Okay, not for a human, but for a pick, at least for me, it’s what I prefer. I use a Wegen Picks Fatone (fat-tone) pick, and at 5mm thick, it’s one fat pick. I’ve sung the praises of fat picks I’ve used in the past, but this one is special in that I use it for both acoustic and electric guitar; something I couldn’t do with other picks.
In any case, last night I got a renewed appreciation for a fat pick because I actually left my Fatone at home. And not having enough time to set up for my gig and fetch it, I had to use the spare emergency pick I keep hidden in the piano at the restaurant. This is a medium Dunlop Tortex. Not a bad pick, as I used that very same pick for years until I discovered fat picks.
Tonally, it didn’t sound bad, but I had gotten so used to playing with a fat pick that I couldn’t get comfortable with the Tortex. The main issue was holding on to the pick. With fat picks, contrary to what you initially might think, you actually hold the pick much lighter, and let the pick tip do the work. Also, fat picks just glide over the strings effortlessly. In contrast, I felt like the Tortex was getting “stuck” on the strings when I played.
I eventually got used to it, but it was a huge adjustment for me. I was really missing my Fatone. I won’t be forgetting again!
I’ve literally spent hundreds of dollars on picks over the years; well most of that was spent in the last few years as I transitioned from standard Dunlop nylon picks to high-end, thick, rigid picks. Until recently, I used different picks for different guitars and even styles. For instance, for electric guitar, I used a V-Picks Snake (pointed) or a V-Picks B-flat for general rock, and I’d use a Red Bear B-Style Gypsy Jazz pick for when I knew I’d be doing a lot of leads or fills in a song. For acoustic, I also used the Red Bear, but mostly used a Wegen GP 250. But when I lost the GP 250, I wanted to get a new Wegen, so I found the “Fatone.”
Guitar Gear 