If you’ve been reading Guitarkind, you know that we love guitar picks. One of the reasons is that they are one of the most cost-effective tone tweaks available. In that same vein, guitar picks themselves are also easily customizable. A custom guitar pick is a great way to express your individuality and and are friendly to your wallet as well. In this article we’ll explore custom made guitar picks that allow you to tailor your guitar picks to both your sound, and look.
Why Go Custom?
A customized guitar pick is a great way to showcase your individuality. You can create guitar picks with designs, which include colors, symbols, text, and of course, your own custom graphics and images. Custom pick manufacturers offer single or double sided customizations, and multiple types of printing technology. The custom pick makers featured below all offer multiple materials, shapes, and thicknesses for custom guitar picks. The most common reasons that people seek out personalized guitar picks are:
- Show your Individuality and Personality
- Promote themselves, a band, or business
- Have a unique guitar pick that nobody else has
Custom Guitar Pick Options
Below, we feature 5 companies that offer customizable guitar picks. We’ve checked out their websites, and designed our own custom picks using the pick designer tools on each website. Quick note: Many of the pick makers we’ve selected offer options and combinations too numerous to list. For a comprehensive listing of all pick materials, shapes, and thicknesses, be sure to check the manufacturer’s websites.
1. Clayton Custom Picks
Clayton offers picks in numerous materials, shapes, and designs. The Clayton Custom brand is part of Steve Clayton Inc., which produces a large range of picks. Materials include Ultex, Delrin, Celluloid, Metal, Nylon, and more. Clayton offers an online pick designer where you can specify material, shape, color, thickness, and custom graphics.
Picks Offered:
- Materials: Ultem, Delrin, Celluloid
- Shapes: Standard 351, Triangle, Teardrop
Shipping Time:
Clayton states that most orders go out within a couple of days, though some pick material and color combinations may take additional time.
Reasons To Buy:
In addition to the options available, Clayton’s online Customizable Pick Designer is easy to use. The tool steps you through the process of selecting all of your options. You can upload custom graphics in addition to custom text and colors. The custom text option offers numerous fonts to choose from. Clayton promises a 3 day turnaround for production, so you’ll be able to get your picks quickly.
Website:
Clayton picks can be purchased from the Clayton website.
2. D’Addario Picks
D’Addario’s custom pick types are limited to Celluloid and Duralin. The only shape available for custom designs is the Standard 351 (the Fender Classic shape).
Picks Offered:
- Materials: Celluloid, Duralin
- Shapes: Standard 351
Shipping Time:
Custom orders are ready to ship within 1 week for the US and within 6 weeks for UK and Canada. D’Addario notes that some shipments may go out faster than that.
Reasons To Buy:
In addition to the options available, Clayton’s online Customizable Pick Designer is easy to use. The tool steps you through the process of selecting all of your options. You can upload custom graphics in addition to custom text and colors. The custom text option offers numerous fonts to choose from. Clayton promises a 3 day turnaround for production, so you’ll be able to get your picks quickly.
Website:
D’Addario picks can be purchased on the D’Addario website.
3. InTune Guitar Picks
InTune offers custom guitar picks in various shapes, sizes, and gauges. The chief difference with InTune is how you design your picks. Instead of an online design tool, Intune makes “templates” available that download and edit. Though it sounds complicated, it’s really not. It’s a matter of cutting and pasting images and text for your your custom design into their template. Because of this, the IntuneGP pick design is actually more flexible than many online pick builders in that you can create any graphics you like.
Picks Offered:
- Materials: Celluloid, Delrin
- Shapes: InTuneGP GrippX®, Celluloid Tri-Tips, Celluloid Standard, Xjjb Jumbo Jazz™
Shipping Time:
InTune states that shipping time is 3 to 4 weeks after artwork approval.
Reasons To Buy:
InTune offers an impressive number of shape, color, and gauge options of their unique looking line of USA-Made picks. These include glow in the dark picks. If you’re looking for a custom guitar pick case, Intune also offers custom guitar pick holders.
Website
InTune picks can be purchased from the InTune website.
4. Pick World
Pick World offers many combinations of custom design guitar picks. However, one thing I wasn’t crazy about with Pick World was the lack of a Preview function in their online custom pick creator. I was able to upload a custom image, but there was no way to see how it actually looks. Pick World offers an option to send a Proof via email, which you then need to approve. While this accomplishes the same thing, it’s not as convenient as having an instant preview.
Picks Offered:
- Materials: Celluloid, Delrin, Acetal, Nylon
- Shapes: Standard 351, Project X, Oversized, Heart Shaped, Sharktooth, and more (see website)
Shipping Time:
Pick World states that most orders take 4 weeks to ship from the date of Proof approval.
Reasons To Buy:
Pick World has more pick shape options than most custom pick creators.
Website:
Pick World picks can be purchased from the Pick World website.
5. Custom Picks
Custom Picks offers picks in numerous materials, shapes, and designs. Materials include Delrin, Nylon, and Metal. In addition, Custom Picks offers engraved wooden picks in Ebony or Maple wood.
Picks Offered:
- Materials: Delrin, Nylon, Metal, Wood
- Shapes: Standard 351, Jazz III
Shipping Time:
Custom Picks states that their production time is 1 to 2 business days. They offer worldwide shipping, and delivery time will depend on your location, carrier, and delivery speed selected.
Reasons To Buy:
Custom Picks has a reasonable amount of options, including wooden picks. Their online custom pick builder is straightforward and easy to use. In addition to guitar picks, Custom Picks also offers a variety of merchandise such as T-Shirts, bags, and hats. In addition, they also have a custom pickguard builder for the Les Paul, Telecaster, Acoustic Guitar, Flying V, and more.
Website:
Custom Picks picks can be purchased from the Custom Picks website.
Dunlop Picks
We feel that we should mention Dunlop custom guitar picks. The reason that Dunlop didn’t make it into the main list was that they only offer bulk custom guitar picks (minimum order size is 800 pieces). This is beyond the level which most individuals or bands would order. Nonetheless, Dunlop is worth mentioning because custom Dunlop guitar picks offer some advantages. First, you get to choose from genuine Dunlop picks including Ultex, Nylon, Tortex, Gator Grip, and more. Shape options are Standard, Triangle, and Sharp. Dunlop’s custom printed guitar picks include Hot Stamping and Digital Printing.
Dunlop custom picks can be ordered from their website: https://www.jimdunlop.com/custom-picks/
Conclusion
Customized guitar picks are great way to stand out and express your individual style. In addition, they make a great gift and promotional item. The appeal of custom picks not limited to guitarists only—many people who don’t even play guitar will enjoy having a pick, and a custom pick will always remind them of who gave it to them. Since many manufacturers offer the option of drilling a hole in the pick, you can also easily make a custom guitar pick necklace.
No matter the reason you choose to customize guitar picks, at the very least you’ll always know which picks are yours!