Wooden Guitar picks might be something you’ve heard about in passing, but perhaps haven’t had the chance to try. As a guitarist always on the lookout for new sonic textures, I recently decided to explore the world of wooden picks. In this article, I’ll share my personal experience using wooden guitar picks, discuss their advantages and disadvantages, and offer guidance on choosing the best wooden pick for your playing style. We’ll delve into how these unique plectrums can add a distinctive flavor to your guitar playing, focusing on the natural warmth and feel that only wood can provide.
What are Wooden Guitar Picks?
As the name suggests, wooden guitar picks are crafted from wood. To ensure durability, these picks are typically made from hardwoods such as maple, rosewood, and ebony. Like any guitar pick, wooden picks come in various shapes and thicknesses, although the selection might not be as extensive as with picks made from common plastic materials. However, the unique tonal properties and natural feel of wood offer guitarists a compelling alternative.
Here are compelling reasons why you might want to consider using a wooden guitar pick:
1. Enhanced Comfort and Grip
One of the first things you’ll notice about wooden guitar picks is their comfortable feel. The natural, organic texture of wood provides a pleasant tactile experience and often offers a better grip compared to slick plastic picks. This can lead to more controlled and confident playing, especially during longer sessions.
2. A Distinct and Warm Tone: The Sound of Wood
Wooden guitar picks are celebrated for producing a warm, mellow, and distinctly “woody” tone. This sonic character differs significantly from the brighter attack of typical plastic picks. Many players find that wooden picks add a richness and depth to their sound, particularly beneficial for acoustic guitars and warmer electric guitar tones. The way a wooden pick interacts with the strings brings out different harmonics, creating a unique sonic footprint.
3. Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Choice
In a world increasingly conscious of environmental impact, wooden guitar picks offer a more sustainable alternative to plastic. If sourced responsibly, wood is a renewable resource. Choosing wooden picks can be a small but meaningful step towards eco-conscious guitar playing, reducing reliance on petroleum-based plastics.
Testing Three Types of Wooden Guitar Picks: Rosewood, Padauk, and Maple
To thoroughly explore the world of wooden guitar picks, I ordered the Trillogy Sampler Grip set from US Blues. This sampler pack included three picks, each crafted from a different wood: rosewood, padauk, and maple. Each pick in the set features a thumb impression on one side and a finger groove on the other, designed for enhanced grip. US Blues also offers picks without these contours for players who prefer a completely flat surface.
Before trying them, I had a few preconceived notions about wooden picks, and some of them were definitely incorrect:
- Misconception 1: Wooden guitar picks are heavy. Despite being thicker than my usual plastic picks, the wooden picks were surprisingly light. The density of the wood is carefully considered to maintain a comfortable playing weight.
- Misconception 2: They won’t feel much different from plastic picks. The tactile difference is immediately noticeable. The natural, organic feel of real wood is unique and provides a more connected sensation to the strings.
- Misconception 3: Picks made of different wood species will sound the same. This was perhaps the biggest surprise. Each wood species produced distinct tonal variations, demonstrating that the type of wood significantly impacts the sound.
US Blues T3-GripAC Samplers Grip Wood Trilogy Acoustic Guitar Picks
The Tonal Nuances of Different Woods
I put these wooden picks to the test across a range of guitars, including a Fender Telecaster, Stratocaster, a hollowbody electric, and a Taylor solid-wood acoustic guitar. To establish a clear baseline for comparison, I frequently switched back to my familiar plastic pick, the Dunlop Ultex Jazz III XL, made from Ultex.
The most striking initial observation was the tonal difference between each of the US Blues wooden picks. Contrary to my initial assumption, they didn’t sound alike at all. The rosewood and padauk picks exhibited similar tonal characteristics, while the maple pick stood out with a distinctly different sound profile.
Wood density appears to play a crucial role in these tonal variations. Rosewood is the densest of the three woods at approximately 52 lbs/ft³, followed by padauk at 47 lbs/ft³, and maple at 44 lbs/ft³.
This density ranking correlated with my tonal observations. Rosewood, being the densest, produced the highest volume and a brighter tone, consistent with rosewood’s reputation for treble response. Padauk was a close second in volume, offering a slightly warmer treble response than rosewood. The maple pick, being the least dense, had a noticeably softer output compared to both rosewood and padauk. Bass response remained consistent across all three wood types. For further insights into the tonal properties of rosewood and maple, you can refer to our article on guitar fretboard woods.
Wooden Pick Tone on Acoustic Guitar: Strumming Magic
I was immediately impressed by how well wooden picks sounded for strumming on acoustic guitar. They introduced a percussive attack quality that I hadn’t experienced with plastic picks. It’s a rhythmic “chick-a-chick-a” sound that adds a pleasant and unique rhythmic dimension to strumming patterns. This percussive element enhances the rhythmic feel and can be used creatively to accentuate strumming dynamics.
Single note lines on acoustic guitar were interesting but less dramatically different than strumming. The note attack had a distinct quality – warm but not in the same way as a nylon pick. The maple pick had a slightly nasal tone, while the rosewood pick was the brightest, and the padauk pick offered a slightly warmer tone than the rosewood.
Wooden Pick Tone on Electric Guitar: Amplified Woodiness
For electric guitar testing, I used my Quilter SuperBlock US amplifier. The Quilter’s clean and transparent nature allowed for a revealing assessment of each wood type’s sonic characteristics.
My initial impressions from acoustic testing largely held true on electric guitar. In some respects, the tonal differences were even more pronounced, especially when using a clean tone on the Telecaster. The rosewood pick exhibited the most presence and slightly higher volume than the padauk. The maple pick remained the softest in terms of volume and treble response.
Interestingly, the percussive strumming sound, so prominent on acoustic, translated differently through an amplifier. While present, it was less pronounced in the amplified signal. The percussive sound remained distinct from the notes produced by the pickups, resulting in a subtler percussive effect compared to acoustic playing.
I particularly enjoyed using wooden picks with humbucker pickups. The Seth Lover pickups in my hollowbody, known for their warm tone, were beautifully complemented by the wooden picks. While humbuckers can sometimes lack articulation compared to single-coils, the US Blues picks, particularly the rosewood, seemed to enhance the woody warmth while maintaining clarity. In this context, the maple pick surprisingly shone, producing a wonderfully mellow and full tone. The padauk pick struck a balance, offering a versatile middle ground.
Wood Pick Tone Recap:
- Rosewood: Offers the greatest volume, clarity, and overall presence. Ideal for players seeking brightness and articulation.
- Padauk: Slightly warmer than rosewood, while still maintaining good clarity and a balanced tone. A versatile option for various styles.
- Maple: Noticeably softer output with a slightly nasal quality. Best suited for warmer, mellower tones, and potentially jazz or blues styles.
Durability Considerations
While this review focuses on the initial tonal impressions, the long-term durability of wooden guitar picks is also an important factor. After my initial testing period, I observed slight wear on the edge of the maple pick. However, it’s possible this is just a surface discoloration, as maple is a light-colored wood. I plan to continue using these picks over time to provide an update on their durability in the future.
Where to Purchase Wooden Guitar Picks
The market for wooden guitar picks is surprisingly diverse, with several companies specializing in these unique plectrums. Beyond US Blues, here are a few notable brands:
1. US Blues Guitar Picks
US Blues offers an extensive selection of wooden picks, featuring a variety of wood types and wood combinations. Their range caters to diverse tonal preferences and playing styles.
US Blues T3-GripAC Samplers Grip Wood Trilogy Acoustic Guitar Picks
US Blues T3-GripAC Samplers Grip Wood Trilogy Acoustic Guitar Picks
2. Timber Tones Guitar Picks
Timber Tones provides a wide array of alternative material picks, including various woods, as well as picks made from leather, stone, and horn. Their diverse selection allows players to explore a broad spectrum of tonal and tactile experiences. Timber Tones picks are available on their website.
3. Tree Picks
Tree Picks offers a compelling selection of competitively priced wooden picks crafted from ebony, teak, padauk, and other exotic woods. Their sampler pack is on my list for future review, promising further exploration of wooden pick tones.
Final Thoughts: Should You Try Wooden Guitar Picks?
If you haven’t yet experienced playing with a wooden guitar pick, I highly recommend giving them a try. The question isn’t necessarily whether wooden guitar picks are “better” than other types, but rather recognizing that they offer a unique and valuable sonic palette to explore. I particularly appreciate the sound of wooden picks for acoustic strumming. While you might sacrifice some of the sharp articulation of some plastic picks, you gain a distinctive percussive attack combined with a pleasing warmth. And sometimes, that unique sonic blend is precisely the right sound for the music.
When it comes to choosing wood types, experimentation is key. The three woods I tested each offered distinct tonal nuances, and I’m eager to explore other woods like ebony in the future. While the maple pick was the most tonally distinct and perhaps less versatile overall, its soft warmth proved to be a great match for my hollowbody guitar. Wooden picks may not replace my go-to plastic picks entirely, but they’ve definitely earned a permanent place in my pick collection as a valuable and tonally inspiring alternative.
