Nature is pleased with simplicity. – Isaac Newton The modern plectrum hasn’t existed for all that long if you think about it. Although the shapes we use today go back to the late 1900’s, the shapes that the plectrum in its purest form have taken are myriad, with each one being another way of tackling […]
“That’ll do pig – that’ll do.” – Babe Since the 1910’s, the Plectroverse has been centred around plastic. This is perfectly understandable – materials like Celluloid, Acetal, Nylon and Acrylic are relatively easy and cost-effective to produce, and as guitarists are pretty careless as a general rule, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that synthetics […]
“It’s a cruel and random world, but the chaos is all so beautiful.”― Hiromu Arakawa I’m a big fan of people taking risks in the Plectroverse. Every new maker that gets added fills me with excitement, especially when they’re looking to do something different. In the last year, there’s been an increase in new makers, […]
“Fast and bulbous, tight also”. – Don Von Vliet Easily the most pick-centric genre in music, gypsy jazz has more dedicated plectrum companies than any other. Even though I’m no jazzist and certainly not a gypsy player by any means, I can still judge a pick based on its functionality, and some time ago while […]
“The sky is falling.”– Chicken Little It’s been quite a year already, as they say, and despite reports of a raging virus, political unrest, social upheaval and galaxies going dark, the Plectroverse is alive and well. One of the big names in our hallowed community is that of Chicken Picks, the company started by Eppo […]
Photograph 16: Subject shows signs of shrinkage, militancy and concealment. Suggest further analysis of cohorts to establish sagacious course of action. Let’s get this out up top – the Prodigy Mini 1.5mm is Ernie’s version of the Jazz III. There’s nothing wrong with that – the Jazz III is one of the most imitated picks […]
The snow was genuine – a felt coating that gave the city a muffled feel. Though grim in its vigil, the shape appeared immobile, at least for now. – Hiroshige – Kinryuzan Temple in Asakusa, 1856 One of the most magical aspects of the Plectroverse is that those within it have chosen the Life. Not […]
The Gateway. The Yellow Ghost. In many respects, it’s surprising that we don’t talk about this plectrum more. Any player who has encountered the Dunlop Ultex Jazz XL will remember the first time – the rush of brute force, the grip, the ridiculously high level of power – it’s all a bit intoxicating really. I […]
It’s no secret that I find this to be an extremely exciting time for the Plectroverse. Not only is it gaining steam and notoriety for its importance in the sound of millions of players, companies like Rombo are approaching this centuries-old device with new outlooks, shapes and materials. Aside from being one of the companies […]
Hodor. Game Of Thrones was quite the thing. Whether or not you watched it, it’s been a fiscal success at the very least, and the furore surrounding it has been equally pronounced. In keeping with the drama of the show, I’ve decided to cast my eye over one of the fastest, most relentless picks in […]