Tortis Picks

I get my picks un-beveled from Red Bear Trading. This makes it a LOT easier for me to keep them in stock, but it also allows me to custom bevel picks for my customers. Say, for instance, you want neither a "speed bevel" nor a "knife bevel", but a "rounded" edge. I can do that! Or you can have a C with 2 speed bevel tips and 1 knife, or 1 speed/1 knife/1 rounded. Another nice variation is a B or "Classic" with a speed bevel on the shoulders. That lets you hold the pick "sideways" and get a fatter tone from the shoulder. Whatever you want, just let me know and I can do it.

I'm delighted to be a distributor of these great picks. I personally used real tortoiseshell exclusively for the first 15 years of my playing life. Real tortoiseshell sounds great, but has a lot of problems, first and foremost being that it requires killing a sea turtle for the shell! Eventually, I switched to Clayton Ultems in a teardrop shape and used those for another 8-10 years. I still like Claytons and they're the pick that I keep scattered around the house. But, while they sound good, there's still a small something missing between their sound and tortoise. I've proven this to myself in many A/B's, using recordings, an audience, and my own ears. In between real TS and Claytons, I've tried this and that tortoiseshell replacement- old Tortis, horn, ivory, plastics, etc.- and was never really happy. So, when I heard about this "new Red Bear Tortis" stuff, I was skeptical. However, I ordered one and tried it. Long story short, it's now all I use. The "C" shape in a medium sounds and feels identical to real tortoiseshell for me. I can legally buy them, replace them when I lose them, and best of all- they haven't chipped or gotten rough on my yet, like real TS will. In fact, at a recent jam, I was using one of my leftover TS picks and at the end of the jam, I'd put several divots in the pick that had to be sanded out. I haven't had that happen with the Red Bear. I don't sell anything that I don't personally use, and if I find something that I really like, I try to offer it for sale, so here we are: Red Bear picks!

For guitar, my favorite is the C, followed by E or Tri-tip. The Classic is a perfect replacement for "teardrop" shapes based on the classic Fender 351 shape, while the B has slightly wider shoulders. On mandolin, I prefer either E or "Mondo". I'd previously tried wide tip picks and didn't like them, preferring the crisper sound of something more like E, but when I tried the Red Bear Mondo, I found that it works really well. I seemed to pick up a little speed and my tremolo sounds better now. I rarely use A or D, myself, but they are favorites of jazz/blues/electric players who are used to working with a smaller pick. The gypsy jazz guys love the C in a heavy thickness. See below for more details on pick shapes and sizes..

Red Bear picks, just like tortoiseshell, are easily shaped. For instance, I prefer a little less sharp point. It's a simple matter to use a small file to knock the point down and reshape the bevel, polishing it with 400/800/1200 grit sandpaper (or emery boards used for fingernails, available at any good department store, right next to the fingernail polish) and stropping on a piece of stiff leather (I have a buffing wheel, too, but you don't have to have one). I've done this re-shaping for practically all my playing life with virtually all the picks I use.

How much??

Red Bear picks are $21 each whether paid with cash, check or M.O or PayPal (credit cards accepted via Paypal). This includes 1st Class Parcel shipping in the US. E-mail me with questions or to check stock on hand (and, yes, I do reply to e-mails, unlike some on-line folks). You can expect your pick(s) w/in a week, unless I'm at a festival or away from home.

Contact for me for non-US shipping FIRST.

Also, just like real TS, you MUST be careful with your pick! I've found that people who have used and understand real TS are those who most happy with Red Bear picks. It is most definitely not for everyone- if you're in the habit of putting picks in your pocket, leaving them laying around on the couch, or losing them, I don't think you'll be happy with Red Bear. Use plastic or Clayton Ultems (or Dunlop Ultex) for that.

(the following is taken verbatim from the Red Bear Trading Co. website, used with permission)

Your New Tortis pick is very similar to real turtle shell so it must be treated as such. Store your pick in your guitar's pick compartment. DO NOT store it in your wallet or carry it around with you in your pocket. If you also carry coins, keys etc. in there, your pick will get scratched and may break. In your wallet, it is doomed to failure. The picks are brittle and if flexed will most likely break.

Also, don't let your pick go through the washer and/or dryer in one of your pants pockets (see above warning). The material is hygroscopic (absorbs water) and as such it will most likely deform if allowed to soak in water.

With proper use - as a guitar pick only (not a screwdriver, scraper, knife etc.) it will likely last you a lifetime.