Of Pick Materials: Man Made, often the best place to start is with the core item, or the basics. The most common modern guitar picks are the…

…Celluloid Picks, you will find them in this list with others here (please click on the underlines/bold hyperlinks):

Note: all hyperlinks lead to subsections with tons of very useful content. If you click you will be taken to major subpages with very useful information on the titled topic. For instance, on #1, Clicking on Celluloid takes you to a major historical and factual section on that type of pick. Read On!

1. Celluloid Picks. Celluloid has a long history. There is a big trade movement for these picks in particular. There are only a few factories making the material and in this section, we discuss why. We also talk about the qualities and replacements.
2. Nylon Picks. Nylon picks appeared after celluloid fell out of vogue, because of issues I discuss in both sections. They are very different from each other and a musician will want a variety of each.
3. Delrin, Ultex, and Delrex picks. These three pick materials are quite similar in their qualities, and are quickly becoming more favored amount performing musicians. There are a number of makers that offer them.
4. Translucent and Transparent Plastic Picks. There are Acrylic and Polycarbonate. I primarily review the former as I only recently got the latter form. I’m finding more flex with the Polycarbonate and I plan on further research in the future. Acrylic picks are plentiful. They wear better than some other plastics and not as well as others.
5. Opaque and Exotic Plastic Picks. These picks are can last a lifetime, or for a pro, months at the very least. They are more costly and are only available (for the most part) online from the actual makers. There are a lot of different plastics, and of them, some of these are the best.
6. Metal Picks along with Coins. Metalic Picks have a distinct tone and feel. There is a variety of types and each is different. Whether you use a coin or a sheet metal made pick, these are not for the faint of heart. Their assertive tone and longevity make them stand out. They are not for everybody.

There is a near-endless list of man-made materials for picks. Pick Materials: Man Made can only cover so many of them. As we acquire more, we will cover more.

You can find many of these picks from your local store, or Amazon, or Etsy. Some are only available directly from the maker. Also, some are only available from a single source. We discuss this availability or lack of in the respective sections and we cover their tone and feel.

As listed, there are Celluloids and Nylons, there are the three that Dunlop gave us, there are clear and translucent picks, and there are other plastics and metals. And it doesn’t stop there, not yet covered materials will get visited later on here…

Of the Pick Materials: Man Made there are more materials that we will cover in the future, such as Leather, Rubber, Cloth, and others. There are even more exotic plastics we will endeavor to cover somehow in the future.

As with most pages on this site, we want to hear from you, tell us what we haven’t covered or what you want covered. As time, availability, and budget allow, we’ll get to them in Pick Materials: Man Made: