Plick The Pick - Full Review - Guitar Pick Reviews

Plick the Pick is an Italy-based guitar pick company run by Marco Martini. His designs are unique, offering a creative take on ergonomic guitar picks. The concept repeats itself between models, some with slight variations but mostly in a way that provides a different experience.

For this review, I have one of each pick they make from 16 different models and six different materials. Not every model is available in every material, but a total of 23 picks is still a huge catalog.

To keep this review easy to read and understand, I’m dividing them into four groups: Straight Tips, Speed Beveled, Enhanced Attack, and Shark (because this model is just something else).

The Plick the Pick Design

Plick the Pick’s design is, first of all, comfortable. The swirl sits perfectly between the thumb and index fingers, making them some of the thinnest ergonomic picks I’ve ever seen. Some models, such as Europe and Fire, even have the back side raised, accentuating their ergonomic grip.

Some have relatively straight tips, some swirl in the direction that makes them speed beveled, and some are swirled the other way, accentuating the attack.

The Picks I’m Reviewing Today

As I mentioned before, I’m dividing the picks into four groups:

Speed Beveled

Speed beveled picks are ones where the tip is angled to hit the strings with a flat angle when you hold them diagonally.

Enhanced Attack

In this category, I include picks that are the exact opposite of speed beveled. The tip is twisted to hit the strings at an angle, creating a stronger attack.

Straight Tips

These are the picks that don’t have a significant angle in either direction. I also included here picks that have a moderate angle, which doesn’t affect the playability drastically.

Shark

Shark is a model that deserves a category of its own. It looks almost as if it was designed by Salvador Dali himself.

Different Materials

Acetal (Delrin)

Although Acetal (Usually referred to as Delrin in the context of guitar picks) is not usually used for making non-flat picks, I must admit that it feels like a natural fit for the picks it’s used for.

Cellulose Acetate

The Cellulose Acetate picks are less plexible than Nylon and Softy, yet, not as rigid as Polycarbonate and Polyester, serving as a nide middle point, together with Delrin.

Nylon

Nylon is the material usually used for this type of guitar picks because it’s easy to shape and mold. This, though, doesn’t feel like a Jazz III type of Nylon. It feels like nylon of higher quality, the same type Attak Pik uses.

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is not too flexible, it is clear, and can feel a bit brittle. Famous series of picks made of polycarbonate are Jim Dunlop’s Poly and Gel.

Polyester

I never played with a Polyester pick. This material, though, is one of the most used types of plastics in the world. It doesn’t have much flexibility and feels quite rigid, but it suits the picks it’s used for.

It reminded me a bit of Lexan, the material used for Dunlop’s Stubby picks.

Softy

Softy is pretty soft (didn’t see this one coming, huh?), but not the softest material in this line of picks. It’s a mix of some polymers, and the result is a plastic slightly tougher than Cellulose Acetate and Nylon. It’s very gentle on the strings, but has a mellow texture, resulting in a really unique attack that’s sharp and, yet, barely even there.

I loved it with lush reverb on acoustic or a clean electric for atmospheric pads.

My Favorite Plick The Pick Models

If I’ve only seen them, I’d assume I’d bought Trouble, Home, GR, Fire, and Legend. By the specs alone, they are the most fitting to perform for how I tend to play.

That being said, after playing them for a while, I found myself favoring a couple of models I expected to like, but also, some that pretty surprised me.

Cerry

Available in Cellulose Acetate, Nylon, and Softy.

It’s a thin and flexible pick, making it less than ideal for fast riffs and solos. On the other side, it has the plick thin picks often have and a matte finish that is rare on such thin picks.

Eruption

Eruption is available in Nylon only.

This pick was modeled to emulate Eddie Van Halen’s style. Even though its tip is relatively thin, it is pretty accurate thanks to its thicker grip.

I can’t imagine EVH playing with this pick, though, because he had a very unique grip that ergonomic picks does not support.

Overall, it’s a very versatile pick that can handle strumming and picking and gives a balanced experience.

Europe

Europe is available in Cellulose Acetate and Nylon.

This pick’s design was inspired by the style of Carlos Santana, one of the best guitarists of all time. Its design is wider than what I usually like, especially for such a thin pick.

Having a relatively wide tip angle helps you decide how to accent the attack.

Fire

Fire is available in Cellulose Acetate and Nylon

It has an extreme angle, even compared to other picks in the Plick the Pick collection. This angle stiffs the pick by making it harder to bend. Additionally, it has a raised slot for the thumb and index finger, making it very comfortable.

Even though you can definitely solo with it, I think it shines in rhythm parts rather than in lead.

GR

GR is Gianni Rojatti’s signature pick and is available in Cellulose Acetate and Nylon.

It’s shaped in a way that enhances its attack while reducing the pick noise, which I appreciate. It’s relatively thick compared to other models but not thick enough to make it feel awkward if you’re not used to thick picks.

Legend

Legend is made of Polycarbonate and is really easy to control. It’s tough on the verge of being rigid, it’s small and sharp. You can think of it as a comfortable Jazz III-shaped Dunlop poly or gel pick.

Molly

Molly is the pick that can do everything. It’s made of nylon, so it’s soft enough for struming but it’s also thick enough (0.9mm at the tip) to be accurate for lead. It’s curved in the direction of being speed beveled, adding some speed to the mix.

Shark

Shark is the only model I thought deserved its own category because it’s so distinguishable from the other models. Its tip is almost flat, and it’s so easy to hold and play that it’s hard to move from it to other picks. Shark is available from Delrin and Nylon. Delrin is significantly softer than its Nylon version, I’d really suggest you to get both.

Trouble

Trouble is my absolute favorite out of Plick The Pick’s entire collection. It’s available in Polyester and Acetal, and modeled after Stevie Ray Vaughan’s style.

I like it because of how well the speed bevel angle fits the angle I usually hold my pick at, giving me perfectly flat angle against the strings.

It’s not as comfortable as Shark, but it’s the best combination of comfort and playability.

Pricing and Where to Buy Them From

Plick the Pick’s pricing is fairly simple. Each pick costs 2 Euros. There are packs that cost 14 Euros for 8 picks, which is the cheapest way of getting a few picks to try. There’s also a volume discount for 5 picks or above.

All the picks are available on their site, which is in Italian but has an English version.

Finishing Thoughts

Plick the Pick made picks more comfortable, and there’s no doubt about that. The thing I appreciate the most is that they made strumming picks more comfortable, too, which is often an overlooked type of pick.

Most makers that have anything to do with ergonomic picks tend to focus on thicker picks. Plick the Pick is one of the very few companies making strumming picks comfortable, too.

Being comfortable is not their only selling point. The angle of the swirl determines how accentuated its attack is.

Disclosure

I didn’t pay for the picks. They were sent to me for the sake of writing this review.

This, however, didn’t change the way I wrote about them or the score I gave them.