Jim Dunlop Celluloid Red Pearloid Pick Medium - 12 Pack

Perfect pick for playing acoustic. Pick choices are personal, but i've always liked heavy picks for tone control. I discovered this exact pick in an assortment pack and after playing hundreds of other brands and materials this was like finding a "grail" pick. But I only had one, and I carried it around with me like a recovering addict carry's a 1 year chip. So I ordered more. But be careful what you order on Amazon though. The picks that I received are not the ones pictured. I received the free form font Dunlop X-H (see photo), not the one pictured. Color and feel are exactly the same but, there is a subtle difference between the picks. The one in the picture has a slightly more rounded tip. The free form font ones are rounded too, but more pointed. The subtle difference is not major but noticeable. I like the more rounded tip. I thought something was off so I went to the local guitar shop and I got some original font X-Heavy in white celluloid so I can find them easily when I drop them on floor in a dark room. I've added a photo so you can see the difference. Four stars because I didn't get what I paid for.

I have been playing guitar for 45 years, and prefer the feel and tone of celluloid picks like this one. I tried many shapes and materials, and discovered this one is a classic for good reason. It lends itself to a wide variety of styles and techniques--pinch harmonics, strumming, single note picking, hybrid picking etc. These Dunlop picks are very, very similar to the Fender classic picks. I have used the Dunlop for about 20 hours, and so far, their edges seem to stay intact longer (i.e., they don't get grooves), and they have a smoother edge than the Fenders. Tone--wise these and the Fenders have identical celluloid tone, the one that I love. Time will tell, but I might develop a preference for the Dunlop over the Fenders. For now, they are similar enough for me to think of them as essentially the same pick.

Picks are a personal item. It's what is comfortable for you. I just love these Dunlop 483P14HV Genuine Celluloid, Abalone, Heavy, 12/Players Pack Picks. They give me a mellow tone that I enjoy and they are comfortable to use. It's easier for me maintaining even pressure on up and down strokes. I was amazed when I found that it was easier to play softly or quietly when necessary for effect. I had always assumed that heavy picks would sound clunky and loud. In my case, not. I have better control of my sound with these picks over thin and medium picks. As I said, picks are a personal thing, but if you have a chance, give them a try, you may also find them equally as alluring as I do.

Note that if you are expecting picks that are same thickness and stiffness of the Dunlop shell picks with the almost-cursive big Jim Dunlop and USA on the front (not the newer stamped block letters), these are not it. They are thinner and less stiff and sound very different. These seem more like the tortex orange .60 thickness and sound.

These are my absolute favorite for big strumming on an acoustic. They are a little thin for picking although as I use them more and more I'm getting used to that too. I used to use .71 picks for picking an electric so thin picks felt super weird at first, but I now really appreciate the flexibility when hammering chords on my acoustic (recently got a huge Taylor Grand Orchestra). I did try several types of thins including the Tortex, but these celluloid reds just feel and sound right. I'm a bit biased for Dunlop picks because after a lot of testing I also landed on the large white Dunlop thumb picks as my favorite as well. Worth a try!

Hands down the best sound of any pick I’ve tried. Tortex makes a good guitar sound like plastic, ultex even worse. Something about these good old classic picks cannot be beat. Only gripe would be that they’re slippery and I sweat a fair amount. But who cares, great pick!

Started with a bag of Dunlop picks of various materials, shapes, and thicknesses -- this one won the trials and tests that my fourteen year old put them through while learning to play the acoustical guitar.

Great picks for strumming. They do make picking individual notes a little difficult with their flexibility though. And they are like candy, you will go through these (about 1 per hour) as due to the thinness they do crack easily. But I like them and continue to use them, you just have to stock up. The cracking goes for solid colors as well as pearloid ones I have found out.