Tag Archive: John Pearse


V-Picks – Change Your Guitar’s Tone

Filed under: Communications, Current events, guitars, Music, Songwriting, Sound, writing — Leave a comment
September 21, 2020

V-Picks

It’s been a while since I’ve written about V-Picks. I’ve been using them for a good number of years. As I told Vinni – owner of V-Picks – a few years back:

“Since I can’t buy any more guitars and stay happily married, I began to collect capos, ending up with a collection of nice capos. I’ve been saving picks for years, but the material they were made of didn’t vary too much – mostly promotional picks. I had always used John Pearse picks which had the point offset so it fit my style perfectly. But it was still the old plastic medium pick, like the Fender tortoise shell pick everyone else used for years.

I began to see picks of different materials. Which was convenient so when I went to guitar and music trade shows, I could pick up different picks and Cyndy wouldn’t mind. But none of them produced a different tone on my guitar that was worth switching for fulltime. Some of the pick materials were not comfortable enough when playing. It was just an interesting collection.”

Then I tried V-Picks. Vinni Smith had a booth at a guitar show. I haven’t played anything else since. I never knew how much picks can change the tone of my guitars. I use different picks for certain songs. The Nashville pick on the bottom right is like a regular medium to heavy pick. V-Picks are acrylic picks. The heat from your hand sticks them to your fingers, making them easier to hold onto and almost impossible to drop.

V-Slide by V-Picks

Vinni, his wife, Nancy, and crew also make acrylic slides, among other things. Check out their products at V-Picks.com. Try their picks – you won’t be disappointed.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

paypal.me/danroark

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Nashville Saga, Pt. 2 – Summer NAMM

Filed under: Communications, Current events, guitars, Music, Music stores, showcases, Songwriting, Sound, writing — Leave a comment
July 9, 2018

Cameron and I arrived in Nashville on Wednesday, June 27th. Thursday morning we checked in at Summer NAMM (National Association of Music Merchant) and got our badges. We went to the D’Angelico booth so I could sign up for the open mic to be held at 3 p.m. on the Reverb stage.

After cruising through all of the booths, we stopped at the Kyser booth. We also say hi to them because their down the road in Tyler.

Then to the John Pearse Strings booth. I have been using JP strings on my Alvarez for all of its 42 years. We chatted with Todd Newman and picked up a few things.

The Alvarez booth was next. We played a few of the new line of guitars and chatted with the staff. The guitars sounded really nice, with a full sound.

At 3 p.m. we were at the Reverb stage. I was concerned because a storm had just blown through, canceling the previous band’s performance. At 2:45, they were still taking the tarps off the stage. They finished in time and the D’Angelico staff situated guitars across the stage. The idea was to use one of their guitars for the one song. My name was called first, and I chose the guitar you see in the picture. I played I Got My Ass Kicked in Nashville – which incidentally is on the EP that will be released Wednesday at Malarkey’s Tavern in Dallas. I received good applause.

After watching most of the other performers, we left to go back to the hotel until time to head to Scully’s Saloon for the showcase…

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

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Arlington Guitar Show and V-Picks

Filed under: Current events, Music, Recording, Songwriting, writing — Leave a comment
November 3, 2015

V-PicksAs my post on the DSA blog (re-posted here) stated, I worked the booth at the Arlington Guitar Show. I enjoy working the booth at guitar shows, because it’s a chance to play guitars I will never own. Some of them were worth so much money, I just look at them from a distance. If I see a good deal on a guitar that looks, sounds, and plays really nice, I take two deep breaths and move on. If I take another guitar home, I’ll need to take divorce papers with me. So I look at the newest gadgets, like capos, picks, etc.

For many years, most guitar players used Fender medium picks. Of course it was not entirely universal, but “as a general rule.” The shape would change, depending on the instrument. If you wanted a new sound, you changed the brand or gauge of string you used, or even the guitar. There weren’t as many different picks back then, so changing picks usually never crossed a guitar player’s mind. I did, however, change from Fender medium to John Pearse medium, which I still use. It has an offset point which is easier for me hold and attack the strings.

My statement about “most guitar players,” refers mainly to acoustic guitarists. Although a lot players I knew used medium exclusively, more and more guitarists began using heavy gauge picks for playing electric guitars. Now it’s all over the map as far as shapes, gauges, and types of materials for picks are concerned. Which is precisely my point.

Since I had to set my sights on lower cost items, I started looking into different picks at guitar shows. It’s incredible how many different materials they make picks with. Now I have a lot of different picks. But I’m still married! Then I was introduced to V-Picks. Each of the picks has a different tone or resonance. I am experimenting with different picks in their line, but my mainstays are the blue Lite Tradition and the Euro II. I stocked up at Arlington show because they always have their biggest booth there.

I also like to see the different picks they’ve come up with. Even though they’re made of an acrylic/glass type of material, they still wear down. It takes a little doing, mind you, but they still wear down. One of the good points of the picks in general – other than the unique sound – is that it sticks to your fingers with the heat in your hand. It’s hard to lose these picks while playing. Give them a try. At the very least you’ll make some good sounds and have fun.

Peace be with you.

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