Guitar Pick Materials Explained
How nylon, Tortex, Ultex, celluloid, and other materials shape your tone
Why Material Matters
Two picks can have the same shape and thickness but sound and feel completely different because of their material. The material determines:
- Tone — how bright, warm, or aggressive the pick sounds
- Attack — how the string responds when struck
- String release — how smoothly the pick slides off the string
- Grip — how the surface feels between your fingers
- Durability — how long the pick lasts before wearing down
- Flexibility — whether the pick gives at a given thickness
This guide covers every major pick material you'll encounter, from the most common to the more exotic options.
Nylon
Nylon is one of the most widely used pick materials. It's flexible, smooth, and produces a warm tone.
Sound profile: Warm, mellow, soft attack. Nylon picks round off the sharp edges of your picking, which makes them popular for acoustic strumming and mellow clean tones.
Feel: Smooth and slightly slippery. Most nylon picks include textured grip zones (raised bumps or sand-blasted areas) to compensate for the smooth surface.
Durability: Moderate. Nylon is softer than most alternatives and will develop visible wear marks. A heavily-used nylon pick might last 2–4 weeks.
Flexibility: High — nylon is inherently flexible, so even a "heavy" nylon pick will have more give than the same thickness in Delrin or Ultex.
Common picks: Dunlop Nylon Standard, Herco Flex 50, Herco Flex 75, Jim Dunlop Nylon Jazz III
Nylon is a good starting material for beginners, especially for acoustic guitar. The forgiving flex and warm tone are less punishing of imperfect technique.
Celluloid
Celluloid was the first synthetic material used for guitar picks, developed in the early 20th century as a replacement for tortoiseshell. It remains popular for its classic feel and bright, snappy tone.
Sound profile: Bright, snappy, with a noticeable "click" on attack. Celluloid has a lively quality that many players associate with the classic electric guitar sound.
Feel: Smooth and slightly waxy. The surface can become slippery with sweat.
Durability: Low. Celluloid is the least durable common pick material. It chips, cracks, and wears down relatively quickly. Expect to go through celluloid picks faster than almost any other material.
Flexibility: Medium — more rigid than nylon at the same thickness, but still has some natural give.
Common picks: Fender Classic Celluloid, D'Andrea Pro Plec, Planet Waves Classic, Gibson Standard
Celluloid picks are inexpensive and widely available. They're a good choice if you like a bright tone and don't mind replacing picks frequently. The Fender Classic Medium (0.73 mm, white or coloured) is one of the best-selling picks of all time.
Delrin (Acetal) — Including Tortex
Delrin is the brand name for acetal homopolymer, a hard, slick engineering plastic. Dunlop's Tortex range is the most famous application — their picks are made from Delrin and are colour-coded by thickness.
Sound profile: Bright and articulate with a crisp, defined attack. Delrin produces a clear, punchy tone that cuts through a mix well. It's less warm than nylon and less bright than Ultex.
Feel: Slightly chalky or matte on Tortex picks, which improves grip. Standard Delrin (non-Tortex) is smoother with a powdery finish.
Durability: Very high. Delrin is tough and resistant to wear. Tortex picks can last weeks or months of regular playing. This is a major reason for their popularity.
Flexibility: Low to medium — Delrin is stiffer than nylon, which gives you more control at any given thickness.
Common picks: Dunlop Tortex Standard (the coloured ones), Dunlop Tortex Flow, Dunlop Tortex Jazz III, Dunlop Delrin 500
Tortex thickness colour chart
Tortex picks are the best-selling picks in the world. The green 0.88 mm is the single most popular individual pick model. If you've never tried them, they're worth testing.
Ultex
Ultex is Dunlop's proprietary material engineered to replicate the tonal qualities of genuine tortoiseshell — the material historically considered the gold standard for picks.
Sound profile: Bright and glassy with a pronounced harmonic shimmer. Ultex has a distinctive high-end clarity and strong fundamental. It produces more harmonic overtones than Delrin, which many players describe as "alive" or "detailed."
Feel: Smooth and slightly glossy with a natural grip. Not as chalky as Tortex, but not slippery either.
Durability: Very high. Ultex is harder than Delrin and resists wear extremely well. A single Ultex pick can last months.
Flexibility: Very low — Ultex is one of the stiffest common pick materials. A 0.73 mm Ultex pick feels noticeably stiffer than a 0.73 mm Tortex.
Common picks: Dunlop Ultex Standard, Dunlop Ultex Sharp, Dunlop Ultex Jazz III, Dunlop Ultex Triangle
Ultex is an excellent upgrade from Tortex if you want more clarity and harmonic detail. The Ultex Jazz III is particularly popular among lead players for its combination of speed, precision, and tone.
Ultem (PEI)
Ultem is the brand name for polyetherimide (PEI), an amber-coloured thermoplastic known for its stiffness and bright, attacking tone. It's used by many boutique pick makers.
Sound profile: Very bright, snappy, and aggressive. Ultem has perhaps the fastest string release of any common material, which contributes to excellent articulation and strong pick harmonics.
Feel: Very smooth and somewhat glassy. The slick surface can be an issue for grip — many Ultem picks include textured grip areas.
Durability: Very high. Despite being thin-feeling, Ultem is extremely hard and resistant to chipping or wear.
Flexibility: Very low — comparable to Ultex. Both materials are significantly stiffer than nylon or celluloid.
Common picks: Dunlop Primetone, Gravity Picks (many models), V-Picks (some models), Chicken Picks
Ultem is a favourite among studio and session players who want maximum articulation. If you find Tortex too dark or Ultex not bright enough, Ultem is worth trying.
Comparison Table
Specialty and Exotic Materials
Wood
Wooden picks produce a warm, organic tone with a softer attack. They're made from hardwoods like ebony, rosewood, cocobolo, or lignum vitae. The natural grain provides some grip.
Drawback: Wood wears faster than any synthetic material and can split or chip. Most wooden picks are handmade and more expensive.
Metal
Metal picks (steel, brass, copper, aluminium) produce a very bright, aggressive tone with extreme clarity. They're popular for very heavy music and for players who want a harsh, cutting attack.
Drawback: Metal picks wear down guitar strings faster and can mark the pickguard. They also produce a metallic scraping sound on wound strings that some players dislike.
Stone and Agate
Picks carved from agate, jade, or other semi-precious stones have a smooth, warm tone. The polished surface slides off strings cleanly.
Drawback: Stone picks are fragile — they can chip or break if dropped on a hard surface. They're heavy and have zero flex. Best treated as studio tools rather than gigging picks.
Carbon Fibre
Carbon fibre picks are extremely stiff and bright. They're lightweight and nearly indestructible.
Common picks: Rombo carbon fibre picks
Bone, Horn, and Tagua Nut
Traditional materials that pre-date modern plastics. They produce warm, nuanced tones with a natural feel. Tagua nut (vegetable ivory) is a sustainable option with similar properties to bone.
How to Choose a Material
If you want the safest, most popular choice: Start with Tortex (Delrin). It's affordable, durable, widely available, and sounds good across genres.
If you prioritise warmth and comfort: Try Nylon. Its flexibility and warm tone are forgiving and pleasant.
If you want clarity and harmonic detail: Move to Ultex or Ultem. These stiff materials reward precise technique with a detailed, articulate tone.
If you love the classic rock sound: Give Celluloid a try. It's bright, snappy, and has that indefinable vintage quality.
If you want something unique: Explore wood, stone, or carbon fibre. These specialty materials offer genuinely different playing experiences.
Final tip: Material and thickness interact. A heavy nylon pick and a thin Ultex pick can feel similar in stiffness despite being completely different gauges. Always consider both variables together.