A Bone to Pick With - Jazzy Tones Turquoise Bone

When I started this blog I thought I'd better find some new picks to try which I haven't tried before. After a quick browse I came across Timbre Tones, a company which makes picks from a variety of materials including wood, leather and bone, and thought these would be interesting picks to look at.

I chose to try the Jazzy Tones Turquoise Bone pick to try. The bone material used is from buffalo, which creates a very unique feel between your fingers, with excellent grip and no bend in the pick. The shape is very similar to that of a Dunlop Jazz 3, and about 2mm thick, good for players who make use of speed and articulate playing.. It has a short taper from the widest part of the pick down to the point, not as much as I'm used to in the thicker Gravity Picks, however it doesn't take long to get used to.

The tone it creates is bright when compared to a Jazz 3, and warmer than the Gravity Sunrise Standard, making it feel like a bit of a compromise pick - the jack of all trades. It feels and sounds at home playing a variety of fast articulate runs and open chord strumming, but one area it really shines in is syncopated funk style rhythm playing. It has a natural compression in it which really lends itself to this style of playing.

Overall, this pick is a great alternative to picks made from more usual materials, and is worth considering if your playing style involves articulate playing and you would appreciate the natural compression this material lends. Players of Jazz 3 picks should especially try this one out for some tonal variety, and at only £3 I think it's a pick worth trying. I'd be very interested in trying some of the other materials Timber Tones use to make picks.