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Dunlop Ultex Sharp 2.0 mm
Summary: It’s sharp alright; nice and pointy, and it feels great in your hand! Pros: Like any sharp pick, this pick is accurate. It’s super lightweight, and made of a material takes a lot of pressure to even slightly bend. The pointy end makes pick harmonics a breeze! Cons: It’s a small nit, but I wish the butt-end were just a bit wider. Features (from the web site): Based off of a coveted vintage tortoiseshell pick in our collection, the Ultex Sharp delivers a pick with a rigid body tapering into a thinner and sculpted tip for intense control and speed. The seamless contoured edge surrounds the pick for more playing surfaces and tones. Engineered of Ultex—the Ultex Sharp is virtually indestructible and delivers a crisp tone and quick release attack. Available in .73, .90, 1.0, 1.14, 1.40, and 2.0mm gauges.Price: 50 cents street Tone Bone Score: 4.75 – Real nice-sounding and nice-playing pick. If you want to step up to a thicker, more rigid pick, but don’t want to shell out for high-end picks, this is a winner! |
Okay, I’ll admit it: I’m a bit of pick snob. Ever since I started playing with V-Picks and Red Bear picks, I’ve mildly eschewed mainstream picks in favor of the insanely awesome picks those two companies produce. But I have to tell you that I was taken by complete surprise by the Dunlop Ultex Sharp pick! I wasn’t really looking to explore new picks, but a buddy of mine was looking for some Ultex picks at a local store, and offered to buy me a couple. Hell! They were only 50 cents apiece! I carried them around for a couple of days before I actually got to try them; not because I was dubious of them, I just couldn’t find time until this evening to sit down with an axe. Life happens, you know?
Anyway, I slung “Blondie” my trusty Squier Classic Vibe Tele, dug an Ultex out of my pocket, and started to play. Admittedly, I had a bit of trouble playing with the pick at first. Even though it’s slightly thicker than the thinnest pick I play – a Red Bear Tuff-Tone – it’s decidedly narrower in shape; something to which I’m no longer accustomed. But being the hard-headed type, and because I wanted to give the pick a fair shake, as it were, I kept at it, playing scales and riffs to get used to it.
I have to say that I’m really impressed by this pick! First of all, the material feels great in your hand, and like any real good pick, you forget about it. I love the rigidity of the material as well. Contrary to what you might think, a rigid pick actually makes you relax your hand. I know, it’s counterinuitive, but any player that plays a rigid pick will attest to this.
I spent quite a bit of time playing with this pick, and it’s a fast pick, though what I really missed was how my high-end picks really glide over the strings, like they’re lubricated. The Ultex material is pretty smooth, but there is a difference. Mind you, I’m not saying it’s bad in the slightest; it just has a different feel on the strings.
Most importantly though, the Ultex Sharp produces a nice, bright tone. That’s what I really dig about this pick! Part of it is due to it being rigid, but the other part is because of the pointy end. It really makes the strings snap in a very nice way!
Will the Ultex supplant my V-Picks and Red Bear picks? Probably not, but I will be using it for sure. It’s not even a small wonder why these picks are so popular among guitarists. They’re great playing and sounding picks at an insanely cheap price. I’m sold! Buy a few, and you’ll see for yourself!
Guitar Gear 
IMO: You nailed the pros and cons perfectly! I just tried out the Ultex and love it. The tapered edge makes for smooth playing. Seeing this pick advertised a lot in the mags now, I figured this was Dunlop’s take on the high end boutique picks and would have a high price. I was happily surprised at the down to Earth price of these picks. The Ultex is now my default pick.
The Dunlop Ultex picks are very good picks but they are more expensive than most any high end pick I know of because the wear out so fast. If you are just talking about price any Boutique is a better deal money wise that is if you play the instrument. Try any of these and you will never use cheap picks ever again even the Dunlop’s.
(1) Wegen ($20.00) wear very slow
(2) Blue Chip ($35.00 – $75.00) wear very slow
(3) Red Bear ($20.00) wear slow and are moisture sensative
(4) Ivory ($20.00) wear slow but governments are going to
stop all trade in Ivory
(5) Black diamond ($30.00 solid carbon) no wear
all are stiff all make you a better player and are a much better deal money wise in the long run period.
I haven’t tried the Blue Chip yet but regularly play with a Wegen and Red Bear. I hadn’t heard of the Black Diamond pick until you mentioned it here. Very intrigued by the solid carbon.
http://www.obbligatoinc.com is the web site it is not carbon fiber or carbon carbon it is the carbon used in the medical field for finger joints and mechanical heart valves.It is even a better conductor of energy than diamond but not hard like diamond the acoustic saddles are even better than the picks. You should also try the Blue Chip it is teflon based
30 % teflon 60% graphite and 10 % melodium sulfide. The black diamond pick comes in a plastic carring case to prevent chips in the pick and so you will not lose it. The BD pick has the best grip and feel of any pick I know not as bright as the Blue Chip. Red Bears is a real good pick too.