For a musician, one of the great things about attending the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) convention in Anaheim is the opportunity to see all the nifty gizmos and gadgets that inventors and manufacturers have come up with lately, and the privilege of trying out these doodads and doohickeys before they hit the market. So many wonderful widgets, from keyboards to fretboards to soundboards, and music machines for dancing queens, and strings and things for guitar kings. Now, there’s one small yet important component required for just about any guitarist anywhere, whether wannabe or already-there, and that’s the humble yet honorable guitar pick, and even this simple item receives the attention of tinkerers and marketers year after year, and 2007 was no exception. Nestled amid the acres of arrays and displays from major international equipment makers was a small, friendly set-up for the folks from Stash Picks Inc., a San Fernando Valley firm that endeavors to put premium picks into the hands of strummers and shredders everywhere, with an eye and an ear toward improving their performance.
All Access Magazine was permitted the use of a promotional package of Stash Picks, which consists of a six pack of the handy utensils, in a variety of shapes, sizes and firmnesses. AAM learned that not only is the Stash Picks, Inc. corporate office located in nearby West Hills, but AAM also learned that the firm produces its goods from stock manufactured right here in the good ol’ U.S. of A., what a pleasant surprise!
Upon returning to scenic Rancho Cascades, publishing home of All Access Magazine, AAM’s specially-trained test-guitarist picked up the blue “Classic” model first, which is the standard teardrop shape and size one would generally expect, and is embossed with a 1.0mm thickness designation. The unit was found to be suitably stiff for quick-picking applications, while promotional literature pointed out that the pick is also available in gauges of 0.8, 1.2, and 1.4mm, for a range of preferences. True to what promo copy indicated, the pick had good grippitivity on both sides, which could be a real plus for some players who might tend to get hot and sweaty while playing. Next, AAM’s artist was eager to try the unique “Double” pick, which pairs two different gauges in the same piece, for a sweet effect that can give something of a 12-string sound to a 6-string guitar. Everyone was impressed. On a similar note, the “Wicked” pick features a kind of two-toothed approach, which was enjoyed while strumming an acoustic guitar. Further, the package contained a “Diamond Back” reversible pick, with 0.8mm of thickness on one side and 0.6mm on the other, for midstream transition in performance. Finally, there were two three-pronged beauties, the “Fat Boy” and the “Tri-tip,” each featuring 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0mm thicknesses. Oh, the virtue of versatility! These babies let you stroke your strings just the way you want to, whenever you want to, no muss, no fuss.
Stash Picks makes available a signature “Stash Tin” containing a cool ten-pick assortment, and the artwork on the outside is pretty cool, too. For information about all the fine Stash Pick, Inc. products, the firm can be contacted by email at info@stashpicks.com, by phone at (818) 700-2554, by fax at (818) 704-9221, or by snail-mail at 7225 Knollwood Court, West Hills, CA 91307. It’s a thing of beauty, a local firm supplying local musicians with American-made products, so if you need to get your pickin’ hands on some good-pickin’ gear, give a holler or drop a line to Stash Picks, and Rock On! www.stashpicks.com
