Comments about Clayton Ultem Standard Guitar Picks:

I used to use a very heavy pick and moderately heavy strings for R & R, but when I went to Country, I switched to Ernie Ball 9s and a Clayton .38 pick. I then switched to D'Addario 9.5s with the same pick. Now I'm using Ernie Ball Cobalt 10s and the Ultem in .45. I get the touch I need for Country, with great articulation. The Ultem is an excellent pick, wears well, plays with both finesse and punch, and I highly recommend you try it in whatever thickness you like.

Comments about Clayton Ultem Standard Guitar Picks:

I've tried just about every pick on the market, and absolutely nothing sounds anything like this... It's hard to describe, but I'm using the .72 mm on my acoustic 6 string (with ultra-light 80/20 strings) and they have a very ringy sound with a lot of very high overtones that in some ways resembles a 12 string guitar. Compared to cellulose or the other materials like delrin, acetal polymer, tortex or nylon, these picks give me much better definition, and a beautiful crystal clear sound. Bass is generally not as promenent as other picks, while highs are greatly enhanced, giving what I feel is a much more well balanced spectrum of sound. Of course this may not be to everyone's taste, but you definitely have to try these and see what you think. There are just a few other things you will need to know. First, unlike other picks, these are very inconsistent in their sound. I found that about half of the picks in a typical 12-pack sound dead, and no better than a celluloid... but the others sound as described above. Another weird thing is that they only sound good when played on one side... when you turn them over, they sound dead. So make sure you try a strum with each side of the pick, to see if you have a good one or not... I test them and then chuck the dead picks in the trash and mark the good ones with a dot on the good side. It may sound like a hassle but it's SOOO worth it. Nobody knows what these picks are made of, but clearly it's something quite unusual... it resembles cured epoxy resin as used in printed circuit boards... but just the resin... there are no fiberglass fibers. The pick feels very good in the hand, and they last a very long time... I have over 100 hours on one, and it's almost like new. It's weird, because Clayton isn't known for top quality picks... these appear to be just punched out of a sheet of the material... and the edges are completely square and not rounded or polished at all. Yet they work beautifully... and if you try the Dunlop Ultex picks, which looks like they are made from the same stuff, but they have nicely rounded and polished edges, they all sound dead and nothing like these Claytons. Maybe Clayton just got lucky... but these are the only picks I use now. I play folk, mostly strumming, but they also sound fantastic with individual picked notes... especially on the higher plain-steel stings.

Comments about Clayton Ultem Standard Guitar Picks:

These are my holy grail picks. The search is over. I really like a pick that is rigid and snappy, but still thin enough to not feel clunky. In other picks, I had to go thicker to get the "stiffness" I wanted, but they felt like playing with a quarter. I use the .56 for acoustic work, and the .72 for electic and lead. The 56 is flexible enough for strumming, and still percussive enough for my taste.

Comments about Clayton Ultem Standard Guitar Picks:

I strictly use these on acoustic guitar ... mostly rhythm tracks ... they sound very bright yet well balanced, these are my fav picks for tracking rhythm acoustic guitars.

Comments about Clayton Ultem Standard Guitar Picks:

They are all I use now, and I got the other guitarist in my band hooked on them too. Like I said before though, it is not fair that a pick can make a difference like this.
After years of using standard F medium picks, I tried these (.72 mm). Wow! I can't believe that a pick can make a difference in my sound like that. The whole "tone quest" idea gets reinforced, if your pick can make a difference. That means I will have to get new guitars, new amps, new strings, modify old amps, get new cables - oops, I've been doing that. What's next that could effect my sound - my strap?
They feel great in your hand, and they last. And they actually make a difference in your sound.
They are more expensive than some picks, but wear slowly, making them a great value compared to cheap plastic picks.

Comments about Clayton Ultem Standard Guitar Picks:

Excellent and reliable picks.
I have used Clayton picks for over 20 years. My personal preference is the Ultem with 0.80mm thickness, but I have used the ligher and and heavier thicknesses. I haved used them with acoustic steel-string guitars, electric guitars, mandolins, and even nylon string guitars..
I have found that the 0.80 Clayton Ultem picks are durable. Under normal practice and playing conditions, they last a very long time without cracking or warping. Even though I punch a hole in the center of them for added grip and play 4 to 6 hours per day on average I have almost never had one fail. I either lose or misplace these picks before they wear out.
In my humble opinion, these are among the best picks for the price.

Comments about Clayton Ultem Standard Guitar Picks:

I'm always breaking picks. Not anymore! These did the trick.

Comments about Clayton Ultem Standard Guitar Picks:

I used Fender Tortoiseshell 351 Standard Heavy's for about 25 years liking the clean brite tone and great string attack control. Fender eventually got cheap and made them thinner & softer - totally worthless to me. I've been searching for 2+ yrs to find the right picks. The Ultem .94mm Golds are even better than what I was used to - fanatastic feel & tone - but too expensive IMO. C'mon, how much can a tiny piece of plastic really cost?

Comments about Clayton Ultem Standard Guitar Picks:

Wow I just have to say, I got these a few days ago, and only after playing for a short time with these, they sound great. I got the .80 mm and they give a great bright tone. They feel solid in your hand, and yet give just enough for those light chord lines. There's a reason why they're called "Ultem," they are the ultimate.

Comments about Clayton Ultem Standard Guitar Picks:

I maintain my stand that this is the best pick available for sound, if used on an acoustic guitar. I had previously submitted a review on this site, in which I discussed the value of filing the tip thinner and a bit more pointed. At that time, I was recommending the 1.07mm thickness. Last night I modified one of my few remaining .72mm thickness picks, and found them to give a bit better tone, sustain, and richness after the tip thinning modification. This pick thickness and tip thinning may sound like hair splitting, but if you want the absolute best sound, it is something to consider. Incidentally, my number one choice of pick for the electric guitar is the Herco gold. The Clayton is my first choice for acoustics-Ken W. Portland, OR