Gravity Razer Standard 3mm - A Modern Classic

From my first regular pick choice, the Dunlop Tortex 1.14mm I reviewed last week, to my current pick of choice and regular use: the Gravity Razer Standard 3mm. This fluorescent orange pick is made out of Polymethyl Methacrylate (to humans, that's a transparent plastic), with the 'Master Finish' edge, which just means unfinished.

Of course I need to begin by addressing the gauge - 3 millimetres is very thick in comparison to many other pick types, however it seems to fit well with my playing style. There is absolutely no bend in this pick, meaning none of the unwanted pick-scrapes which often happen with lighter picks (for me, at least). The extra width does take some getting used to, however it now feels completely natural in my hand, and I do think my playing has improved since using it.

In practise and rehearsal, this pick is surprisingly grippy. The shiny plastic finish gives the impression that any ounce of sweat with cause this pick to drop straight to the floor (where it will instantly be found, because of the luminosity of the orange finish!), whereas in reality the material is very easy to hold onto. On the back of the pick, there is a laser etching of the make and model of the pick, which does add to the grip, however I have been tending to flip it over and hold the writing under my thumb - somewhat of an annoying feature because the writing is now backwards, but that's only me being picky.

Something I quickly noticed when I'd acclimatised to this pick was how easy it was to play articulate picking phrases, with complicated alternate picking and string skipping exercises being almost a joy to play. The thickness of the body of the pick is tapered down on all of the edges, and the point is very precise, combining the comfort of a larger pick with the dexterity of a much thinner one.

In comparison with my purple Tortex, this pick produces a much brighter sound all round, something I do enjoy in my tone, but it doesn't lack in warmth or body - reduce the strength of your picking and a tone not at all dissimilar to the Tortex pick is possible. The real joy of using this pick comes when you really dig into the strings, however. The dynamic range that is possible with this pick is very impressive, and with my Marshall combo set to start crunch when the guitar is on full volume, I very rarely need to touch the volume knob - all the control I need is in my plectrum.

If this review wasn't proof enough, I am really enjoying my new Gravity Razer Standard 3. At the price of £4.45 (gravitypicks.co.uk), it wont be the pick for everybody, however because of the higher cost I have been making more of an effort not to lose it. I no longer leave the house for a rehearsal or a performance without this pick, and usually this is the only pick I will take (unless it's one of those rare occasions where an acoustic guitar is required - I still use the Tortex picks for acoustic). I can highly recommend this pick to any electric guitarist who loves to vary their tone using dynamic playing, or if you particularly like the colour orange.