To get the most out of your acoustic guitar, you’ll want the best acoustic guitar pick possible. Playing acoustic guitar is a lot of fun, but it can be frustrating if you’re not using the correct type of pick.
I’ve been playing acoustic guitar for many years. I’ve gone through quite a few different picks during my playing career. You need to ensure that you’re using the right one when playing your guitar.
Quick Look: Best Acoustic Guitar Picks
★ #1 Best Acoustic Guitar Pick Overall: Jim Dunlop Jazz III ★
- Best Cheap Acoustic Guitar Pick: D’Addario Celluloid Pick Pack
- Best Fingerstyle Acoustic Guitar Pick: Black Mountain Thumbpicks
- Best Blues/Rock/Country Acoustic Guitar Pick: Jim Dunlop Jazz III
This guide will help you choose the best acoustic picks to meet your needs. There’s a wide assortment of various picks here that are perfect for strumming, lead playing, and fingerpicking.
What Is an Acoustic Guitar Pick?
An acoustic guitar pick is a small triangle-shaped device often called a plectrum. You use it to strum or pluck individual strings of your acoustic guitar. They come in different sizes, shapes, and thicknesses.
The most common pick is a triangle shape, but there are other shapes as well. Acoustic guitar players may use a thumb pick, which goes on the end of the thumb or other fingers to help with fingerstyle guitar playing.
Types of Acoustic Guitar Picks
There are several different types of picks for acoustic guitar that you need to be aware of. These can either be regular picks for strumming or playing lead guitar, or thumb picks.
Nylon Pick
The most common pick is made out of nylon. This is ideal for strumming as it tends to be thinner than other types of choices. The downside is that nylon picks are not that great for single-note lines.
Delrin Pick
Another material is called Delrin, which is commonly used in Jim Dunlop guitar picks. This type of pick is a bit more rigid, and it’s easier to play lead guitar and rhythm guitar with it.
Tortex Pick
This is another material that’s like Delrin. It’s rigid and perfect for both lead guitar and rhythm guitar on an acoustic.
Celluloid Pick
This material is smooth and great for strumming as well as playing lead guitar lines. It’s a little bit harder to hold onto because of the smooth surface.
Other Materials
Some picks are made out of unique materials such as wood, steel, stone, and so on. These are not as common as other materials when it comes to acoustic guitar picks.
Things to Consider When Choosing an Acoustic Guitar Pick
There are a few things that you need to consider when looking for the best acoustic guitar picks.
Here is what you need to know before you buy.
Thickness
The thickness of your acoustic guitar pick is important. A thinner pick makes it easier for you to strum in most cases. A thicker one is easier to pluck single notes or for playing scales.
You should probably try a medium pick to start with. This makes it easier to strum as well as play lead guitar. As you get better, you can experiment with different thicknesses.
Shape
There’s a wide range of different pick sizes. Start with the standard pick size. As you get better at the guitar, you can try different shapes. For example, I like smaller size picks because they work better for me.
Playing Style
How you play the guitar will determine the type of pick you use. For example, if you’re a fingerstyle player, you’ll probably want to use thumb picks at some point. If you’re only strumming chords, you’ll want a regular pick.
Grip
It can be a good idea to get a pick with some sort of a grip on it. Sometimes this is small ridges or a coating of a material on the pick that makes it easier to hold onto. It all depends on what your needs are.
10 Best Acoustic Guitar Picks
I chose the 10 best acoustic guitar picks to help you find something for your own playing. I have selected products here that are perfect for many different acoustic guitar playing styles, so there should be a pick here for you.
1. Jim Dunlop Jazz III
- Size: Small
- Material: Ultex
- Grip: Yes
- Best for: All playing styles
Dunlop Jazz III is a perfect pick for all acoustic guitar styles. It’s easy to hold and has an excellent sharp point on it, making it easy to contact the strings as you play. You’ll see an improvement in your playing when you use this pick.
Why I Recommend It
My favorite pick is the Jim Dunlop Jazz III. I use it for both electric and acoustic guitar playing. It’s smaller than normal, so it takes some time to get used to. Once you get used to it, you’ll find it improves your playing.
It’s easy to make contact with the string when you use this pick. I find I have more speed when I use this pick. The pick’s point lasts a long time, so I don’t go through as many when I use a Jazz III.
2. Jim Dunlop Tortex
- Size: Standard pick size
- Material: Tortex
- Grip: No
- Best for: Beginners and those that want a simple pick
The Jim Dunlop Tortex Pick is perfect for all playing styles. It comes in a wide range of colors as well as thicknesses to meet your playing needs. This is a pick that belongs in your guitar case.
Why I Recommend It
I recommended the Jim Dunlop Tortex Pick for beginners. I used these when I was first starting to play guitar, and they served my needs.
This pick is easy on your fingers, and since it comes in various thicknesses, it’s an excellent pick to have when you’re first learning how to strum an acoustic guitar. Try the medium gauge picks or around .73mm if you’re a new player.
3. D’Addario Celluloid Pick Pack
- Size: Standard pick size
- Material: Celluloid
- Grip: No
- Best for: Acoustic guitar beginners
It’s great to have a lot of picks handy. The D’Addario Celluloid Pick Pack is a good choice since you get a wide assortment of medium picks in this package. You’ll have enough picks to keep you going for a long time.
Why I Recommend It
I like this assortment of guitar picks because you get 12 medium celluloid picks in the package. This should be enough to supply any guitar player with picks for a while.
The picks are easy to use and hold. They’re suitable for both strumming and playing single notes and great for many different guitar styles.
4. Black Mountain Thumpicks
- Size: Thumb pick size
- Material: Plastic/metal
- Grip: No
- Best for: Acoustic guitar fingerpicking
Black Mountain Thumb Picks are a unique type of pick. Use it as a traditional thumb pick, and it also gives you the option of strumming chords as you play. This pick has a metal hinge for the two parts.
Why I Recommend It
I think the Black Mountain pick is an excellent product and is something that any fingerpicker should try. You can use it as a regular thumb pick and also have the ability to do strumming as well.
This pick’s cost is a little high, so it’s probably not something that a beginner will want to use. If you already have fingerpicking skills, this is something that you should at least try once.
5. Fender Medium Picks 144 Pack
- Size: Regular size
- Material: Celluloid
- Grip: No
- Best for: Those that go through picks quickly
This pack includes a wide range of picks, including those suitable for acoustic guitar. Fender Medium Picks are a good choice because they’re easy for most types of playing. You’ll save money with this package because you get 144 picks.
Why I Recommend It
I have used Fender picks in the past, and the medium gauge is probably your best bet. They’re great to have on hand, and this package gives you 144 of them, so you won’t have to worry about running out of picks.
These picks are easy to hold and give you a warm tone. These medium picks have the flexibility of a thinner pick and the better attack of a heavier pick, which makes them a good choice.
6. Dunlop Ultex Thumb Pick 4 Pack
- Size: Thumb pick size
- Material: Ultex
- Grip: No
- Best for: Those that need a quality thumb pick
I have a wide range of picks, including the Dunlop Ultex Thumb Pick. The picks have a nice edge to them, so the notes will ring out when you play. You get four picks in this package, so you’ll save money.
Why I Recommend It
Dunlop thumb picks are a good choice. These picks are great and are going to last you a long time. You can attack the individual strings, as they have a bit of a point on them.
This is a great beginner thumb pick for anyone that wants to get into fingerpicking and using a pick at the same time. I like the fact that you get four picks in the package, and you’re not spending a whole lot of money on them.
7. Ernie Ball Everlast
- Size: Regular size
- Material: Delrin
- Grip: Yes
- Best for: All acoustic playing styles
Ernie Ball Everlast is a great choice for any acoustic guitar player. This is a low-cost set, and you get 12 picks in the package, so you’ll never be without a pick for your acoustic guitar.
Why I Recommend It
I’ve used Ernie Ball Everlast picks in the past and found them to be reliable. They have a grip surface, so you’re not going to drop them as often as you might with other picks.
They’re suitable for strumming chords, playing scales, and plucking out single-note lines. This is an excellent, well-rounded pick for any beginner or intermediate player.
8. Fender Premium Pick Sampler
- Size: Regular size
- Material: Celluloid
- Grip: No
- Best for: Those that want to try various thicknesses
For those that don’t know the type of pick thickness they might like, Fender Premium Pick Sampler by Fender is an excellent option. You have several different thicknesses that you can try to determine the best pick for your needs.
Why I Recommend It
I always found it frustrating as a new player to try different picks. Some of them didn’t work how I wanted them do. I like this sampler pack because you have heavy, medium, and thin picks to try out.
Fender makes decent picks, which are made out of celluloid so that they will last you a long time. Try the different thicknesses until you find one that works. You’ll also have other picks available for different styles.
9. Dunlop Max Grip Jazz III
- Size: Small
- Material: Nylon
- Grip: Yes
- Best for: Those that want extra grip
Players that are always dropping their pick might want to try the Dunlop Max Grip Jazz III. This is a small pick with an extra grip surface, so you won’t drop your pick as often.
Why I Recommend It
The Max Grip Jazz III is even better than the original Jazz pick, in my opinion. I have quite a few of these in my guitar case, and I always turn to them whenever I want a high-quality pick.
The surface takes a little bit of getting used to, but you’re not going to drop this pick too often once you do. They’ll stay in your fingers even if you’re sweating because the surface on them gives you that extra grip you need.
10. Planet Waves Beatles Signature Picks
- Size: Normal pick size
- Material: Celluloid
- Grip: No
- Best for: Beatles fans or those needing a fun pick
Guitar picks can be boring, but this set from Planet Waves is a fun set of picks to own. It features various pictures of The Beatles. If you’re a fan of this iconic band, this is an excellent pick set to own.
Why I Recommend It
Anyone would enjoy this guitar pick set. The images of The Beatles in this set are excellent, and you get a great pick as well.
I like the fact that the set comes with a collectible tin, so you’ll always have a place for all of your Beatles picks or your other plectrums. The picks are a medium gauge, so they’re suitable for many different styles of music.
Best Acoustic Guitar Pick Brands
It’s important to choose well-known acoustic guitar pick brands. These are the companies that make the best picks.
Your playing will improve if you use a quality pick and not one that is poorly made.
Jim Dunlop
Jim Dunlop is my go-to brand for guitar picks. They make a wide assortment of different picks. You can get different thicknesses, colors, and styles. They have a pick to meet any need you have.
Fender
Fender is known for their guitars, but they also have accessories such as guitar picks. Fender has a wide assortment of different picks in various thicknesses, colors, and styles. This is my second favorite brand of pick.
Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball makes excellent guitar strings and also accessories such as guitar picks. This is a quality company to work with if you’re a beginner, as they have a wide assortment of picks for you to choose from.
D’Addario
This company makes guitar strings, but they also have a wide range of different picks you can choose from. They come in different colors and styles, and you’re sure to find something to meet your needs.
Acoustic Guitar Picks Features
It’s important to understand some of the features of acoustic guitar picks before you purchase them.
Here’s what you need to know.
Material
Guitar picks are made with different materials. Here are the basic materials that you’ll find when you purchase a guitar pick:
- Nylon: These picks are great for both strumming and picking single notes. You can get thin as well as thick nylon picks.
- Delrin: This material is quite rigid, so it’s excellent for lead guitar playing. It also comes in various thicknesses in case you’re more of a strummer.
- Tortex: This is another quite rigid pick material. It’s used for both lead guitar as well as strumming.
- Celluloid: This material is perfect for both strumming as well as lead guitar. The downside to celluloid is that it’s a little bit slippery when compared to other materials.
- Other materials: You can also get a plectrum made of other materials such as stone, metal, and wood. These give you an excellent attack on the string, but you might wear out your strings faster.
Finish
What type of finish you have on your guitar pick is important. Most picks are smooth, but some of them have ridges and bumps on them, making it easier for you to hold on to the pick.
Color
Guitar picks come in a wide range of different colors. Standard colors are red, white, blue, black, orange, and green. You should find a pick in whatever color you want to meet your personal preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here are some frequently asked questions that people ask about guitar picks. Here is what you need to know before you buy.
How Much Do Acoustic Guitar Picks Cost?
Acoustic guitar picks are quite inexpensive. You can get a basic bag of 12 for only a few dollars. Some picks that are specialty items may cost you a little bit more. The average cost for a bag of picks is around $8.
Does Material Matter?
The material of your guitar pick really doesn’t matter. It all comes down to your individual playing style and preferences in a guitar pick. You should try several different picks to decide what you like the best.
What Is Pick Thickness?
The thickness of the pick determines how easily it bends against the string. When you have a plectrum with a lower thickness, it’s easier to strum chords because the pick doesn’t get stuck on the string.
Thicker picks are great for single note lines and lead guitar playing, but they might not be as good for aggressive strumming. A pick between the two extremes, such as a medium pick, is always a good choice.
What Are the Best Acoustic Guitar Picks?
Here is my choice of the best acoustic guitar picks that you can buy. These are all my personal preferences, and you may have some of your own.
Jim Dunlop Jazz III: Best for All Styles
I prefer Jim Dunlop Jazz III picks. These are smaller than normal, but they have an excellent gripping surface. Not only that, they have a nice sharp point, so you get a great attack against your strings.
Fender Medium 144 Pack: Best for Beginners
You can never have enough guitar picks, and the Fender Medium 144 Pack is excellent for beginners. You get a huge amount of picks in the package, and medium picks are easy to play.
Black Mountain Thumb Picks: Best for Fingerstyle
Black Mountain Thumb Picks are an excellent choice because they combine both a regular thumb pick and a guitar pick in one. You can both fingerpick and strum at the same time. This is a wonderfully unique pick that everyone should own.
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In Conclusion
Thank you for reading this guide to the best acoustic guitar picks. Make sure you experiment a lot with your guitar picks. It may take you a while to find something that works best for you.
Please comment on this article, share it, and leave a comment. I look forward to hearing from you at any time. Now, go pick up your acoustic guitar, try out a new pick, and have some fun.
