In November, I conducted a 30-day experiment of exclusively using the Dunlop Jazz III pick. I started using the Jazz III as my only pick on November 1. I thought I’d give this follow-up to discuss the results. I should note that my experiment consisted only of trying the red standard Jazz III picks.

Prior to the experiment, I had used the Jazz III pick sporadically, but had never tried using it as my only pick for any extensive period of time. I began using the Dunlop Tortex Standard 1.0mm (the blue one) many years ago, and that’s been my primary pick ever since I first picked it up. My main questions when I started this experiment were 1) Could I get used to the size, 2) Is there a significant difference in tone and feel, and 3) Could the Jazz III become my primary pick? I’ve been able to answer each of these questions.

Perhaps the most interesting question to me was whether I could get used to the size of the Jazz III pick. When I started the experiment, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get used to it. But, after just a day or two of use, I was able to adjust to the smaller size. As I mentioned in the initial post about my experiment, although I was able to get used to the size, I still had some issues related to the smaller size of the pick. I use a percussive right-hand picking attack, and the smaller size affects the nail on my picking hand index finger. Basically, my nail gets mangled when I use the Jazz III pick. I like to use my nails when I finger pick, and a mangled nail on my index finger affects my ability to do so.

The second question I wanted to answer was: Is there a significant difference in tone and feel with these picks? The answer is a resounding yes. The attack is much brighter, and the feel is night and day different. I really like the Jazz III pick. I felt like I could pick faster and more accurately. I can see why so many shredders like this pick. It’s a phenomenal pick for high-speed playing. However, strumming with the pick is not ideal.

This leads me to my third question: Could the Jazz III become my primary pick? The answer is, as of now, no. I consider myself more a groove oriented player rather than a speed player. I’m not much of a soloist, so the benefits of the Jazz III pick are somewhat lost on me. Furthermore, as a percussive style player, I’ve found that I need a standard-sized pick. As a result, I’m back to using the Dunlop Tortex standard 1.0mm pick as my primary pick.

What about the Tortex TIII picks that I mentioned in my initial post? (If you’re unaware, the TIII is basically a cross between the Tortex standard picks and the Jazz III picks.) I’ve added the TIII to my stable of picks, but I still find that my picking style works best with the rounded corners of the standard picks vs. the pointed Jazz III style edge of the TIII. However, if you like the tone and attack provided by the Jazz III but want the size and feel of a standard Tortex pick, I think the TIII is an excellent choice.

Even though I ended up returning to the picks I was using prior to the experiment, I really enjoyed changing things up. I’ve now got a new tool to add to my guitar playing arsenal, which is always a good thing as far as I’m concerned.

John Tuggle, in his article on practicing:

In front of the TV with a twinkie in one hand and a Dr Pepper by your side, checking your smartphone for who commented on your recent monumental Facebook post is NOT practicing. Of course this is an exaggeration, but I think similar situations happen to many people.

If you’re serious about getting better, then go in a room by yourself and spend 30 minutes concentrating on becoming a better guitarist. These 30 minutes by yourself will do much more for you than the situation I just described above.

If you think you don’t have enough time to practice, then try not to spend so much time on guitar forums researching the tone differences between different pots. In reality, it’s not going to make that much of a difference. I know a lot of you are busy, but I think time can be found if you are willing to sacrifice some things such as TV time or Internet browsing.

Ouch! Sound familiar? It does to me. In his article, Tuggle offers some good advice on getting out of a rut if you’ve found yourself “practicing” but not getting any better.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post written by my friend and fellow guitar blogger Jim. You can visit Jim’s blog to read more posts like this one. Photo credit: jmtimages (Creative Commons)

You’ve been a good little guitarist all year long; it’s time for Santa to reward you. Not sure what to ask for? All of these gifts are under $50.00, so even if Santa does not deliver, keep this list in mind if some Christmas money comes your way.

A Spider Capo is an incredibly useful device to spice up your guitar playing. This capo is different from all others, as you can take the capo off of each individual string.

Guitar strings are always a fantastic gift. Can you ever have too many guitar strings? I don’t think so. You will always need more sets of guitar strings.

Guitar picks are the easiest way to spice up your tone. I recommend trying some new picks; you might be pleasantly surprised with the results. I’m a big fan of the new Dunlop Tortex Jazz III picks. (The sharp point seems to increase accuracy and speed.) For $3-4 bucks, why not give them a shot?

A slide or assortment of slides is a great gift idea as well.

The Vox Amplug is a cool little mini amplifier that comes in 7 different flavors from acoustic guitar to Vox AC30 to a special Joe Satriani headphone amp.

A tuner is always a handy thing to have. Whether it be a stomp box tuner or a headstock tuner, you can’t go wrong with having another tuner. The audience will thank you for it too.

A metronome is another great idea. I found this metronome that is also a tuner. Talk about the best of both worlds.

A cool effects pedal like a Digitech Bad Monkey or a Boss Super Overdrive could be a great choice. I’ll admit it; there is nothing like the instant gratification of stomping on a new effects pedal.

I hope you get some great ideas from this list and you are able to share some of your music with others this holiday season. Have a Merry Rockin’ Christmas!

Hartley Peavey, in a recent discussion with Inc. Magazine about how he has made it all these years in the musical instrument business:

I had to look in the mirror and be totally honest with myself. I said, “OK, you’re not going to be a rock star. So what are you going to do with the rest of your life?” I realized I love music. I’m not so great at guitar, but I am pretty good at building things. So I decided that that’s what I would do.

One of the first guitar amps I ever owned was a Peavey Bandit 112. I wonder how many other musicians that began playing in the 80s and 90s share that experience? My bet is: a lot.

I have received numerous comments that people have had trouble trying to contact me via the contact page. In response, I’ve updated the contact page with new contact information. I’ve also added my mailing address for those of you who might want me to review a physical product.

I apologize if you’ve tried to reach me and haven’t been able to. Hopefully, the changes to the contact page will make it easier for you to contact me in the future.

If you are over 30, you probably remember Michael Winslow from the Police Academy movies in the 80s. Throughout his career, Winslow has made a name for himself as the “Man of 10000 Sound Effects.” I haven’t heard much from Winslow until John Gruber pointed to the video below of Winslow “performing” Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love”:

CNN has recently profiled Alabama ENT surgeon Kirk Withrow about his hobby of building cigar-box guitars:

“There’s a certain element of liberation to it. You’re not bound by the rules of what you can get at the store,” said the 33-year-old married father of two. “You have the ability to change the things you don’t like and make them to your liking… you’re pretty much just limited by whatever you can think of.”

I can appreciate someone who takes the time to build his or her own instruments, and Dr. Withrow’s cigar-box guitars look pretty nice. Seems like a fun hobby, too!

(via Boing Boing)

Oz Noy has started a guitar blog for Guitar Player. In his first installment, titled Being a 21st Century Musician Part 1: Vintage vs. New Gear, he discusses his opinion about playing old gear vs. new gear on gigs:

There are a lot of options out there for new guitars, amps, and pedals that are supposed to have the vintage vibe, but to be totally honest most of that stuff is just okay. There are a few things that are really good and very close to the old gear, and with a little luck you can find those. They probably won’t be as good as the old stuff, but they will be close enough, and as a player you can close that gap by the way you play if you know how to get your tone.

I look forward to reading part 2 and other future installments.

Fender have recently opened the Fender Visitor Center and have begun offering factory tours of their Corona, CA manufacturing facility. The Visitor Center features 8,000 square feet of exhibit space, featuring instruments, amps, photos, historical artifacts, and interactive displays.

If you’ve followed this site for any length of time, you know that I am a sucker for factory tours, so the ability to tour the Fender factory sounds very exciting to me. During the tour, you get to watch the Fender craftspeople actually make instruments and amps. You also get a glimpse into the Fender Custom Shop as part of the tour.

The Fender Visitor Center and Factory Tour sounds like a great way to spend an afternoon! Check out Fender’s video introducing the Visitor Center below:

There are few, if any, modern guitar makers with the history of C.F. Martin & Co. Fewer still that remain family owned. Fortunately for those of us that enjoy learning about the history of the guitar and guitar making, the Martin family have maintained a lot of historical information regarding the early days of the company in Nazareth, PA.

In the video below, Chris Martin provides a little historical information, and company archivist Dick Boak provides a tour of some of the Nazareth factory where guitars were made from 1859 through 1964: