If you ever asked “What picks does John Petrucci use?”, this article is for you. When scouting for new picks to try, I noticed the John Petrucci Signature Guitar Pick Collection, which is a sampler set of 6 Dunlop picks designed in conjunction with guitarist John Petrucci. Interestingly, each of his signature picks are quite different from one another. In this article I review each pick in the pack.
Note: The product links below include Amazon affiliate links, and if you’d like to try these John Petrucci picks, consider purchasing through Amazon. It won’t cost you anything extra!
Who is John Petrucci?
If you’re reading this, you most likely know John Petrucci, but in case you don’t, here’s a short bio. Petrucci is best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. As a guitarist, Petrucci is known for being among the best prog metal players, possessing excellent technique.
John Petrucci Signature Pick Variety Pack
The Petrucci Signature Collection includes the following guitar picks:
- JP Flow® Pick (1)
- JP Jazz III Pick (1)
- JP Primetone® Pick (1 Black, 1 Oxblood)
- JP Trinity Pick (2)
My impressions are based on playing these picks with an assortment of acoustic and electric guitars. For electrics, I generally use a tone, because I feel the subtle differences between picks is easier to hear.
Pick Material
All of the Petrucci-designed picks are made from Ultex, a pick material that Dunlop uses for numerous picks in their line. Ultex is known for its balanced and clear tone. Ultex also provides improved durability compared to other plastic pick materials.
Size and Shape
Petrucci has been a long time user of Dunlop’s Jazz III picks, and 4 of the picks in the pack are based on the Jazz III shape. In terms of size, however, some aren’t exactly the same as a regular Jazz III. I’ll discuss the particulars of the shapes in the individual reviews below. get into for each pick. Check out our review of Dunlop’s Jazz III picks for additional info on the Jazz III design that these picks are based on.
1. JP Flow Pick
This pick is the most noticeable in the collection, and my favorite. The JP flow stands out in the 6 pack for both its size and color. It’s an Oxblood color, and has Petrucci’s cool-looking iridescent symbol on one side, and signature on the reverse. The graphics are smooth, and there is no raised lettering on either side. Like all of the JP picks, the JP Flow is made of Ultex.
Feel of JP Flow Pick
The JP Flow is a thick pick, measuring 2.0mm. If you’ve read our D’Addario Caesin pick review, you know I’m becoming a fan of thicker picks lately, and the JP Flow was no exception.
The shape of the JP Flow is very close to the Jazz III XL shape ,but not exactly the same. The shoulders are a teeny bit wider on the JP Flow.
The surface has a smooth, tumbled finish, and is aggressively beveled. This pick has a great feel, and I had no trouble gripping it. The pick is beveled on both sides, and picked well with no string friction.
Tone of JP Flow Pick
Ultex picks are known for their clarity, and the JP Flow demonstrated that. Prior to trying this pick I had never used an Ultex pick thicker than 1.5mm. To my ear, the extra thickness sounds a teeny bit warmer than a standard Dunlop Primetone or Ultex pick. That said, this pick very much represents the Ultex house sound, which is to say it had good volume, clarity, and low pick noise.
John Petrucci on the development of the JP Flow:
Best For
If you dig thicker Ultex picks, you’ll like the JP Flow. I enjoy the unique shape and feel of this pick, and it’s become part of my pick rotation.
John Petrucci Signature Jazz III Pick
The other single pick in the Signature Pack is Petrucci’s Jazz III Signature. This pick is different from the JP Flow in virtually every way: Texture, size, feel, tone, and color. About the only thing that’s the same is that it is made of Ultex.
Feel of Petrucci Signature Jazz III Pick
The first thing I noticed was the size of this pick. As you may know, Dunlop’s Jazz III pick comes in two sizes, the regular Jazz III and the Jazz III XL. The XL, as you might have guessed, is a little bigger than a standard Jazz III, but still smaller than a typical Fender 351 pick.
The Petrucci Signature Jazz III sits right in the middle! Bigger than a standard Jazz III, but smaller than a Jazz III XL. I consider this the best feature of this pick.
In contrast to the JF Flow’s elaborate graphic design, the Signature is entirely black. The raised design reads “JP”, and there is a slightly textured section surrounding it. Also, this pick is 1.5mm thick, which is .5mm less than the JP Flow.
Tone of Petrucci Signature Jazz III Pick
Not surprisingly, this pick sounds like a standard Ultex Jazz III. If there are differences, they are subtle enough that they’re not worth mentioning. That said, it does sound different from the JP Flow, which makes sense, since it has different gauge and texture. Where the JP Flow sounds creamy, the Signature is articulate. Perhaps Petrucci wanted a different sounding pick for certain situations where clarity was paramount? This is me guessing, because I have no idea.
Best For
Players who prefer an Ultex pick that sits in size between the Jazz III and Jazz III XL.
John Petrucci Trinity Pick
This pick is the most distinct of the bunch. It has a triangular shape. I don’t typically use triangle picks, and many of them feel pretty wide to me. The Trinity pick is a nice size though; think of it as a standard Jazz III with wider, pointed shoulders.
Feel of John Petrucci Trinity Pick
The Trinity is actually really comfortable to hold. The extra width that a triangle pick shape offers is tempered by the fact that the pick itself is on the small side.
In terms of design, the Trinity is all blacked out. Like the Signature pick, the Trinity has raised lettering on both sides. It has the same Petrucci symbol as the JP Flow, but it’s rendered entirely in black. According to Dunlop’s website, the tip of this pick is “Jazz III-inspired”. The gauge is 1.4mm.
Tone of John Petrucci Trinity Pick
The Trinity is made of Ultex, and it sounds like my other 1.4 mm Ultex and Primetone picks. [ link ] I thought I may have heard ever so slightly more juiciness in the Trinity’s tone, but this could be wishful thinking! However, one of the nice things about picks is that a comfortable one can improve your picking technique, and thus your tone. So, it’s not inconceivable. Either way, the Trinity is a solid pick that I wasn’t sure I would like, but was pleasantly surprised.
Best For
Players who like a triangle shape in a compact form factor.
John Petrucci Primetone Pick
Our last two picks are the Petrucci Primetone picks. There are two in the pack, one black and one red. Aside from the color, they are identical.
Feel of John Petrucci Primetone Pick
I assumed that these were standard Jazz III Ultex Primetones, but there’s a little more to it than that. They are indeed standard Jazz III size. The gauge is the same as well—1.4mm. What makes these picks different is the bevel and the raised lettering on both sides of the pick.
First, the bevel. The “custom bevel” is based on a well worn Petrucci pick. Perhaps he had a favorite and they modeled it? Close inspection indeed shows a bevel that is different from other Jazz III picks. The Primetone Jazz III is hand-beveled, and shows a larger bevel than a standard Ultex Jazz III. The Petrucci Primetone is in the middle, with slightly more bevel than a standard Jazz III, but slightly less than the regular Primetone.
The second difference is the lettering, which is raised. One side says “Ultex PRIMETONE”, while the other proclaims “John Petrucci N.Y.C.” (I like the NYC pride shown here).
Tone of John Petrucci Primetone Pick
As you can imagine, these picks sound the same as the standard Jazz III and Primetone, which is to say, they sound good. They are clear with good volume.
Best For
If you like Jazz III Ultex picks you will like these. I’m not sure how much difference the custom bevel will make to most people. The raised lettering makes for a grippy pick.
Conclusion
If you like John Petrucci, this sampler pack is a no-brainer. Even if in the unlikely event that you don’t like John Petrucci picking, I’d still recommend trying these picks. All of Petrucci’s signature picks are based on already great standard pick models, but with unique, “in-between” specs that make each of them a John Petrucci pick.
The variety pack is a great deal, especially for the modest price. In fact, I’d pay full price for the JP Flow pick alone! As you can tell, the JP Flow was my favorite of the bunch because they are great feeling, great sounding, and great looking (I’m actually surprised that Dunlop isn’t pricing the Flow pick higher). Happy picking!
