As you’ve probably figured out by now I have a little smidgen of a guitar pick fetish going on. They’re just an inexpensive way to add a little fresh excitement to the daily guitar practice session, and every now and again you stumble across one that becomes a firm favorite in your arsenal…
Last month I picked up a couple of interesting sounding boutique picks from a new company based in Holland called ChickenPicks. Read on to find out what I thought…
ChickenPicks Plectrum Review
First of all let’s start of by pointing out that ChickenPicks are thick, chunky plectrums – so if you like wussy little bendy picks then these are not for you. At the moment they come in two sizes: light (between 2.1 and 2.4mm) and original (between 2.5 and 2.8mm). The benefits of a thicker pick include more efficient playing, less grip required to hold on to them and a fuller, warmer guitar tone.
Both picks are white in color and have some indiscriminate graphics on the back to help differentiate the two. The front of the pick is emblazoned with the ChickenPicks logo, which features some type of weird sock puppet looking character having a smoke. As the picks come from Holland it isn’t too hard to guess what he’s smoking…
I’m assuming that they are finished by hand judging by the bevels on them. These look very similar to the picks I made myself with the PickPunch, as it isn’t easy to get a perfectly smooth line by hand. In saying that, these tiny little imperfections have no impact at all whilst playing.
One of the biggest selling points of the ChickenPicks is the highly durable thermosetting plastic that they are fashioned from. They don’t give away any secrets, but the site does suggest that you can use a single ChickenPick for a year or more! I’ve been using these little guys regularly for over a month now and there is honestly no wear at all (that I can notice).
In Play
Let’s start off with grip, because you know how fussy I am when it comes to holding on to my pick! I like these a lot because the large glossy surface area makes them very easy to keep between your fingers. The fact that they’re thicker than most other picks also means that you don’t have to grip so tightly, again causing them to be easier to hang on to.
Don’t let the name fool you, because these picks can do way more than just chicken pickin’. Although I do have to admit that this is the genre of music that I found that they really shine in – they are a great compliment to my fingers when hybrid picking as the tone produced is very, very similar. As a result I’ve been using these picks exclusively for practicing my country licks.
In general these picks are just great for extracting every last ounce of tone from what you’re playing. Especially when playing clean or slightly dirty, these guys just really seem to make the sounds I produce much richer and more dynamic.
The picks also feel quite unique against the strings – they’re not quite silky smooth, but they aren’t exactly rough either. They produce quite a punchy, percussive tone and due to their size the sound is also much thicker and fuller than you would usually get when playing a normal sized pick.
The Skinny
At €9.95 each these picks aren’t exactly cheap, but when you consider that one will last you probably in excess of a year they suddenly become a real bargain. As an introductory offer you can also save money by ordering a sample set of two.
They look classy, the bright white color makes them incredibly hard to lose, they’ll last you forever and they really bring a very unique, dynamic sound to the table. I’d definitely recommend these little boutique picks, especially if you are a country hybrid picker! I was genuinely super impressed by these Dutch picks – give them a try and i’m sure you will love them too!
For more information:
ChickenPicks Website
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