Guitar Pick Grip: Why Textures On Guitar Pick Surfaces Can Help Improve Your Playing Experience

The surface of a guitar pick is in direct contact with your fingers. You feel it when you hold your pick, and your guitar strings will touch the surfaces every time you play a chord or a guitar solo.

Textures on guitar picks define not only important things like grip, control, and friction between the strings and guitar pick, but also equally important details like comfort, pick noise, and design.

Why Should The Different Areas Of The Guitar Pick Have Different Texture Types?

The guitar pick consists of two areas: The hold area (body), and the attack area (tip).

Both areas have different requirements. Generally speaking, when combining the proper textures of these two areas, a guitar pick should offer:

• a comfortable surface to hold the pick securely
• a well-designed tip to promote precision

With this simple fact in mind, it seems logical to differentiate these two areas when it comes to choosing the texture of the guitar pick.

Guitar Pick Hold Area:

• the control of the guitar pick
• the grip of the guitar pick
• the comfort of the guitar pick

These three features are strictly connected and every guitar player will have a very subjective opinion of them.

Guitar Picks With Grippy Surface:

Advantages Of Guitar Picks With Grippy Surfaces:

• Control the position of the pick between your fingers: avoid rotation and pick slippage.

• Hold the pick with less tension, which results in a better playing experience and less hand fatigue.

Common Types Of Grippy Guitar Picks:

• Sandpaper grip: Maximum grip, very aggressive texture (uncomfortable for long playing sessions)

• Raised geometries or logos: High grip, aggressive texture (can feel uncomfortable for long playing sessions).

• Micro-nodules texture: Medium/High grip, comfortable texture (the micro-nodules fit between the grooves of your skin). Read more here.

• Grip Holes: Medium Grip

• Homemade guitar pick grip: Some players use tape or make scratches on the pick to create a custom experience.

It is up to you to find a balance between comfort and grip. Some players prefer non-sticky guitar picks, some others need the maximum grip available.

The best thing you can do is try all different textures and decide yourself, considering the playing style you have.

For guitar sessions for over 1 hour, I prefer comfort over the grip. Once you get used to the guitar pick and how it reacts after every impact, you appreciate the comfort more and the playing experience texture and design can give you.

Guitar Pick Attack Area:

• Durability
• Pick Noise

The texture on this guitar pick area is one of the most undiscovered features in the guitar pick world. Read more here.

How can a polished guitar pick improve durability and reduce noise?

Actually, it is very simple: A mirror polished guitar pick will reduce friction between guitar pick and strings. With every impact, the guitar pick will suffer less friction and therefore wear down slower.

With less friction, the pick will cause less pick noise. From my own experience, guitar picks with this attribute make me want to play forever.

In addition, the pick will glide better and provide a better playing experience. However, this is a very subjective point since other types of guitar picks with coarse textures on the tip are very popular amongst some guitarists. Pick noise is sometimes wanted when strumming chords.

Bonus Feature: Unique Designs:

In order to build your own image, you need gear that fits in it. Design is as important as the other aspects when it comes to music gear.

Fortunately, we live in an era where many brands are creating very original designs with the best functionality.

Guitar Pick Grip: What Textures Are We Using At Rombo?

We believe textures on guitar picks are essential for a tool that was designed to be held between your fingers

The combination of two different surface finishes in the guitar picks have convinced us and our testers of the potential gains a player can achieve:

• A polished tip for clarity, durability and control
• A micro-nodules texture in the centre of the guitar pick for the most comfortable holding without compromising grip

Conclusion:

Grippy textures can help you hold the guitar pick more firmly without effort.
Looking for a texture you feel comfortable with is essential to find the balance between grip and comfort.

However, what about thickness, shape, size, and material? Have you thought about these attributes?

Learn more in our article "How to choose the right guitar pick".

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