns available will inject musicality and rhythm into your playing.

A FAMOUS SONG WITH PICK STRUMMING:

“Bad moon rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival, is a good place to start. It combines easy chords (D, A, G) with a very simple progression and a very catchy, bluesy melody.

BEST PICK FOR STRUMMING:

My best advice for beginners is to start with a very thin guitar pick. It can help to practice with something below 0.6 that’s nice and bendy. As you improve your skills, you can try with thicker picks, as they will add more bass to your tone.

For all the beginners out there, my best choice would be Rombo Classic.

However, if you are in the very beginning of your guitar journey, please read this article where I explain, why starting with medium guitar picks can be a better choice for you. "Medium Gauge Guitar Picks".

6- DOWNPICKING

Downpicking or down-stroke picking is a very beloved guitar technique in which the player moves the guitar pick only in a downward motion. The tip of the pick does not brush the strings as the hand moves back to the original position for the next down-stroke.

It is one of the most underrated skills on guitar and although performing this technique might seem easy, the required endurance for long passages with fast tempo is very often a problem even for advanced guitarists.

WHY IS DOWNPICKING IMPORTANT?

But first, why would you want to remove the upstrokes (alternate picking) and then increase the necessary effort for the same number of strokes? Why would you torture your wrist muscles in this way?

This technique is widely used in metal and punk guitar and the main reason is that when mastered, downpicking can make the guitar’s sound very powerful and rhythmic.

A FAMOUS SONG WITH DOWNPICKING:

Famous punk guitarist Johnny Ramone used this technique in the mid-70s in combination with fast tempo (180 to 200 bpm). The technique was very innovative at that time and influenced many current guitarists like James Hetfield who has been regarded as “the King of Downpicking”.

Many beginner guitarists start with songs from Ramones because of their simplicity in terms of chords and lack of tempo variations.

BEST PICK FOR DOWNPICKING:

For downpicking, there is a basic rule: the more mass the guitar pick has, the thicker and more aggressive the sound.

Therefore, a thick, large guitar pick with a pointy tip will be the loudest and most rhythmic one.

I recommend Rombo Diamond.

7- HYBRID PICKING

The interesting thing about hybrid picking is the fact that the player uses a plectrum as well as one or more fingers. This can be done alternately or simultaneously.

Typical styles for this technique are rockabilly guitar, country and bluegrass, and more classical passages with acoustic or classical guitar.

Hybrid picking can be very hard if you are a beginner. Before you think of learning this technique, you will have to learn how to play with your fingers and with a guitar pick. This is a requirement you cannot avoid.

WHY IS HYBRID PICKING IMPORTANT:

Three major arguments should convince you to learn hybrid picking:

Tone diversity:

The pick is generally used to play bass notes with a longer duration and very noticeable timbral differences caused by variations in the vibration of the strings. Therefore, your playing will sound more interesting combining pick and fingers.

Timing:

Hybrid picking allows you to pick two to four strings simultaneously. This makes it very different from strumming and gives an approach much more similar to piano techniques.

Flexibility:

Managing this technique, you will be able to change between fingerstyle playing and guitar pick playing within the same song or passage.

A FAMOUS SONG WITH HYBRID PICKING:

Hybrid picking was popularized by guitarists like Steve Howe some decades ago. Most players that learn this technique today start with a more classical approach.

A great song to start with this technique is “Amy” by Tommy Emmanuel. However, the complexity of the chords makes this song only possible to play for intermediate and advanced players.

BEST PICK FOR HYBRID PICKING:

There is no such thing as a “good” or “bad” pick for hybrid picking. You can use the pick you think fits the best for the song you are playing.

Because this technique is widely used by rhythm guitarists, there is a consensus that picks around 1 mm will perform well. However, it is up to you to try and decide which one is best for every passage.

Discover more about guitar pick thickness here.

8- BONUS SKILL – SWEEP PICKING:

For some reason, sweep picking is the trend. Every guitar forum gets new threads with this topic week after week. Perhaps it’s due to the high speed and visually nice arpeggios that make the guitar produce cyclical sound patterns and put us in a status of trance.

This technique describes the action of playing single notes on consecutive strings using the same motion, either all down-strokes or all upstrokes.

Sweep picking has been recognized as a difficult technique. It is more for advanced players and it can take years to master it.

WHY IS SWEEP PICKING IMPORTANT?

Sweep picking is used by guitarists to play arpeggios at high speed. The phrasing sounds produced by this technique sounds typical of other instruments like the piano.

Although sweep picking is a very important technique for building speed and fluency on string instruments, my advice would be to not learn this technique unless you have mastered other techniques that can give you more versatility.

Sure, it is ok to use sweep picking occasionally but that is not what you are going to play most of the time. In my opinion, a lot of bands overuse this technique. Therefore, you should reflect if the time needed to correctly learn sweep picking could be used for other more relevant skills.

A FAMOUS SONG WITH SWEEP PICKING:

Although often regarded as a “modern guitar technique”, pick sweeping has been around since the 50s. The technique was first used and developed by jazz guitarists.

Today, it is commonly used in metal but many students start with the song “Give Me the Night” by George Benson. Practicing sweep picking with clean tones can help you develop a more accurate technique.

BEST PICK FOR SWEEP PICKING:

What qualities are you looking for in a pick to perform sweep picking? Small and easy to handle, good maneuverability and stability, and good string separation. This means: Thick, pointy guitar picks like Jade or Horizon.

However, I have a bonus for you: We have received some E-Mails from professional guitarists using Rombo Prisma for their sweeping techniques, a pick that wasn’t developed for this. However, its sharp tip, combined with a very large, beveled edge, and the total “mass” of the pick (variable thickness), makes this pick a great candidate for bright tonal sweep picking solos.

We all know how complex guitar picks can be. Qualities such as pick thickness, material, shape, and size define the character of a pick.

We want to help you solve one of the most difficult tasks every guitar player faces: how to choose the right guitar pick.

1. What are guitar picks?

Guitar picks are the bridge between you and your instrument, a hidden hero in the hands of most guitarists, and the loudest amplifier in your hands. If you have a better definition, we'd love to hear it!

A guitar pick is a very personal item, and selecting the best one for you is dependent on a number of factors. There is no such thing as a perfect pick, but each pick serves a specific purpose, has strengths and weaknesses, and performs differently when used with different techniques or instruments.

The right guitar pick for you will be the pick that makes you feel most comfortable with your playing style and will meet your needs in terms of tone and control.

The right guitar pick can make you feel like a guitar hero. You just have to find it!

2. Why use guitar picks?

Guitar picks have many advantages over finger picking.

They help speed up your playing, produce a louder, brighter sound than fingers, and can be shaped to achieve better results when using different techniques like strumming, palm muting, pinch harmonics, and more.

Furthermore, certain types of guitar picks can easily change the tone. This allows you to experiment with different tones until you find the one that works for you.

3. Do different guitar picks make a difference?

There is a simple and fast way to make your guitar sound different: try another guitar pick.

The guitar pick affects not only tone but also volume, flexibility, and grip.

You will feel different grades of control and comfort depending on the guitar pick. Every pick is unique and will perform differently depending on your guitar-playing techniques, the type of guitar and type of strings, and your level of expertise.

In order to choose the right plectrum, you must understand some basic concepts.

4. What to consider when choosing the right guitar pick

The following are the most important attributes when it comes to guitar picks:

• Thickness
• Material
• Shape
• Tip shape
• Size

These characteristics define 80% of how a guitar pick will feel and perform and are the best points from which to start.

4.1 Guitar pick thickness:

The thickness of your pick is measured in millimeters and mainly affects the tone and the flexibility.

A minimal change in the thickness of a guitar pick of only 0.2 millimeters (equal to two sheets of paper) is enough to change its properties drastically.

For most guitar players, this is considered the most important characteristic when choosing the right guitar pick, and this is the first information you will find on a product page when purchasing picks online.

Keep in mind these properties are categorized in a general way, and most of the properties will depend on aspects like material and shape.

Thin picks:

Thin guitar picks are thinner than 0.55 mm. How did we come to this number? We performed a large survey in March 2021, which you can find here.

This type of pick is usually good for rhythm guitar but not great for lead guitar because of the lack of control when playing single notes. These picks tend to fold when plucking the strings due to their flexibility, and the maximum volume is limited as a result. This can be an advantage because it works like an analog limiter. These picks always provide a fluid sound (even if your arm does not follow).

Most beginner guitar players use thin picks because their skill set at the start is limited to strumming. However, we have discussed why medium guitar picks are actually better for beginner guitar players here.

Medium picks:

Medium gauge guitar picks have a thickness of between 0.55 and 1 mm.

These are the most versatile guitar picks and are perfect for solo guitarists who use different techniques in the same songs (e.g., strumming, solo, palm mute).

They combine comfort, precision, rhythm, and speed of play and have the advantages of both thin and heavy thickness.

This thickness range on plectrums is the most complex of all and deserves a separate article (which you can find here).

Thick picks:

Thick picks are over 1 mm. Since there is no limit to thickness, some players like to use “extra thick” picks, which are over 3 mm thick.

Thick picks give the guitar player more control over volume and attack on the strings. They are the favorite amongst advanced guitarists.

Advanced guitarists choose this thickness because they require precision for their high-level playing and solo parts. Game speed is guaranteed!

Because they are thicker, heavy picks produce more mellow and dark tones. A bevel edge can be created (more on this below).

4.2 Guitar pick materials

Guitar picks can be made out of anything: metal, wood, plastic, and fabric. In the past, some exotic materials like bone were used to produce guitar picks.

The technological wave that came with highly specialized polymers created a new era of materials with amazing properties. Generally, the following are the main properties that a good material should have:

• High mechanical strength and stiffness
• Excellent impact resistance
• Superior aesthetic properties

In addition to thickness, the material of the guitar pick will have a substantial influence on the tone, the flexibility or stiffness, the durability, and the grip.

The most common guitar pick materials are Nylon, Delrin and Celluloid. Other materials found nowadays are leather, rubber or fabric (especially for Ukuleles).

At Rombo, we decided to adapt the properties of common Nylon by changing its formula. We were able to keep the tonal properties of Nylon and improve its durability and grip. We believe we have achieved an excellent balance of sound, comfort, aesthetic properties, and durability.

Our guitar pick material is manufactured in Italy, and we discussed its properties here.

4.3 Guitar pick body shape

This is the first quality you’ll notice when using a pick for the first time.

Due to the high number of guitar pick makers online nowadays, there is a virtually infinite number of pick shapes. However, there are some classical shapes that need to be mentioned. Here are the four most common guitar pick shapes:

Standard:

The most popular pick shape is the standard shape. Nearly every brand offers a pick in this shape and in different sizes.

They are a good starting point for beginners because of their size and their tip. The tip is neither too round nor too sharp. This means they are an all-rounder pick that can be used for almost every technique.

Nevertheless, there are some variations of this shape that include a very pointy tip and, of course, after the pick wears down, it will get a rounded tip. You can read more on durability here.

A good example of this pick is Rombo Origami.

Teardrop:

If you are looking for precision, this may be your best choice. There are many variations of teardrop picks, but all of them have the same goal: to allow the player to get closer to the strings, providing better feedback and control.

Because of their small size, they require a certain level of control and can therefore only be used if the guitar player has learnt how to use them properly.

A good example of this pick is Rombo Jade.

Jazz:

Ironically, jazz-shaped guitar picks are most often used by players who love rock and metal.

These picks have gained popularity over the years. Unlike standard picks, which are designed to be versatile, jazz picks are designed to achieve two things: speed and precision.

Jazz picks typically have heavier gauges with a significant beveled edge and sharper tips. There are many different sizes, from very small (the most common type) to Jazz XL, like Rombo Diamond.

Triangle:

Nearly every triangle-shaped pick is an equilateral triangle (60° tip and all sizes with the same length). These picks are very popular among bass players and are usually larger than the average picks.

The practical side of this pick is that the player can play with all three corners.

A good example of a triangular pick is Rombo Prisma.

Sometimes each corner of these picks has a different thickness. We do not recommend this. You want to avoid external factors that can cause mistakes when playing guitar. Varied thickness on a pick will lead to complications.

4.4 Guitar pick tip shape

Thе shape of the guitar pick tip іѕ one factor that рlауеrѕ оftеn оvеrlооk. Mоѕt реорlе focus on the shape and thickness and won’t think about the sharpness of the tip.

The shape of the guitar pick tip has a huge impact on the tone.

Bright tones are achieved using a pointed tip, while warm and less defined tones are produced by guitar picks with a rounded tip.

This is the main reason why guitar tones can change as picks wear down.

Tip: A beveled edge on the tip with rounded edges can promote smoother string friction, resulting in more efficient strokes and speed. More on this topic below.

4.5 Guitar pick overall size

The size of the pick is the most important factor when considering comfort. Because no two people are alike, this is a very personal choice. Besides, this point is strictly connected to the shape of the guitar pick.

You may find small picks make it easier to shred and play with speed. Your fingers are closer to the strings, so you feel what you are playing more. The downside to these picks is that they can be dropped easily because their total surface is smaller.

You may also discover that larger picks are easier to hold and feel more comfortable in your hand. They can provide better grip, since there is more surface in contact with your fingers. However, they can add a lot of bass to your tone because of the larger material volume.

Experiment with different sizes to determine what is most convenient for you.

Usually, the size varies between 15 and 40 mm in height.

5. Other aspects to consider when choosing a guitar pick

Thickness, material, tip and body shape, and size make up 80% of a guitar pick.

However, the remaining 20% can make the playing experience much more comfortable, giving you better results and a more enjoyable experience.

The following aspects are essential to consider for those players who want to get the most out of this guitar accessory:

• Grip
• Bevel edge
• Variable thickness
• Polished tip
• Durability

5.1 Grip

The grip a guitar pick offers is created by the material, the shape, the size, and the surface texture. 

This is one of the most debatable aspects of guitar picks because it is quite subjective. While some players want a comfortable pick with no aggressive textures, others require the maximum possible grip to feel secure.

External aspects like sweaty hands will also directly influence grip. (If your hands sweat while playing the guitar, you can avoid this problem by following simple steps here.)

In our case, we tried to find a balance of comfort, tone, grip and durability. When designing our grip, we considered material and texture. We developed the hold area of our picks using variable thickness and 3D geometries.

If you want to go deeper on this topic, read our article entitled “Understanding Guitar Pick Grip: Essentials”

5.2 Bevel edge

A bevel edge can be created if your guitar pick is thick enough. This means more speed and therefore more fun!

Beveled-edge guitar picks are the best option for guitar players who want to use thick, pointy tips that also produce warm, fluid tones.

Using guitar picks with beveled edges may feel strange at the beginning. The pick feels different: it slides differently, and the feedback you receive from it is different. However, after some practice, you will begin to notice that some techniques are in fact much easier.

We published an article called “The Guitar Pick: Bevel, Tip and Shape,” which discusses the relationship between these attributes.

5.3 Variable thickness

Guitar pick thickness is important. What are the advantages of using a pick with variable thickness? Actually, there are quite a few.

A pick with variable thickness has different thicknesses for the tip and the body, and it will have an impact on the following aspects:

Control: A less flexible, thicker body will increase control.

Tone: The pick’s extra mass will produce more bass tones and therefore will have more presence.

Versatility: Since the pick is thinner than the body, more adequate techniques for thinner picks can be used with the control thick guitar picks offer.

Grip: The thicker hold area will allow the designers to create 3D geometries that enhance the grip without aggressive grip textures.

A good example of such a pick is Rombo Diamond. Its tip is 1.35 mm, whereas some areas of its body go up to 2.65 mm thick. The tilted surfaces act as a support for your fingertips.

5.4 Textures on the guitar pick tip

Adding textures on the tip of the pick can slightly change the tone and sound.

The surface of the guitar pick tip can be:

• rough or very rough with texture
• untreated or smooth
• polished or mirror polished

We decided to implement the high mirror polished tip in our picks because of the advantages it provides in terms of noise, tone, and durability.

A guitar pick with a polished tip causes less friction between the strings and the pick, and this is the reason the pick noise is reduced and the pick lasts longer.

5.5 Guitar pick durability

Durability is affected by a number of aspects, such as pick material, shape, thickness, and the gauge of your guitar strings.

Durable guitar picks are perfect for players that use aggressive techniques like shredding. I have heard of some guitar players whose pick is gone after just a few hours!

If you are a regular player using common guitar pick techniques with less than two hours of practice a day, this is not something you need to worry about.

Creating long-lasting guitar picks was one of our goals when we began making picks, and we achieved this by using an improved version of Nylon.

A point that sometimes is forgotten is that the tone of your guitar will change as guitar picks wear down. The relationship between tone, durability and wear is described in depth here.

6. Advice for beginner guitar players

Medium-gauge guitar picks (thicknesses between 0.55 and 1 mm) are best for beginners, despite people telling you to use thin picks.

You are at the beginning of your journey, so your tastes, preferences, or guitar types may change.

A medium guitar pick will give you the versatility you need at the beginning and will allow you to change to thin or thick picks more easily.

In our article “Medium Gauge Guitar Picks,” you can find more details about these picks and decide if they fit your profile.

Another good option is a variety pack, which contains guitar picks with different attributes. This is a good way to test several picks and track your development as you start increasing your skill for each one.

7. Advice for intermediate/advanced guitar players

Through perseverance, patience and discipline, you have reached a guitar skill level many people dream of. Congratulations!

The guitar-learning process is a journey, and your gear choices will influence it substantially. Guitar gear won’t make you a better guitar player, but it will add more fun, more creativity, and more knowledge to the learning process.

We can’t say this often enough: Every guitar player should have at least three favorite guitar picks and, most important, know why.

As an experienced player, you probably have many different skill areas that require different gear. For example, some phrases of a song might require warm single note tones, while other songs require bright tones and lots of volume.

If every song has different requirements, why always use the same guitar pick?

8. Do you need advice?

We know how complex these guitar picks are.

If you are still having trouble choosing the right guitar pick, send us an email using our contact form and answer the seven questions below, and we will send you a personalized suggestion. We try to answer every email in less than 72 hours.

- Do you play electric guitar, acoustic guitar, or bass?

- What music genre do you play?

- Are you a lead guitarist, a rhythm guitarist, or both?

- Are you a beginner, intermediate or advanced player?

- If you are an advanced player, what are your favorite techniques?

- Do you prefer bright or warm tones?

- Do you prefer flexible or rigid picks?

If you are a practical person, you can try by yourself and make your own judgement by getting a variety pack containing picks with varying thicknesses, shapes and sizes.

9. Last thoughts on the right guitar pick choice

There are thousands of different guitar picks and even more types of guitar players. The possible combinations are infinite, and that’s what makes music so beautiful.

Not only is the harmony theory important for a song to be wonderful, but so is the way it is played and the way it sounds.

Here is the secret: there isn’t a right guitar pick for you. There are hundreds of them that could change your playing in a way you couldn’t imagine, so go discover them!

I wish you the best in the endless journey of experimenting with your guitar.

This article was created because you asked for it. It is meant to be as transparent as possible, so that you can see who the faces behind Rombo are and how we organize this project internally.

We hope you enjoy it!

Rombo Guitar Picks: Short Introduction

Since 2019, Rombo has been researching surface finish and design in order to find the perfect balance between grip, ergonomics, and function in guitar picks and other guitar accessories. Rombo was born thanks to an amazing guitar player community whose aim is to continue this adventure and quest for the perfect guitar accessories.

Who are the faces behind Rombo Guitar Picks?

We are Judith and Carlos, a happily married couple trying to innovate in the world of guitar picks. We live near Stuttgart, Germany.

We both love music, guitars, product development, challenges, and attention to detail, so Rombo was the perfect excuse to mix all these things together and have some amazing adventures.

Our location in Remseck a.N., Germany

Packing and shipping of our guitar picks

From Remseck, near Stuttgart in Germany, we do almost everything.

Here, we receive the packaging and the dots we use to fix the guitar picks to the packaging. We try to be very organized and keep the place very tidy. Tidy places also look better for photographs!

In the shipping station, there is one tray for every guitar pick model. We also include a flyer and a “thank you”-card with every delivery. This way we make the experience more personal, while sharing our journey of packing your guitar picks directly with you!

We have a label printer, which is super useful, and thankfully our web system allows us to automate the printing for every customer and create a label with just one click.

Our post carrier receives the boxes from us with all the information they need to bring our products to you, including weight, countries, and import information for the customs.

We ship every order directly from our location.

The envelopes we use are not very cheap, but they protect the product well, they are made of 100% recycled paper and they are plastic free.

Always learning something new

We have to be very multifaceted to cover all the tasks we do, from idea generation, product development, graphic design, photography, web maintenance, logistics, social media, packaging development, and accounting, to all the stuff a start-up involves.

We believe that doing everything by ourselves gives us a very close perspective from the customer side.

This means, when you ask something on Instagram or Facebook, you receive an e-mail from us, or we answer your comment. It is us behind the screen typing every word and every smiley!

We love walking a lot. We go for a walk for 5 kilometres almost everyday. Almost every idea we applied to Rombo was created while having a walk. We called it our daily inspiration walk.

Rombo is a long journey

Two years ago, at the very beginning of this journey, we could not have imagined how many things we needed to learn!

We have encountered many challenges on the way; for example, I remember it was very difficult to find out how to sell internationally and establish a system that is fast enough for us.

I cannot tell how many books on startups, online marketing, Kickstarter or time management we have read! One of the most useful ones was A Crowdfunder's Strategy Guide: Build a Better Business by Building Community, by Jamey Stegmeier.

A funny anecdote is that Judith and I don’t have our own Instagram profiles. For the first post from Rombo, we had to check out a tutorial on Youtube to try to understand the process. I am glad to say that two years later, we have reached almost 20K followers!

PS: We still don’t have our own accounts, the one for Rombo is enough work! :)

Guitar picks: All about the design process

The most complex part is the design process of a guitar pick.

I like to sketch a lot, so I have lots of old ideas and sketches which I use as an inspiration source. Sometimes, we use questions to challenge the design process, like “Is it possible to create a guitar pick that is flexible and rigid at the same time?” While trying to answer this question, we came up with the idea of “variable thickness”, which has proven to substantially increase ergonomics.

Since we have an engineering & design background, we also do the modeling in 3D and product engineering. Every detail is important here to create high-quality products.

When we think the design is ready, we create some prototypes and send them to the testers. If you follow us on social media you will know some of the testers from our stories.

In total, we have about 30 guitar players that help us during this phase of the project and communicate with us which points they liked or didn’t like. Thanks to their feedback, we are able to improve areas of the guitar picks which we would otherwise not have thought of.

Manufacturing technologies

For the manufacturing of our guitar picks on a large scale, we use a technology called injection molding.

In this process, the melted raw material is injected into a mold with the negative shape of the guitar picks.

It is a very complex process with lots of engineering in it, the material has to be treated in a special way to keep the proper humidity, temperature and pressure, and to avoid external contaminations.

On the left, the injection mould from Rombo Diamond: Our polimer flows through the mould runner (yellow arrows) after it reaches over 270°C degrees and it is pushed forward. 

The red area is the area we use for the grip texture. The blue area is high mirror polished.

On the right: The first ever produced Rombo Origami from 30.11.2018. The first 50 guitar picks we produced were sent to guitar pick testers who gave us feedback about the material, the grip, the tone and the shape.

The raw material we use is produced in Italy. We have worked very closely with our material partner to accomplish every requirement we had, including the 100% recycled material of the EcoBlack sets. If you want to know more about the materials we are using, you can find more information HERE.

Packaging for guitar picks

We believe packaging is a very important aspect of a product. We not only use it to create an atmosphere and emphasize the quality of the product, but also to inform you about the attributes of our guitar picks.

This is the reason we created packaging with lots of printable areas to describe the guitar picks. We include our parameter bars, a short description of the guitar pick, the 6 special attributes of a Rombo guitar pick, and a QR-code with extra information.

We had a total of about 6 different concepts before we decided which one was the most suitable.

Right now, we are creating the packaging layouts for the new models that will launch in 2021. We have received some samples and they look great!

If you want to see the new models, you can click HERE.

Guitar picks and social media:

Rombo product photography:

Carlos takes the pictures for social media. We are not very skilled with the camera, but we have learned a couple of tricks and after thousands of trials, we are able to take decent pictures in our living room.

In our Instagram you can find the best pictures.

Educating the customer

You have probably noticed that our posts on Instagram are mainly informative. Guitar picks are often underrated and most guitar players don’t think much about it.

However, guitar picks are the loudest amplifier you can have in your hands and are the bridge between you and your guitar.

We try to pass the know-how we have obtained directly to you, so you can make conscious decisions about the products you purchase. Aspects like the variations on the tone depending on guitar pick thickness, or why are there so many guitar pick shapes and materials… And this is the reason we created our blog articles.

Our aim is to create a communication process that goes back and forth between us. Some of you have become friends of ours and have won a new perspective of thinking about guitar picks. 

Engagement of the community

“To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation.” – François de La Rochefoucauld, essayist.

We believe we have one of the most engaged communities ever! We try to answer every comment and every private message, and we are sure we have an answer rate very close to 100%.

You all have participated in surveys, and you have left amazing comments and reviews. You post stories regularly and we have had very deep conversations with some of you! Thank you!

We also received great support from many amazing blogs like Heavy Repping, Gigs and Guitars, The Gadget Flow, Ultimate-Guitar, Guitar World, and others.

Rombo around the world

Rombo is expanding. We are working with dealers around the world and currently we have sellers in the following countries:

This means, with the help of our dealers we are able to sell in Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, almost every country of South America, and South Africa.

Transparent communication with our dealers is a priority with us, and so far 100% of the new sellers stay with us! Together we are developing the brand and taking it to the next step.

The future of rombo:

During our inspiration walks, we talk about Rombo in the next few years. It is very difficult to imagine what the future will bring.

We would like to bring new designs (lots of them!), to increase the amount of recycled material for the manufacturing of the picks, or even be able to create colored recycled guitar picks. We want to talk more to our customers and share our experiences, and from time to time, share some great music and playlists.

We are only two people and every step takes its time. Some of you have written beautiful thank you letters to us or left very good reviews and we want to let you know that we are working hard everyday not to disappoint you :)

You are the best and you have a vote on the future of Rombo!

In May 2020, Judith and I had finished the first 3D sketches of our four new guitar pick models. However, the picks weren’t 100% ready.

The thickness, the size, and even the names of the picks were still undefined.

We decided to take a new approach and involve as many guitarists as possible to help us co-create our new guitar picks. 

What is a signature guitar pick:

Signature guitar picks are common in the guitar pick world.

These picks were developed with the help of some expert and famous guitarists from a specific music field.

From our point of view, this is a very narrow design path that only considers the opinion and guitar playing style of one person.

Our approach: The opposite of a signature pick:

The guitar community has strongly supported Rombopicks since its beginning in 2019.

We did not want to create new guitar picks without asking the people who have been with us since the beginning. You guys and girls are the core of Rombo, and you should decide which products we develop.

The most logical step was to create a big survey to allow users to tell us how they prefer their guitar picks.

We think this is the only way to develop our guitar picks, based on the wants of our users, allowing us to make essential decisions about our company's direction. 

This is only possible by listening to the thoughts of every guitar player. 

In addition, by asking precise questions about guitar picks, we are able to create more awareness of complex issues, like:  Why are guitar picks thick or thin? How they behave when the size changes? Does the flexibility of a guitar pick affect the tone? What about the material?

When the user is aware of the product features, he/she can deliver a useful vote.

Since the beginning, we have been researching all these areas and are sharing them with you. With every article about plectrums we have written, we have contributed to the knowledge you have about your gear so you will be able to decide which gear is the best for you and understand why.

The results of the survey: 

Participants:

1.552 guitar players (including us) have participated in the survey and therefore have took part in the design process of these new guitar picks for 2021.

336 of them left a private message with detailed information.

What is your favorite guitar pick design?

Pick number1: 18,8%
Pick number 2: 14,8%
Pick number 3: 27,8%
Pick number 4: 38,7%

Guitar Pick Number 1:



Name:
Rombo Horizon: 34,5%
Rombo Sense. 33,9%
Rombo Summit: 14,1%
Rombo Mood: 7%
Other names: 10,5%

Average Thickness: 1,378 mm
Average Size: Medium Size with 71% of the votes

Guitar Pick Number 2:

Name:
Rombo Prisma: 76%
Rombo Spin: 7,7%
Rombo Treble: 8,4%
Other names: 7,9%

Average Thickness: 0,831 mm
Average Size: Large Size with 73,5% of the votes

Guitar Pick Number 3:

Name:
Rombo Crisp: 47%
Rombo Split: 22,1%
Rombo Prisma: 16,4%
Other names: 14,5%

Average Thickness: 1,028 mm
Average Size: Medium Size with 59,7% of the votes

Guitar Pick Number 4:

Name:
Rombo Jade: 33%
Rombo Shift: 17,6%
Rombo Slope: 12%
Rombo Summit: 10%
Rombo Dune: 7%
Rombo Cascade: 7%
Rombo Wizzard: 4,9%
Other names: 8,5%

Average Thickness: 2,37 mm
Average Size: Small Size with 56,6% of the votes

Guitar picks: Personal thoughts of 336 guitar players

A total of 336 people left us a private message regarding guitar picks.

We have read all of them carefully and we will use all this information during the development.

Here are the important questions we have received and our comments to them: 

• Will the guitar picks be available in new colors?
  Not at the moment. However, we are thinking about creating some additional colors for special editions in the future.
  
  
• Will they have the same grip structure?
  Yes!  Definitely. Lots of people have sent us e-mails and letters regarding the grip structure. With the micro-nodules, we have the advantage of medium-grip surfaces which add lots of control.
  
  However, a very small number of people want the picks to have more grip. We had to make a decision here, and it was hard.
  
  We won’t forget this topic: In the future, we want to develop a texture with more grip for these players.
  
  
• Why don’t you create different guitar pick thicknesses for each one of the models?
  We want every guitar pick to be unique. As every person has unique preferences, we believe every guitar pick should have its own design.
  
  In the future, we hope to be able to create a bigger quantity of different plectrum designs to cover each possible necessity.
  
  
• What about picks for bass players?
  Most our picks are compatible with bass, as we have confirmed this with some bassists that are using them regularly, especially Rombo Diamond ad Rombo Origami. We explained this HERE.
  
  
• You should create some merch, T-Shirts and other stuff:
  Maybe in the future. Now, we want to focus 100% on the development of the guitar picks. Every minute we spend on the design of a T-Shirt will be taken away from the quality of the picks! ;)
  
  
• Will you offer the EcoBlack range in other colors?
  The EcoBlack material can only be produced in one color at the moment. The recycling process creates a very dark pigmentation. The industry is working hard to find a way to create new recycling processes. We hope we will manufacture all of our picks out of recycled material in the future.

When will be the new picks available?

The new guitar picks will be available in early 2021.
If you want to receive an E-Mail as soon as the picks are availabe, join our mailing list below on the footer.

This is the timeline we created for this project:

The pre-order product launch will be on the platform Kickstarter (like the first generation of Rombo guitar picks we launched in January 2019).

However, the current development of the Covid-19 could postpone the project a couple of months. We want to launch the product when we are able to deliver worldwide.

Why Kickstarter?

Kickstarter campaigns turn dreams and ideas into reality. Rombo is still a small start-up run by two people, and with limited access to resources. Through Kickstarter, we involve the community of guitar players, showing our guitar picks before launching.

This process brings us in contact with the real guitar players and their necessities. It forces us to remain flexible, accept changes, and challenges us to create new designs to fulfill the expectations of our audience.

We love open and critical criticism, and this is the best place to get it, where all comments and thoughts are visible. By sharing your experiences, we can listen to your needs and wishes, and create guitar picks that make a difference.

The guitar pick tip is the pointy bit on the end of your plectrum. The tip and its shape is probably the most important area of a guitar pick.

The pick tip can be rounded or pointy, and if the plectrum is thick enough, a beveled edge can be included to increase the speed and control.

Depending on the shape of the tip, the guitar pick will be suitable for specific techniques.

• Sharper tips are very good for speed and tremolo playing.
  They are better for fast lead lines.
• Rounder tips are usually more adequate for strumming chords. They will produce mellower sounds.

Why a beveled edge matters:

The bevel of the pick impacts the attack. 

The bevel creates a surface for the strings to glide off on, and with the design of the bevel, you can adjust the degree to which the pick grips the strings.

A well-designed bevel is usually preferred by most players due to the following benefits it provides:

• Increased speed
• Improved control
• Better tone

Put simply, it makes playing easier. Additionally, it will impact the attack your plectrum provides.

Tip: Other attributes such as polished guitar tips can also help you improve your guitar playing. Learn more here.

Attack of a guitar pick - Pros and Cons:

The guitar pick tone is strictly related to its attack. Being able to hear the different nuances of a heavy and light attack plectrum is essential for becoming a great guitarist.

Heavy pick attack - Benefits:

Using a heavier pick attack will allow you to change your tone without losing tone clarity and brightness. 

If you dig in with your pick, your tone will distort. You will create a crunchier sound without the need for guitar pedals. This happens because the guitar strings vibrate in a different way when using a heavier pick attack. Nevertheless, the notes will remain well defined.

This is especially important for jazz and blues players, where the clarity of individual notes plays an important role. 

Heavy pick attack - Drawbacks:

Guitar picks with a very heavy attack can reduce the sustain of your guitar tone. Applying too much pressure to the strings can choke your guitar.

Furthermore, the strings will suffer much more because of each impact. This will subsequently reduce the lifetime of your strings.

Finding the balance:

Using heavier gauges of guitar strings (0.12 or more) can be a solution to the aforementioned problem. This allows you to use very heavy pick attacks without compromising sustain and tone. 

Therefore, my personal recommendation is to increase the gauge of the guitar strings for sharp guitar pick usage.

Note: There are many annoying things in life, but there’s nothing more annoying than losing a guitar pick you just had in your hand, and then realize that it has disappeared forever! - 4 Tips To Not Lose Your Guitar Picks

Managing the guitar pick attack: Practical exercise

In order to see the difference in action follow these steps:

1. Crank the amp to the edge of distortion.
2. Exaggerate “gentle” playing (as lightly as possible).
3. Pay attention to the sound and tone.
4. Exaggerate “hard” playing (as heavily as possible).
5. Pay attention to the sound differences.
6. Repeat the exercise for different volume settings.

Finally, reflect on which settings are most appropriate for you. Decide on a point between “very gentle playing” and “very hard playing” that you feel comfortable with.

Knowing this difference will help you define your own tone. Understanding the basics of the attack of a guitar pick can be very useful when creating a versatile guitar playing style.

Mixing both techniques during lead parts is very effective when creating dynamic tones, sequences and highlighting specific parts of your playing. You can change the subjective feel of your playing and develop a sense of tension and emotion.

Tip: You can control the volume amp settings and also the guitar volume/tone settings. It might take longer to finish the exercise, but you will be surprised at how all these parameters work together!

Attack, tone, technique, and flexibility:

We started from the very beginning and went back to the roots, back to the meaning and the definition of a guitar pick. As a result of the study of the physical properties, we defined four parameters to precisely describe a plectrum: attack, flexibility, tone and technique. 

Changing the form, dimensions and material, we can directly influence such parameters. These attributes are strictly interconnected.

Example of a guitar pick with a very high attack:

Rombo Diamond:

Exceptional picking control and accuracy. Favorite amongst advanced guitarists. The hole in the middle provides an extra control and grip rate. Sharp tip for high attack, and a clean bright tone.

As you can see, a very small diameter of only 3mm, combined with low flexibility make the attack of this pick very heavy.

Learn more here.

Example of a guitar pick with soft release (less attack):

Rombo Waves:

Strong dynamic range. Great picking accuracy and rigid body. The round tip allows for a smooth and warm attack and soft release. Its curious shape makes this pick perfect for strumming.

A very rounded tip and less thickness to increase flexibility make this pick perfect for mellow tones and soft release

Learn more here.

Conclusion:

Depending on your needs, you might prefer using sharper or rounder guitar picks.

The best players are able to use the best of both areas and create their own style.

Understanding the relation between guitar pick shape and attack is essential when mastering guitar techniques.

What about the material? 

How can the guitar pick material influence your sound?
Learn more here.