finally! someone overdesigned a pick

So @Jeremy Milikow asked if I would give their product a spin so here they are...I'll give a report once I've played with them for a bit.

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I've been playing them for several days, including my gig last night. Will be doing a full review soon as well.
 
Kerouac said:
I've been playing them for several days, including my gig last night. Will be doing a full review soon as well.
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I wont have gigs until next weekend (I opted out of one for tonight) but I;ve been playing with it for the last hour and its interesting. There are things I like and there are things I dislike immediately but I can't write it off unlike pretty much every other "reinvention" of the plectrum that I've tried. I'll give it a few days before I really say anything else.
 
Mark Wein said:
I wont have gigs until next weekend (I opted out of one for tonight) but I;ve been playing with it for the last hour and its interesting. There are things I like and there are things I dislike immediately but I can't write it off unlike pretty much every other "reinvention" of the plectrum that I've tried. I'll give it a few days before I really say anything else.
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Yeah. I've had a few students try it out and it's pretty interesting what they think of it, compared to my own. Definitely interested in hearing your report too.
 
I look forward to your reviews. I’m always interested in a good way to cut back on pick noise.
 
So I've kinda bent mine already playing in a class. Definitely not made for guys like me that play really dynamically (read:beat the shit out of the guitar sometimes).

A few things:

  • it really does put your hand where I think it should be to play the instrument consistently. Even when I go back to using my Dunlop Ultex Jazz III picks I am starting to see an improvement in how I am playing.
  • I hate the picks that are supplied with the Pykmax. The material sounds kind of like the black "stiffo" material Jazz 3 and the point is even smaller so if you're someone like me who enjoys the "rounder" sound of the Ultex Jazz III. The pick also puts the point out farther from the side of the thumb than I prefer so you are pushing more pick material through the string.
  • practicing with it has been great, and I will probably continue using it for practice purposes. It takes a little getting used to at first, especially if you are used to anchoring on the front of the guitar or hold the pick in any other way. I highly suggest that players who are looking to improve how their right hand works use this as a developmental tool.
  • I like that it does not interfere with my normal hybrid picking, which is an important part of how I play.

I will probably see if they will let me order some inventory to sell at Premier since almost every student I've put this thing in the hands of sees the value of working with is and wants to order one. I did a little research on Amazon reading the reviews last night and most of the complaints that I came across were written by people who either didn't understand how this thing works or hold the pick in such a different (and less efficient) fashion that they can't make it work and don't understand that the Pykmax is actually forcing them to hold the pick in a way that better works with the mechanics of the body.

The downsides of this product (to my sensitivities) are that I HATE the picks that they supply with it...it comes with a .88 green pick and the 1.40 picks that are more like a Jazz III are closer to what I use but I think that a change in material and tip profile would make the Pykmax a more musical sounding product. It is also not very "Mark-proof" and I could see myself destroying the part that holds the pick into the handle on a regular basis if I used it for gigs.

The upsides to me make it worth the investment of time and money though...it will help you eliminate a physical anchor on the front of the instrument and even out your wrist mechanics so that you can pick consistently both up and down. I've been playing with mine just for a few days and the slower things that I play sound great. The quicker more "Eric Johnson" type things are a mess right now as I rework my wrist mechanics but I think that 3-4 weeks out my playing with my normal Ultex Jazz III pick will be hugely improved and more in line with what I've been trying to accomplish for the last few years.

I'll probably repost this into a separate thread along with a short video demo later. I was very skeptical when this thread was originally posted because most of the time whenever I see someone try to reinvent the wheel in regards to guitar accessories it is usually a waste of time but after about 10 minutes of me figuring out the basics of playing with the Pykmax I was able to "get it". TAKE THAT, POINTLESS PICK GUY!!!!!!11!!
 
I may have to give one a try. I think the simple fact that the maker popped on and gave Mark and kerouac a sample shows they believe in the product and aren't just trying to pull one over on folks. Mark's review is also a factor. I like the idea of something helping me play the guitar the way it should be played. I know I can use all the help I can get. :grin:
 
I tried to be impartial about it once I discovered that I liked what the product did...If I recommend something I want to make sure I won't be regretting it at some point in the future.
 
Mark, reading your review it seems that the "brace" itself should be sold as a "pick trainer" and be modified to hold any pick (maybe with a clip or pair of teeth and a set screw), and that it shouldn't use specially made picks. @Jeremy Milikow

I can see it being something to help students learn better pick technique and for older players who have some arthritic conditions who've had picks slip out of their fingers due to not being able to grip tightly enough. (Okay...it's happened to me live a few times... :embarrassed: )
 
baimun said:
Mark, reading your review it seems that the "brace" itself should be sold as a "pick trainer" and be modified to hold any pick (maybe with a clip or pair of teeth and a set screw), and that it shouldn't use specially made picks. @Jeremy Milikow

I can see it being something to help students learn better pick technique and for older players who have some arthritic conditions who've had picks slip out of their fingers due to not being able to grip tightly enough. (Okay...it's happened to me live a few times... :embarrassed: )
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I don't think you could (or should) modify the existing brace...I think that they should have more in the way of pick options though.
 
Mark Wein said:
So I've kinda bent mine already playing in a class. Definitely not made for guys like me that play really dynamically (read:beat the shit out of the guitar sometimes).

A few things:

  • it really does put your hand where I think it should be to play the instrument consistently. Even when I go back to using my Dunlop Ultex Jazz III picks I am starting to see an improvement in how I am playing.
  • I hate the picks that are supplied with the Pykmax. The material sounds kind of like the black "stiffo" material Jazz 3 and the point is even smaller so if you're someone like me who enjoys the "rounder" sound of the Ultex Jazz III. The pick also puts the point out farther from the side of the thumb than I prefer so you are pushing more pick material through the string.
  • practicing with it has been great, and I will probably continue using it for practice purposes. It takes a little getting used to at first, especially if you are used to anchoring on the front of the guitar or hold the pick in any other way. I highly suggest that players who are looking to improve how their right hand works use this as a developmental tool.
  • I like that it does not interfere with my normal hybrid picking, which is an important part of how I play.

I will probably see if they will let me order some inventory to sell at Premier since almost every student I've put this thing in the hands of sees the value of working with is and wants to order one. I did a little research on Amazon reading the reviews last night and most of the complaints that I came across were written by people who either didn't understand how this thing works or hold the pick in such a different (and less efficient) fashion that they can't make it work and don't understand that the Pykmax is actually forcing them to hold the pick in a way that better works with the mechanics of the body.

The downsides of this product (to my sensitivities) are that I HATE the picks that they supply with it...it comes with a .88 green pick and the 1.40 picks that are more like a Jazz III are closer to what I use but I think that a change in material and tip profile would make the Pykmax a more musical sounding product. It is also not very "Mark-proof" and I could see myself destroying the part that holds the pick into the handle on a regular basis if I used it for gigs.

The upsides to me make it worth the investment of time and money though...it will help you eliminate a physical anchor on the front of the instrument and even out your wrist mechanics so that you can pick consistently both up and down. I've been playing with mine just for a few days and the slower things that I play sound great. The quicker more "Eric Johnson" type things are a mess right now as I rework my wrist mechanics but I think that 3-4 weeks out my playing with my normal Ultex Jazz III pick will be hugely improved and more in line with what I've been trying to accomplish for the last few years.

I'll probably repost this into a separate thread along with a short video demo later. I was very skeptical when this thread was originally posted because most of the time whenever I see someone try to reinvent the wheel in regards to guitar accessories it is usually a waste of time but after about 10 minutes of me figuring out the basics of playing with the Pykmax I was able to "get it". TAKE THAT, POINTLESS PICK GUY!!!!!!11!!
Click to expand...

Mark - thank you so much for your feedback! Since there are so many personal preferences with regards to picks, we have been working on a method to mount any pick on the Pykmax. It's actually a really challenging technical problem but we think we finally have a solution that could work. In the meanwhile, we're going to explore the option of producing some of the Jazz III out of Ultex - just have to figure out what that stuff is :)

BTW - we would be happy to provide you with inventory.

Thanks again!

Jeremy
 
Jeremy Milikow said:
Mark - thank you so much for your feedback! Since there are so many personal preferences with regards to picks, we have been working on a method to mount any pick on the Pykmax. It's actually a really challenging technical problem but we think we finally have a solution that could work. In the meanwhile, we're going to explore the option of producing some of the Jazz III out of Ultex - just have to figure out what that stuff is :)

BTW - we would be happy to provide you with inventory.

Thanks again!

Jeremy
Click to expand...
No problem. can the profile of the pick itself be altered?
 
Can we see some up close pics of how the pick is held by the Pykmax?

It seems like if there's a small piece that has a groove and two "grippers", once any pick is placed between the grippers and is pressed into the handle, the wedge action of sliding into place would create the necessary pressure to grip onto the pick.
 
Thanks mark. I can see that plastic clip being somewhat of a "scissor" or clamp shape. Place the pick in the clip, squeeze the two halves of the clip onto the pick, then slide the clip in until it clicks.

The two halves of the pick gripper could cover half of the pick and could even be contoured on the outside where the fingers would touch the pick. Enough of the pick inside would protrude to then be functional.
 
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