New zealand's only boutique pick maker

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New zealand's only boutique pick maker ---

4 Sterling Silver Carson Picks on Woven Bag

Materials

Disclaimer: The following descriptions and audio are only a small piece of the tone puzzle. A pick is the connection between the player and the guitar, therefore everyone will have an individual preference for what feels best in their hand.

PEEK-Polyether-etherketone

The best all rounder material. Pioneered in the aerospace and medical industries, PEEK lets the true sound of the instrument shine, whilst providing exceptional wear resistance and rigidity. It is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic, making it more comparable in strength to a metal, whilst staying much lighter. PEEK has almost zero pick noise, and flows smoothly over the strings, making for the ultimate “everything” pick.

PEEK Electric Demo
(LP Both Pickups)
PEEK Acoustic Demo
(Hummingbird)
Shop PEEK

Casein

Casein is a 100% natural plastic derived from the protein in milk. Also referred to as Galalith, the Casein we use at Carson Picks is all vintage, sometimes almost 100 years in age. Casein excels as a pick due to it’s similar molecular structure to the gold standard of picks-tortoiseshell, which has now been illegal to sell for over 50 years. It has the same natural tone and feel that ages beautifully and only gets better as you play it more. The tone of casein when played side by side with shell is almost identical, if not slightly better, due to it’s unique smoothness when polished to a high shine.

Casein Electric Demo
(LP Both Pickups)
Casein Acoustic Demo
(Hummingbird)
Shop Casein

Sterling Silver

Sterling Silver is the ultimate luxury pick. Due to the soft nature of silver, we use sterling to help the pick stand up to the strings a little better. Silver provides a very fluid feel, very different to other metal picks. It doesn’t have that characteristic “scratchy” attack, and instead brings a more “shimmery” and bright tone. Due to it’s density, it feels very substantial, and almost feels as if the pick is doing the work for you on fast single-note lines. Carson Picks is the only company in the world making playable solid sterling picks!

Sterling Silver Electric Demo
(LP Both Pickups)
Sterling Silver Acoustic Demo
(Hummingbird)
Shop Sterling Silver

Copper

Copper has been used by legends such as Eddie Van Halen and Billy Gibbons for years. It was the material that started it all for Carson Picks. Copper is a very soft metal, and thus interacts more gently with the strings than brass. It has a “chirpy” sound on the strings and is great at cutting through the mix.

Copper Electric Demo
(LP Both Pickups)
Copper Acoustic Demo
(Hummingbird)
Shop Copper

Brass

Brass is the hardest of just about all the materials you can make a pick from. Due to this, it’s wear resistance is exceptional. With a little maintenance, a well beveled brass pick can last you for years. It has an aggressive tone, best suited to electric guitar and bass. If you love that metallic crunch that comes to mind when you think of metal picks, then brass is the material for you.

Brass Electric Demo
(LP Both Pickups)
Brass Acoustic Demo
(Hummingbird)
Shop Brass

Stone

Stone is one of the most unusual pick materials out there. Not only does it look beautiful, but due to it’s high-gloss surface there is almost zero friction when the pick comes in contact with the strings. This has made stone very popular with shred style guitarists who love thick picks that can glide through long sweep runs with ease. Stone makes it feel like the pick plays for you as you drag it across the strings. It has that satisfying “chirp” especially when used on a high gain rig, while providing a nice mid boost too.

Stone Electric Demo
(LP Both Pickups)
Stone Acoustic Demo
(Hummingbird)
Shop Stone

Acetal

You know it from every time you’ve seen your favorite band live, or tested a guitar at a music store. Acetal is the touring musician’s pick. Cost effective, highly customisable, durable and an all ‘round classic. Need we say more?

Acetal Electric Demo
(LP Both Pickups)
Acetal Acoustic Demo
(Hummingbird)
Shop Acetal

Acrylic

Acrylic picks have a hugely versatile scope if made right. They have the advantage of being easy to make in any colour, pattern or thickness, due to the sheer availability of the material. Whether you like a big, brightly coloured, 5mm, speed-beveled “shreddy” pick, or a 1mm, clear, rounded, classic teardrop, acrylic delivers. Feel free to reach out for custom requests!

Acrylic Electric Demo
(LP Both pickups)
Acrylic Acoustic Demo
(Hummingbird)
Shop Acrylic

Custom

If you have a material, chances are we can make a pick out of it. We have made picks from just about everything under the sun, so don’t hesitate to reach out.

Shop Custom
Three red cardboard packaging slips labeled "Carson Picks" with checkmarks, sitting on a wooden surface with white PEEK guitar picks partially visible underneath.
Close-up of a Carson Picks PEEK pick tucket underneath the strings of an acoustic guitar
A beige PEEK guitar pick with the text 'Carson Picks' and a signature, placed on a wooden surface.
Close-up of a red packaging insert with a white PEEK guitar pick on top that has 'JACK WHITE' engraved on it.
Close-up of a PEEK guitar pick with the words 'CARSON PICKS' engraved on it, placed on a textured brown surface of a guitar case.
Close up of a Carson Picks PEEK pick tucked underneath the strings, near the bridge of an acoustic guitar.
A booth with a sign that reads 'Carson Picks', various red packing inserts with white text, and a variety of PEEK, sterling silver and stone guitar picks on a dark purple cloth. Titirangi market, lopdell
Close-up of a shiny, high polish Carson Sterling silver pick in a triangle shape on a woven canvas pouch.
4 Sterling Silver Carson guitar picks resting on a woven, beige drawstring pouch on a wooden surface.
Close-up of a Vespel SCP-5000 guitar pick with the words "CARSON PICKS" engraved on it, resting on a dark textured surface. Made by Carson Picks
Close-up of a guitar pick made of Vespel SP-1 by Carson Picks, with "CARSON PICKS 1.50MM" engraved, lying on a red surface, next to a part of an electric guitar with strings and a metallic tuning peg visible. Les Paul
Close-up of a guitar's bridge, strings, and volume controls, with a Carson Picks Vespel SP-1 pick resting on top, with Eddie Vedder's wave logo engraved on it.
Close-up of two brass high polish jazz picks by Carson Picks with three small grip holes, resting on a wooden surface.
A yellow tortoiseshell guitar pick custom made by Carson Picks resting on a red fuzzy surface.
Three guitar picks made by Carson Picks. Two in acrylic, red and and black and one in high polish brass. 3mm thick
Close-up image of a Carson Picks brass pick in a high polish, laying on an orange amp.
Multiple yellow guitar pick ordering slips with checkboxes for different options, accompanied by guitar picks, on a wooden surface. Text saying "Carson Picks"
Close-up of a Fender electric guitar body showing the bridge, strings, and a Carson Picks brass custom pick tucked underneath the bridge with a shiny tip and textrued grip area.
Several guitar picks by Carson Picks in different metals such as silver brass and copper placed on yellow shopping bags with checkboxes for selecting guitar pick options.
A tortoiseshell casein triangle pick by Carson Picks placed on a wooden natural background.
Close-up view of a Sterling Silver and faux tortoiseshell pendant on a black leather cord resting on an Epiphone dove guitar. Made by Carson Picks.
Close-up of an agate/stone guitar pick made by Carson Picks placed on a white surface.

SHAPES

Seven guitar picks labeled with the name "Carson Picks", showing each guitar pick shape option.

REVIEWS

“By far the best pick I’ve ever put to a guitar. You did an amazing job. Thank you.”

-Mitch

“The thing is absolutely fantastic, and feels natural straight away to play with.”

-Ethan

“I’m so impressed with my pick from you. It’s very rare music wise that you describe something and someone makes that precise reality an outcome.”

-Anonymous