How to Choose the Right Pick for Acoustic Guitar (Buying Guide)

The Four Pick Variables That Matter

Every acoustic guitar pick decision comes down to four variables: thickness (measured in millimeters from .38mm thin to 2.0mm extra-heavy), material (celluloid, Delrin, Ultex, Tortex, nylon, horn, wood), shape (standard 351, teardrop, triangle, jazz III), and bevel (the angle and finish of the playing edge). A beginner pick and a bluegrass flatpicker's pick can easily differ by 4x in thickness and 10x in price, and both choices are correct for their specific use case.

I keep a jar of about 40 different picks at the Strum Avenue bench for students to test, and my experience is that most players settle on one pick within 3-6 weeks and stick with it for years. This guide walks through the four variables with specific product recommendations so you can narrow your choice down to 2-3 candidates and skip the trial-and-error phase.

Thickness: From .46mm to 1.5mm

Pick thickness controls two things: the volume and brightness of the attack, and the flexibility of the pick. A thin .46mm pick flexes noticeably when it strikes a string, producing a softer, brighter tone ideal for strumming open chords. A heavy 1.14mm pick barely flexes at all, transmitting more of your hand's force directly into the string for louder, fuller notes favored by flatpickers and lead players.

The rough zones are: .46-.60mm for beginner strummers who want easy articulation, .73-.88mm for most intermediate acoustic players, 1.0-1.14mm for flatpickers and players who want more volume, and 1.14-1.5mm for bluegrass flatpickers who need every ounce of projection. Your first pick should be in the .73-.88mm range regardless of experience level, because that is where the tradeoff between control and tone is best balanced for acoustic guitar.

Material: Tone and Grip Differences

Celluloid is the traditional material (Fender 351, Dunlop Celluloid). It has a classic smooth attack and a slightly softer tone than modern plastics. Delrin, sold by Dunlop as Tortex, is more durable and has a more precise attack that cuts through in a band mix. Ultex (also Dunlop) is even brighter and almost unbreakable. Nylon (Dunlop Nylon and Jim Dunlop Max-Grip) has a muted, warm tone that bluegrass flatpickers often avoid but singer-songwriters find flattering.

Exotic materials like horn (BlueChip, Red Bear, Wegen) cost $30-45 each and produce a bright, articulate tone with very little pick click. The difference is subtle but real on a quality acoustic recorded through a sensitive microphone. If you are gigging or recording regularly, a $35 BlueChip TAD 60 is the pick many professional flatpickers use. If you are a beginner, a $0.50 Tortex .88 will serve you fine.

Shape: Standard, Teardrop, Triangle, Jazz

The standard 351 shape is the most common and the best starting point. Teardrop picks (Dunlop Teardrop) are slightly smaller and sit differently in the hand, many fingerstyle players prefer them because they stay out of the way of the other fingers. Triangle picks (Fender Triangle) give you three playing edges and are popular with bluegrass flatpickers because you can rotate the pick as one edge wears.

Jazz III picks (Dunlop Jazz III) are small, pointed picks originally designed for jazz guitarists. On acoustic guitar they produce a fast, articulate attack ideal for fingerstyle hybrid picking and fast lead work. They do not strum chords as smoothly as a standard 351, so most players who use Jazz IIIs for leads switch to a larger shape for rhythm sections.

Bevel and Playing Edge Profile

The bevel is the angle of the playing edge. A flat-bevel pick (most factory Tortex and Ultex) drags across the string with consistent resistance. A rounded bevel (Dunlop Primetone, BlueChip) glides across the string more smoothly and produces a softer attack. Hand-rolled bevel picks from boutique makers like Red Bear Trading and BlueChip are favored by flatpickers because they reduce pick noise while maintaining articulation.

You can bevel your own picks by sanding the playing edge on 1000-grit wet-dry sandpaper for 30 seconds. This is a useful experiment with cheap picks before investing in a $35 BlueChip or Red Bear. Most flatpickers develop a favorite bevel shape and reshape new picks within the first hour of use.

Specific Pick Recommendations by Use Case

For beginner strummers: Dunlop Tortex .60mm or .73mm (yellow or green). These have a consistent attack, last forever, and are grippy enough that you will not drop them during chord changes. Buy a 12-pack for $6.

For intermediate acoustic players: Dunlop Tortex .88mm (green). This is the default pick for working singer-songwriters. Reasonable thickness, reliable feel, and $0.50 each.

For bluegrass flatpickers: BlueChip TAD 60 ($35) or Wegen Bluegrass 1.2mm ($15). Both are more expensive than standard picks but produce cleaner articulation on bluegrass lead lines and last 5-10 years of regular use. Most touring bluegrass players I know use one of these two.

For fingerstyle hybrid picking: Dunlop Jazz III XL in red (1.38mm). The XL version is slightly larger than the standard Jazz III and is easier for players with larger hands. Fast, articulate, and great for walking bass lines with finger-picked melody on top.