I feel like I’m an Asian Cabbage being shredded for Kim Che. Yes, this Ibanez JTC Tritan Pick is a shredder made is Asia. In particular, this pick is from Ibanez, the Japanese music company.

I always found that song a little insulting to my brothers and sisters on the Island of Nippon, but hopefully they take it as a complement. I sure hope so, because as a guitar fanatic, I hold the land of Japan and its citizens in high esteem especially when it comes to musical instruments. Japanese Strats are arguably as good or better much of the time than USA Strats for an example.

Now first things first, you can find the JTC pick home site here.

Their “Jam Track Central” (JTC) is an online teaching service and this pick is purpose-built for the lessons given. Apparently,m the Ibanez JTC Tritan Pick is intended for hybrid picking as an option. Myself, I can’t perform that level of picking as of yet, so I can’t vouch for the performance in that regard.

I can, however, offer comments on co-polymers, or co-polyester, of which Tritan is included. “co-polymers” are constructed, chemically, from two different types of monomer, where that matters to you and I go on to this fact: Tritan is sold as being not only ‘BPA free’ (a material believed to have harmful qualities), but better environmentally and doesn’t out-gas (out-gassing is one way some plastics can be harmful). This is comforting to me, the fact that this drinking bottle plastic, the Ibanez JTC Tritan Pick, is super tough and sheer resistant, and considered pretty safe for our health.

https://www.eastman.com/Markets/Tritan_Safe/Pages/Attributes.aspx

I learned about the trouble from materials that out-gas as a college physics student working with laboratory vacuum equipment. Few folks are aware of the factor being an issue. However, many of you know about flooring materials that out-gas and can be unhealthy, just smell them!

Co-polymers are widely made materials, there are tons of versions, including some nylons.

Tritan is clear like glass but won’t shatter. It is also, as I mentioned, sheer resistant which is a very big deal with serious players who depend on their picks holding up during high-pressure sessions on stage and in the studio…

Now with that aspect of the Ibanez JTC Tritan Pick out of the way, how do I like using it, what is it like?

Well, for me, it seems to grip a little better with a moist hand than common acrylic picks. It has a both familiar feel and a reassuring response coexist-ant. So gripping might not be better than some textured picks, but they could conceivably form a grip surface on these if they wished to.

However, they offer a model like this with gripply material added on the holding surface. I want to try them next!

Now the size of it is meant for the more experienced player. And yeah, you are wondering, what does the Ibanez JTC Tritan Pick play like?

Well, for one, this is a shredder’s pick. The Ibanez JTC Tritan Pick is a hybrid pickers device also. There is very refined control with it. The Bevels and tip are constructed with highly precise forming. This means control is very refined and it is also stiff enough for fast alternating action.

Its diminutive size and custom shape (sort of a Jazz III + 451 hybrid with a sharp tip) means that whether you are a chicken picker or a shredder, or even a student trying to refine your touch, the Ibanez JTC Tritan Pick will aid your efforts handily.

As far as tone?

Well, one very positive aspect of the tone is that it doesn’t induce a squeal like other glass-like materials. However, sadly, there IS a ‘zip’ that it tends to make on high note leads, by the nature of its hardness and slippery quality. For shredding, this might not be noticeable, but with slower and more deliberate playing, as you strike your string, the wire glides and stretches before its release giving a zip tone.

So is that a problem?

Well, it depends. If a player uses their amp in a driven manner or uses drive pedals or other masking tools, it can accentuate the right tones you seek. But on a OO or Parlor guitar, I don’t think this is something to use.

One needs to be inventive with the tone, like Jonny Greenwood and his partners. Put the tone in where you need it, and you get a +, not a -. Also, tone-wise, using EQ-ing that accentuates high pitches will complementarily accentuate the zip sound.

So, OK, I get it, it’s the right pick for the right tasks, you keep asserting that about picks, dude, but what about the specs of the Ibanez JTC Tritan Pick?

Well, since you asked, here you go:

Material	Attack Tone	Decay Tone
Co-Polyester Plastic Called ‘Tritan’	Delayed and Zippy Sounding	Bright and Sharp
Durability/Wear	Comments/Dimensions	Shape
Excellent Sheer Strength and Durability	Shore D Durometer Reading of 75.5 Pretty hard	Teardrop
Grip and Feel	Flexibility	Likely Use
good grip for a clear plastic	Zero Flex	Shredding Leads Hybrid Picking Chicken Picking
Thickness	Width and Height	Resonance
2.47mm	23.5×26.5mm	Deep like a US Quarter Dollar But deeper
Tip Style	Bevel?	Approx. Cost
Very sharp/ Precise	Distinct V Beveling	About 12 Bucks on Amazon

Available on Amazon or ebay

Now here are my star ratings for those of you who are imagination-impaired like me:

Holding:

Playing:

Sound:

Looks:

Collectibles:

Play:

Enjoyment:

Overall Rating:

All in all, it’s a pick that is a force that will reckon with you and your playing…

It can both serve you and bite you. It’s like a Japanese wife, don’t misunderstand her deference, she means business dude. That idea that she’s submissive, watch out bro, you have it wrong. And by the way, my wife is API, so I speak from experience.

OK, so it’s a great pick for certain uses and it is pretty too, thanks Pickfetish! But what do you have up your sleeve next?

Well, anyone up for a rubber biscuit?

Now, how about you? Comments here: