11/12/2017
Many people have asked, why wood picks? Though the obvious answer is why not, the truth of the matter is wood is more natural than any other material, it is plentiful and a fully renewable resource. In the beginning, picks were made from wood, bone, horn, and shells, essentially any material available that could best imitate fingernails, which ultimately is the purpose of picks in the first place. The problem was turning the natural material into something that was usable. With the introduction of plastic, came an immediate migration away from the natural materials to the mass-produced, cheap, synthetic replacements. Musicians have long realized that the woods used to build their instruments, greatly affect the tones they are able to produce. If this difference did not exist, I submit that guitars would be made of plastic. On the same hand, the woods that comprise bows as well, are known to make a difference in tone, so why wouldn't the wood used for a pick make the same difference. As I started experimenting with different woods, I noticed that there was a difference between woods based on a combination of properties, including hardness, natural oil, and tinsel strength, to name a few. Depending on the musician's instrument, type of strings used and style, the preferred species of woods may differ. If considering a wood pick, you should experiment with softwoods, hardwoods, and exotics until you find your preference.
