I decided to pick up one of the highly regarded Kelly Slick Picks to compare it to my go-to Dunlop Medium White.
Sound - It's a draw.
For me and my old ears, it is a draw as there are very slight differences between the two materials but not enough for me to recommend one over the other.
Initial Fit - It's a draw,
I do not expect any out-of-the-box thumbpick to fit my thumb in any case. The only thing I can add to this is that if you use the Dunlop Medium White, you need to order one size larger when you order the Kelly Slick Pick shown in the images below. Not sure if this applies to all of the Kelly thumbpicks.
Adjustability - This one goes to the Dunlop Medium White.
Out of the box, my Dunlop Medium White thumbpicks need adjustments via the hot water soak and fit technique found in this youtube video.
.
The Dunlop Medium Whites are supremely adjustable via this method; The Kelly Slick Pick.....forget about it. It took some (I do Alpha Male @#$%) manhandling to adjust the Kelly Slick Picks to fit my thumb comfortably. I did get them to eventually provide an acceptable fit, but I am not so sure that I can readily replicate the fit via the (I do Alpha Male @#$%) method.
Thumb Wrap-around - It's a draw, except as noted below.
Both the Dunlop Medium White and "Large" Kelly Slick Pick have a contoured thumb wrap-around termination (refer to the third photo) which I find very comfortable. The "Regular" size Kelly Slick Pick has a more squared-off wrap-around termination (refer to the second photo) and I found that the leading edge squared-off corner dug into my thumb creating a pressure point that I could not adjust out.
Cost - This one goes to the Dunlop Medium White.
Realistically, the Kelly Slick Picks do not cost all that much more especially if you only use a couple a year. You can purchase them individually from Strings by Mail.
Color - This one goes to the Kelly Slick Pick.
HEY, it's that great Gretsch Orange which I love.
I really miss my old Gretsch 6120 Nashville; my old neighborhood and the police department don't miss it at all.
With the Kelly Slick Pick, the color determines the gauge of the pick:
Yellow = Light gauge
Orange = Medium gauge
White = Heavy gauge
Hand to Hand Combat - Yeah, this one also goes to the Kelly Slick Pick hands down!
Riddick could do some serious damage to an army of Necromongers with this thumbpick. It's that brutal tough! Aside from loss or theft, this Kelly Slick Pick might last you the rest of your life.
Tommy
Sound - It's a draw.
For me and my old ears, it is a draw as there are very slight differences between the two materials but not enough for me to recommend one over the other.
Initial Fit - It's a draw,
I do not expect any out-of-the-box thumbpick to fit my thumb in any case. The only thing I can add to this is that if you use the Dunlop Medium White, you need to order one size larger when you order the Kelly Slick Pick shown in the images below. Not sure if this applies to all of the Kelly thumbpicks.
Adjustability - This one goes to the Dunlop Medium White.
Out of the box, my Dunlop Medium White thumbpicks need adjustments via the hot water soak and fit technique found in this youtube video.
.
The Dunlop Medium Whites are supremely adjustable via this method; The Kelly Slick Pick.....forget about it. It took some (I do Alpha Male @#$%) manhandling to adjust the Kelly Slick Picks to fit my thumb comfortably. I did get them to eventually provide an acceptable fit, but I am not so sure that I can readily replicate the fit via the (I do Alpha Male @#$%) method.
Thumb Wrap-around - It's a draw, except as noted below.
Both the Dunlop Medium White and "Large" Kelly Slick Pick have a contoured thumb wrap-around termination (refer to the third photo) which I find very comfortable. The "Regular" size Kelly Slick Pick has a more squared-off wrap-around termination (refer to the second photo) and I found that the leading edge squared-off corner dug into my thumb creating a pressure point that I could not adjust out.
Cost - This one goes to the Dunlop Medium White.
Realistically, the Kelly Slick Picks do not cost all that much more especially if you only use a couple a year. You can purchase them individually from Strings by Mail.
Color - This one goes to the Kelly Slick Pick.
HEY, it's that great Gretsch Orange which I love.
I really miss my old Gretsch 6120 Nashville; my old neighborhood and the police department don't miss it at all.
With the Kelly Slick Pick, the color determines the gauge of the pick:
Yellow = Light gauge
Orange = Medium gauge
White = Heavy gauge
Hand to Hand Combat - Yeah, this one also goes to the Kelly Slick Pick hands down!
Riddick could do some serious damage to an army of Necromongers with this thumbpick. It's that brutal tough! Aside from loss or theft, this Kelly Slick Pick might last you the rest of your life.
Tommy