What’s the Deal with Guitar Picks — Does Size Really Matter?

Guitar picks are the most deceptively important piece of gear you own. They cost 25 cents, you lose 2–4 per day, and they multiply under couch cushions like gremlins. Or, they can cost $35 each (yes, I did buy a couple), and the difference is incredible. 

Expensive or super cheap, they can completely change how you sound.

Let’s talk about the big question:

Does size matter?Short answer: yes. Long answer: also yes — but with nuance.

1. Thickness Affects Tone (More Than You Think)

• Thin picks (0.46–0.60mm): bright, snappy, perfect for strumming

• Medium picks (0.70–0.88mm): balanced attack, good all-purpose tone

• Heavy picks (1.0–1.5mm): warm, full, great for lead playing

• Extra heavy (2.0mm+): jazz players use these to intimidate the rest of us

The thicker the pick, the darker and fuller the sound.

2. Shape Changes How You Attack the Strings

• Standard shape: the everyman pick

• Jazz III: small, pointy, makes you 14% faster just by holding it

• Teardrop: great for acoustic nuance

• Triangle: because sometimes you want three chances to grip it correctly

3. Sharpness Affects Accuracy

A rounded pick is forgiving.A sharp pick is precise.A Jazz III is a tiny red weapon.

4. Stiffness Controls Feel

A flexible pick “flutters.”

A stiff pick “cuts.”

Neither is better — just different flavors.

5. The Real Secret: Picks Change Your Technique

Ever switch from a thin pick to a thick one and feel like you suddenly forgot how to play? That’s normal.

Your pick shapes your hand posture, wrist movement, attack angle, and even your dynamics.

Changing picks is like changing shoes: the first few steps feel weird, then suddenly everything clicks.

6. There Is No Perfect Pick (Sorry)

The best pick is the one that gives you the sound and feel you want for that song.

Strumming? Thin.

Blues lead? Medium.

Metal? Heavy.

Jazz? The tiniest pick you can hold without tweezers.

Your pick is a paintbrush — not a tattoo.

7. And Finally… Yes, It’s Okay to Have 40 Picks

We all do.

It’s not hoarding.

It’s “collecting.”