Guitar pick grip is one of the most sought after characteristics that guitarists look for in a plectrum.
How do we define grip?
It’s a firm & tenacious hold providing control and mastery.
It’s what helps to keep the pick from slipping or rotating out of position while playing.
So a guitar pick with grip will tend to provide more picking control
and if you’re looking to attain speed mastery or accuracy for example,
then this plays a critical role.
It’s the difference between keeping the pick firmly planted in your progression & having to stop to pick it back up off the floor!
In this article we’ll cover some essentials related to grip to better understand its function.
We’ll also cover the gripping characteristics of our own picks,
namely our pick collections as a whole and how they all measure up to each other.
Guitar Pick Grip - What Is It?
As previously mentioned, grip is the determining factor that helps to keep pick under your control,
keeps it from slipping away, & helps to keep you from dropping it altogether.
With grip being one of the main things guitarists are looking for in a pick,
There are many variations which we’ll go into more depth.
These include things like textured grips, engravings, grip holes,
and even some aftermarket options you can add to your favorite plectrum.
What Are The Pros of Guitar Picks With Grip?
Well why do guitarists seek this out in their picks?
With an ample amount of grip available, you start to see some of these benefits:
- You gain more control in your playing.
That means you spend less time adjusting your pick & can place more attention on the nuances of your playing.
The result is a tighter but more expressive performance. - It helps you to relax your hand.
This comes down to the basics, the less muscle tension the better.
The result is less fatigue, more stamina to keep playing your favorite tunes longer! - More accurate playing.
Now you can push your speed, play more complex passages, and ultimately level up to reach your playing goals!
Who doesn’t want that?
What Are The Drawbacks of Too Much Grip?
Despite all of the seemingly positive aspects of grip, there are a couple things to note on the downside.
Using very aggressive grips such as sandpaper or other rough options,
Can leave your fingers feeling raw if used for extended periods of time.
This could take some time to get used to, somewhat like how we all build calluses on our fretting hand.
There’s also the possibility of losing some of your ability to make micro-adjustments to your picking angle
or shifting your pick into different positions such as when tapping or performing pinch harmonics.
This might not affect everyone & depends on each individual’s playing style but something to keep in mind.
Types of Grip Options Available
Below are some of the options we’ve encountered when it comes to pick grips.
Some of them are built into the pick during manufacturing, others can be applied as a DIY,
and others can be applied as enhancements to your favorite plectrum.
-
Texture Surfaces - This can include matte surfaces as well as brushed textures.
Applying a coarse brushed texture to our picks is one of our go-to ways of adding grip. -
Divots/Indentations - Some picks have carvings or divots that help to seat your thumb into.
These will typically require you using a thicker pick but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. - Raised Patterns - Some picks have diamond hatch patterns, raised bumps or lettering, and in some cases geometric shapes.
- Grip Holes - These are another good ones that we’ve begun to incorporate into our Gladiator Collection of picks.
- Sandpaper Grit - Some picks come with sandpaper grit already applied but we’ll also go over this further below!
- Cork - Same as the sandpaper, some picks come with it pre-applied but you can also add it to your favorite picks even if they didn’t come with it.
- Deep Engravings - This is more prevalent in handcrafted picks & it’s something we definitely try to apply to most of our guitar picks using our “Sword & Laurel” logo to cover a large surface of the pick.
How Do I Make My Guitar Pick Grippy? DIY & Aftermarket
If you have a guitar pick that’s lacking in grip, there’s also a few things you can do to modify your pick & level it up.
-
Sandpaper - If you have a sheet of sandpaper you can cut it to a desirable shape & add a drop of superglue to attach it to your pick.
Some sandpaper already comes with adhesive on the back or you can also purchase pre-cut shapes that can be used. - Cork - Same as the sandpaper above & there’s also pre-cut cork shapes with an adhesive backing that can be easily applied to your favorite pick.
- Rubber - There’s options out there such as Monster Grips that are circular gummy shapes that can be stuck onto almost any pick.
-
Scratches/Texture - You can also take a knife & very carefully scratch some patterns into the pick or create engravings.
A Dremel could also be used for this task with the right bit.
Finally you can just use some heavy grit sandpaper & brush the pick faces to add some surface texture. -
Grip Holes - If you have a drill or something sharp to puncture the pick (for thinner picks),
you can create some grip holes that will add some grip on both sides of the plectrum.
A Dremel also comes in handy again, just be careful when using power tools of any kind & be sure to take the appropriate safety precautions.
Other Notable Factors To Consider
Any other ways to gain more control in your playing, help relax your hands, or increase the accuracy in your playing? Yes!
Consider some other factors when choosing a guitar pick such as surface area.
Smaller jazzier picks have less to grab onto and are easier to slip out of your hand.
Maybe think about a bigger or wider pick such as the Bellona or Secutor that we carry.
Both of these picks take this factor into account.
If you’re a newer player or just need a refresher after some time away from your guitar.
Take a look at our article on how to hold a guitar pick.
It’s back to the basics with this one but maybe you’ll find some hidden insight or reinforce what you already knew about holding a pick.
Last but not least is the pick thickness.
Thicker picks also help to relax your hand further & make the pick easier to grasp.
You don’t have to clamp down so hard & it feels like you’re holding something much more substantial.
We have a whole article on thin versus thick picks here if you want to deep dive.
Iron Age Guitar Picks - From Least To Most
For all of the Iron Age fans who want to know about our very own handcrafted picks,
here’s the breakdown of our pick collections ranked in terms of grip.
Here’s our current list of pick collections, each one including several picks which are all finished in the same way.
Next to them will be the finishing characteristics that are applied which could affect grip.
- Gladiator - Medium grit textured faces + Grip holes + Engraving
- Imperial - Polished faces + Metal Emblem + Engraving
- Legio Ferrata/IronClad Legion - Light grit textured faces + Metal Emblem
- Parthenon - Coarse grit textured faces + Engraving
- Ragnarok - Medium grit textured faces + Engraving
- Limited Edition Guitar Picks - Varies from polished to heavy textures, emblems, engravings, etc.
How do they rank from least to most grip?
- Imperial Collection - Lowest due to the polished finish but do have an engraving & metal emblem that helps to enhance the grip.
- Ragnarok Collection - Fair amount of grip with the medium texture & engravings but nothing too extreme.
- Legio Ferrata Collection - These have a very light texture but it's a bit more rubbery & the added emblem also enhances some of the grip.
- Gladiator Collection - These have many grip elements added purposefully & have a medium-high level of grip.
The limited edition black Ultem is finished in medium grit but but we might move to a heavy coarse grit for the future amber Ultem (final versions) - Parthenon Collection - The key with these is simplicity.
We use the heaviest, most coarse texture we have on both sides & add a deep engraving on one side.
Other individual picks from our top 10 highest rated list:
- Helios-3 - Similar grip to the Parthenon Collection
- Carbon Fiber - The 1.5mm version have very little grip & are more for casual use because they’re polished but do have a surface etching.
- Macassar Ebony Spearhead - Probably the grippiest of all. Not only are they finished like the Parthenon Collection, the porous wood pick material also adds another layer of grip not seen in other materials.
- Brass Ducat - Also strong characteristics here, probably between Gladiator & Parthenon.
- Agate Stone Pick - These would be placed below the Imperial collection because they’re polished & only have a small engraving on one side. The grip can be enhanced dramatically with a personalized etching however.
Comment below if you want to find out more about a certain pick!
Conclusion - Choose A Guitar Pick With Grip
It’s up to you to determine what level of grip is best suited for your playing.
Are you seeking something more comfortable? Or are you looking for maximum performance?
Other factors will include your style of playing, how long you practice, or environmental factors like playing live or in the studio.
If that isn’t enough options to look into,
see our ultimate guide on all of the characteristics of choosing a guitar pick.
Last but not least, just because your picks aren’t up to par with the grippines you desire or need,
You can always modify them.
There’s guitar pick grip you can purchase or make your own modifications using things like cork,
sandpaper, rubber, or just a plain old knife engraving - Just be extra careful!
(You’ll need those fingertips to play guitar)
Anyways, thanks so much for reading our article.
Do you have a favorite type of grip? Found the pick with the right amount for you?
Share your experience & let us know below!
-The Iron Age Team
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Alex Rodea
Author
Alex is a former U.S. Marine avionics technician turned founder of Iron Age Guitar Accessories, a one-man shop building boutique picks, knobs, and kill-switches since 2015. He applies systems thinking, precision machining, and insights from thousands of shipped orders and customer reviews to write practical guides on tone, materials, and design for serious players.