December 13, 2008
Brossard Picks Review
You can call me picky about picks (pun intended), but I really prefer thick picks that give me a good tone. For my style of playing, thin picks just don't work. I find that the pick material is also very important for the tone. So, I'm always on the lookout for interesting picks.
I saw Brossard Picks advertised in Guitar Player, so I went to their website and took a look. They sure look interesting but of course they cost a bit more than regular picks. Some people think it's a waste of money to buy picks like these, because they are easily lost. Well, I keep pretty good track of my picks, especially the expensive ones.
After browsing through the website, I ordered the The Bone and Dirty Blond Horn Set, since that seemed like a good deal. You also get a little pick pouch with the two picks.
A bit later they arrived, and I was excited to try them. I got a bone pick and a horn pick. Both picks are very shiny and smooth, and a bit larger than a normal pick. They also both have a very pointy edge, which makes them great for fast speed picking. I was surprised at how accurate my picking was, and how easy it was to play alternate picking.
The bone pick is very hard, and has a "sharper" tone than the horn pick. They are both comfortable to hold and very thick, which I like. The picks taper down significantly toward the pointy edge.
The horn pick is my favourite of the two. It sounds a little softer and give me a slightly smoother tone. It is also very hard but must be a little bit softer than the bone pick, I presume.
Drawbacks? Well, picks are a very personal thing. I prefer picks that give me a round and smooth tone. These picks are a bit on the hard side, which means the tone is a bit sharp for some of the styles I play. However, when I want to play more alternate picking and country style guitar, I find they work very well. I also have not had them that long and I'm still exploring the tonal options they give me. Another thing I noticed is that if you sweat a bit when playing, they get slippery. The material is very shiny and at the last gig it was hot on stage and I noticed the pick was sliding around in grip.
In summary, I think they are very interesting picks and they definitely have a place in my world of guitar playing. I use them regularly and find they sound different from most other picks, and they are great for fast picking. They cost quite a bit more than regular picks, but if you are like me and think that the pick is an important aspect of playing guitar, I recommend you try these. I only regret that I didn't get some Brossard picks made out of wood, because they would likely sound smoother. I guess I will need to go back to the Brossard Picks website some day soon and order some of those!
Update March 2010 - I have some Ebony wood picks now - here is my demo of the Ebony, Horn and Bone picks.
By Robert Renman - www.dolphinstreet.com
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