I ‘m one of those guitar players that once I find something that works I don’t really like trying other things. I’m just a regular routine guy so when I found the Dunlop Ultex Sharp Pick I immediately fell in love with it and thought, this is the pick for the rest of my life. However, in the last year or so I’ve tried a ton of different picks for review purposes. One particular pick came in the mail bag recently and it’s one that I think you’ll really enjoy, especially if you like the vibe of the Dunlop Ultex Sharp Pick.
Ernie Ball is a company that I think is most associated with the electric guitar. They’ve got volume pedals, they’ve got cords, and of course a whole line of their infamous slinky strings (Note: they do have a full line of acoustic strings as well). So when I read about this next product I just assumed it was designed for electric guitars… I was wrong.
Ernie Ball has just launched a series of picks, the Ernie Ball Prodigy Picks. I ended up ordering these because they looked just like the Dunlop Ultex Sharp 2.0 Picks that I love and I thought, I’ve got to try these out.
In terms of options for this pick they offer a 2 mm pick and a 1.5 mm pick and they come in two different shapes of each thickness; a standard size and what they call the mini size. I tried the mini ones and they’re pretty tiny, compared to the standard ones. While I wanted to love the mini, I just couldn’t, it was too small for me. However, if you happen to be one of those players that likes a smaller jazz type pick I think the mini would be one that you should consider.
My personal preference was for the standard shaped Prodigy pick because it’s profile was so close to the Dunlop Ultex Sharp Pick. What really stood out about this particular pick is the treatment of the edge. It comes with a pretty aggressive bevel on it, and it has a pretty sharp point. Getting used to it was pretty easy because it mimics the Dunlop pick that I know and love.
There is a difference though… the material. The Prodigy pick is made out of Delrin. So what I’ve noticed is that the Delrin material adds a shimmer and note clarity; also because of the bevel and the sharp point these picks definitely pull out an articulation, a brilliance, and a crispness. If you have a guitar that maybe has an inherently muddy tone using a pick like this would certainly clean it up and allow each string to speak clearly.
This is certainly a pick that you should be aware of if you are a fan of a thicker pick and are looking to pull a bit more attack and clarity from your guitar. This is also a great option for you if you don’t have time to “break-in” a pick; the bevel on these is extremely comfortable and ready to go right out of the package.
Ernie Ball Prodigy Pick Links
Have you tried picks from Thalia? They have different assortments of wooden picks. Different thickness, types of wood and shapes. Just wondering what your thoughts are about wood.