Dunlop Jazz III Nylon

I purchased the red variety at the same time I bought the black ones as they were the only two in production at the time. I figured there were no differences between the two other than the color and I would just case them cosmetically with guitars they matched best. Well there are differences between the two some which are good and some bad but that just gives an open minded player the chance to assign them to where they will work there best.

The pick is about the size of a nickel with an added point. They come with a slight bevel on all four surfaces and have the pointiest tip of any other picks I have encountered. They are 1.38mm in thickness and are said to be made of nylon but in my opinion seem to have a plastic feel when compared to the black Jazz III variety. They also have more pliability then any of the other Jazz III picks and will flex a touch more. They however are just as indestructible and also last an enormous amount of time leaving little to no debris on your instrument.

Other than the color the first and most annoying difference in this variety is its slickness. Once you develop any sweat on your hand these picks will be a chore to hold onto. They are just as accurate as the black nylon Jazz III but because of the added pliability seem to fall just a step behind in speed and accuracy. The red variety seems to have a higher pitched attack which seems a bit undesirable when playing through a heavily distorted signal.

On the other side of the coin the red variety of the Jazz III will offer less grab on the string and are even faster in sweep picking situations. They add a lighter touch to the higher notes and seem to flow over the strings with less effort. These picks really shine however on an acoustic guitar. They are my pick of choice for chord strumming as the attack has a higher pitched quality and the added flexibility allows for them to strum effortlessly across the chords while still affording me the accuracy of hitting only the strings I want. They are the perfect choice when voicing chords and melodies together in a solo gig. These are a good choice for use on a bass for the tone of the attack but the pliability seemed to make them a less that perfect choice.

Of all the Jazz III pick these are my least favorite but only because they have the smallest amount of application for what I play. If I were more of an acoustic player my opinion would vary but I am not. I believe however that there is no other pick that will replace the red Jazz III for what I do use it for and where I use it I love it, just not enough to rate it any higher.

This version of the Dunlop Jazz III was my first foray into this shape of picks. I had been a fan of nylon picks for years but found that many were too rounded at the tip for my taste and lacked the precision I desired. I decided after reading many reviews to give them a shot. I was immediately impressed and have never gone back to this day to any other shaped pick.

The pick size is about that of a nickel with an added point. They come in a 1.38mm size so be ready for a medium thick pick. These picks also come with a slight bevel on all four surfaces and terminate into, what I believe to be, the pointiest pick on the market. As stated earlier this particular variety is nylon based and will last for an eternity when compared to other picks. They leave almost no noticeable residue on your instrument after even the longest sessions of playing and honestly there usually is no need for extra cleanups between normal maintenance.

I have used many varieties of ultex, tortex, nylon and plastic picks before coming across the Dunlop Jazz III series. In my opinion there is no pick available on the market that can achieve the level of precision these picks offer. The shape itself will allow the user to play with much more accuracy and fluidity. The only downside I can find to the black nylon version of the Jazz III series is they do tend to get a bit slippery if you sweat and can get lost in the blur of speed that they can enable the user to unleash.

Each of the Jazz III series seems to have a slight variation in the way they feel and sound from the other models available. The Black nylon Jazz III has a warm attack and can achieve a great variety of pick harmonics easily. They are equally at home playing rhythms and leads and are a very well balanced pick. I find however that they do not do as well for use on an acoustic guitar for strumming as they tend to dull the brightness of the strum a bit. I also find there are better choices available for use on an electric bass for those of us who use a pick on bass as they tend to not sound so crisp on the initial attack. However, there are other varieties of the Jazz III series that do excel in those areas and for the low cost of a pack of picks I have chosen not to lower the rating as they are the best in their niche.

If I could find a better pick I would buy them but for the past eight years as of writing this review I have not found any pick outside of the Jazz III family that even comes close. When I purchase these I buy a 24 pack even though they last for what seems to be forever because I am that confident at this point of my life that no one is going to improve on this design.

When I was first starting to play guitar I experimented with a lot of different things to see what I liked. I recommend everyone do this when you first start. In my first couple years of playing I tried out a few different types of picks. The Jazz 3 was one of them. The Jazz 3 has a few features I like and a few I dont. I still use them from time to time and I can see why people like them. Many shred guitar players use Jazz 3 picks. Shred guitar players tend to like these picks because of their sharp tip. The sharp tip is really good for playing fast. It allows you to get a nice bite on the string even if you barely touch it. With the sharp tip you can be extra precise in your picking while still playing fast and light. With its small size and tip you can be very economical in your picking motion and economics are the key to speed. The small size is the only reason I do not go to these picks first when I am playing. With the small size I have a tendency to drop these picks. I also noticed that when playing hard with these picks they sometimes turn around in my hand. This may not happen to you or anyone else but these are my personal experiances with these picks. When playing heavy the small size does not give me a lot of room to hold on to the pick. The Gator Grip 2mm picks I prefer to use are full sized and have a non slip sandpaper like surface on them. You can really dig in to everything you play with those picks and they will not go anywhere. They now have larger versions of the Jazz 3 out called the Jazz 3 XL. I may have to check those out and see if I change my mind. If you are looking for a super sharp pick that is as precise as a surgeons scalpel this pick is for you.

Up until about a year and a half ago, I was using a plethora of picks, never being quite satisfied with any of them enough to settle down with one and use it on a regular basis. I guess the closest I had come to being happy with the feel and sound of a pick prior to the Jazz III was with the regular sized Tortex .88 picks. They always had a clumsy feel though and weren't substantial enough. Also, I couldn't tightly control my lead playing with regular sized picks.

Back in '09, my buddy handed me his red Jazz III and said "here, try this". I can't believe I never tried one until then, but once I did, it was love at first strum! Sure it took a couple days for my playing to really adjust to the pick, but I can honestly say that I've become a much more efficient player since switching to the smaller Jazz III. The smaller size and pointed end have allowed me to do things with my playing that I couldn't quite do before. Sweep picking is now much less difficult and sounds smoother. The annoying "clicking sound that was always present with the regular picks isn't as noticeable with the Jazz III.

All in all, there is just more control and efficiency with this pick, and it allows me to be a better player and enjoy the guitar more. Another cool thing about the Jazz III is how natural it feels, no matter what side of the pick I'm using. For example, for intricate runs and scalar patterns where I pick every note cleanly and quickly, I can use the hard pointed tip of the Jazz for very precise and clean sounding results. When I switch to legato mode and throw in sweeps I can rotate the pick, using the slightly harder, smoother and more "glassy" rounded edge for smooth runs that blur together and play effortlessly. Regular picks allow you do use their different edges as well, but there is much more resistance.

Dunlop has several picks available in the Jazz range, including Jazz I, II, and III picks, which have the same size and shape, but differ in gauge. They also offer Ultex Jazz III picks, which are made from a very durable material that resists wear and has a smooth release on the strings giving the pick a very glassy sound and feel. Dunlop have recently added Tortex picks to the Jazz III line as well. I haven't played one yet as they've only just been released, but I'm looking forward to grabbing some so I can compare them to the rest of the line!

The standard Jazz III shape comes in red and black, and you'll hear many guitarists argue that one or the other has a better or somehow different tone, despite the fact that they're both crafted from the same materials and are the same thickness and weight. I honestly did hear and feel a slight difference between the red and black IIIs. The red seemed to be a bit darker, while the black one resembled the Ultex Jazz with a more glassy and slippery feel and tone; ha ha, guitarists are an obsessive bunch!

If you have been living under a rock forever (like I apparently was for years) and are finding that your standard size picks are feeling clumsy and holding you back as a player, give the Jazz III a shot, and give it a couple days to settle into your picking style. I doubt you'll be disappointed.