beginner mistakes

this is kind of a long story, but i laugehd when i found out so i figured i'd share:

so when i bought my squier strat it had .009 gage strings on it. i started off with a medium pick. i then replaced the stock strings with ernie ball super slinkies (.009). then i bought an ibanez artcore, and put the super slinkies on that one, and put .011s on the strat.

at this point i noticed that using a medium pick on the ibanez was cumbersome. so i started using a thin pick on the ibanez and kept using a medium pick on the strat with the thicker strings.

i just restrung again, this time with .010s on the strat. while at the shop i also picked up new picks (both thin and medium).

when i got home, i realized why it was hard to play a medium pick on the .009s --- my original pick had been used so much that the point was rubbed down to a much softer nub! a brand new medium pick works fine on .009 strings!

so it just goes to show even the smallest thing that you wouldn't think about (your pick getting worn down) can affect how you play!

but i now have 12 brand new medium and 12 brand new thin picks so i won't have to worry about that again for a while.

I sharpen my picks :)

I use Jimi Hendrix heavy picks. And currently Stock strings on my ibanez. But i have a pack of Earnie ball .010s

The most versatile and overlooked variable impacting guitar sound and play is the guitar pick.

I play 80% of the time with fingers. However, I like a variety of picks when I do use them.

Years ago I left a plastic guitar pick in my jean's pocket when they were washed (I'm sure lots of guitarists hae done this). The washing (or maybe the drying) made the pick a bit more flexible. Ever since then I always keep a couple of 'washed and dried' picks in my guitar pick bowl.

I only use a pick when I'm strumming, I don't use it for individual string picking, But when i strum - I use much thick picks

on one hand i like the thin picks becuase they glide across the strings very easily, BUT, they also make a weird sound... hard to describe but you can sort of hear the pick...

I use jazz III picks and ernie ball 10s

I play Ex lights 8's allways have...helps with speed but decreases sound. I use Big stubbys their are red's and purple. Purple are really thick , could be for bass, but are really good for shreddin, red are lighter but not by much, but still are good for shreddin

i only use skinny top heavy bottems for electric..

?whats the standard gauge for acoustic guitars?

and i made a new song .. again..

www.myspace.com/vincejonesiiimusic

@vince... I checked it out... cool man.

@Vince, i believe the standard for acoustic is 13

I use elixar .10s on both acoustic and electric. The .10s on the acoustic are extra lights and on the electric lights. Both are coated but still have a bright yet warm quality. I would never use anything lighter than .10s on an electric with a tremolo. 9s or 8s, especially uncoated, will break easily. I have never broken one of these strings on either guitar and I play the hell out of both!

I use Fender 351 medium picks.

fender heavy. Or just heavy anythings.

i use d'addario .008 to .038 with an added 50 for my low B string on my seven, its in standard tuning. i also have an ibanez rg 2570 which is in drop C# and it also has .008 to .038 string but instead of a .038 there is a .046 for chugging rhythm :P. i use dunlop gator grips also. on my seven the picks wear away on the low B string and it makes me mad