The worst guitar product ever made 

The new Picking & Phrasing Play-Along Workout is OUT TODAY ▶ www.patreon.com/bernth As a Patron, you also get my 'Alternate Picking Masterclass' course - so join the community today and have fun practicing :)

I've been using these for years- whenever I start using too much of the pick I do picking exercises using the Stylus for a few weeks and it corrects the issue. It's definitely not designed to be your main pick- it's a practice tool.

"That was just my 300 bpm speed bursts that I do first thing in the morning to warm up my right hand." I had to actually pause the video because I was laughing so hard! (My 16th note "speed burst" warm ups are, at best, 130 bpm! 🤣) Bernth, you are amazing, my friend!

I've been playing and teaching guitar for over fifty years. I received my BA at Berklee and I was there when the Stylus Pick was being developed. All the top players there were in on it and it was all the rage. The bookstore could barely keep them in stock. Now, it's still available and as the only physical device out there to directly address the fundamental principles of smooth, precise high-speed alternate picking, I can say with confidence that the manufacturer's claim that the Stylus Pick is "The Most Effective Speed Picking Method Ever Developed", is true. Almost no student I've ever known has had any regrets for trying it. Occasionally, there will be a student who simply can't grasp the concept, or a teacher who might be afraid of a little healthy competition. If you decide to try it, make sure you get the book of exercises and instructions that go with it - they are an essential part of the method and work like magic to increase your proficiency, fast, In my humble opinion.

It seems like the initial reviews completely missed the point of the pick. This seems like a teaching tool rather than a replacement pick and is meant to actively correct deep picking (Specifically for speed picking). It seems like it could actually be a pretty valuable tool for certain contexts. I also don't think it was ever intended to be a replacement to all other picks.

I tried in 80’s. I found it helped my digging in to deep when alternate picking. It was black back then. Made me think of gliding more. Just a teaching tool not a live use product.

I tried them out because Berried Alive said he learned on them. I found them to be helpful in exactly the way Bernth said. I was using waaaaaay too much pick depth basically all the time. I feel like that practice translated back to a regular pick pretty well, but I definitely wouldn't use these for a performance.

Wow I had one of these back in the 80's. Worked great back then for learning how to gallop and alternate picking, cool to see its still around.

I bought one of these in the late 80s. I probably still have it lurking in one of my guitar cases. I hated it. I get that the point is to teach you to use only the very tip of a regular pick, but damn they suck to use.

i’m very interested in trying this for my practice now, as i struggle with transitioning between strings and pick depth control, although i’m moving much faster with every other aspect. this may be a help

I’d have to drill holes through the pick to keep it in my fingers for sure. I have extremely dry hands and everything slide out of my hand and fingers. Still always wanted to try one.

Stylus Guitar pick? *Maybe it was made for me*

Back in the days my guitar teacher gave me this pick to practice some specific exercises. It was weird at first, but it definitely helped me improve my technique.

Once again, proof that you shouldn't blame your tools. An amazing guitarist with flawless technique and it isn't half bad as a pick

Actually yes. I bought my first set with the book back in the 80’s and still use them. They aren’t meant to be a regular pick but like Bernth pointed out it’s a tool to improve your technique. Good video!

Pick related, potentially helpful info: my pick evolution journey has been from the Dunlop Purple Tortex 1.14 -- to the Dunlop Jazz 3 XL -- and now to the Dunlop Jeff Loomis Signature, which is simultaneously the most initially difficult pick, and the most beneficial technique-improving pick, that I have ever used. Cheers~

I love them... I've been using them for a short while and has really helped with precision. It's extremely frustrating at first while they correct specific habits but after a while it becomes easier. When using a regular pick everything feels so much smoother with less friction because of the adjustment in pick depth

I'm gonna have to 3d print some with a few design changes, mainly grip as you said, but my plastic is already a little grippier, so I may not have to

I have them and I don't use them much but they did cure me of one thing - I was picking way to deep and was always hitting the pickups on my guitar and since you can't pick deep with the stylus pick they cured me of that.

I have a few of them, and I like using them for scale practice and warmups. They're interesting, because it forces you to learn economy of movement in order to play AT ALL, which is something I wish I would have learned years ago.

"Those are just my 300bpm speed bursts that I usually do in the morning to warm up my right hand" Yeah that's... that's what I do with my right hand in the morning too

There is a PDF that fully describes how to use the pick. It's a development training tool.

There's this academy in my country which forms world-class musicians (look it up on yt, it's called Rock Guitar Academy) and they use the stylus pick as a fundamental part of the didactic program

I bought a couple of these picks in the 90's. I played briefly at that time, but only started really playing recently. I actually think of this pick when I am working on my technique and it has helped me to only use the tip of the pick instead of digging in. My tone has become more regular and I am able to play faster since I have more control.

I actually use them while practicing every so often. In order to get over the slippery surface, I cut lined into it. The dude from Berried Alive used them, saw it on his instagram. Also you can get them of Thomann actually a bit cheaper too.

Reminds me of the super thick triangle picks I use for Mandolin, you can get some very chunky muted chords if you use one on geetar

I got those in the 80's too! I still have one. They were black back in the day. Hard to use.

that does sound interesting, i don't think it would fair well with the type of guitar i'm playing tho - but for the correct context, i could see it being interesting -> like palm mute like heavy right hand where you almost hit your first knuckle on the string as well, great for like mastodon-esque rifts, but seems like an interesting way to develop finess

It actually does work especially helps if you have delayed motor skills like me and have trouble tremolo picking at a decent speed. It also can help you sweep pick cleaner and faster, if you get caught on the ridge often thats literally what its training you not to do.

Heh, the gray Jazz pick you showed is one of my favorite picks, though there is a small gravity pick that I like also, while it doesn't have the bumps on it like the jazz pick the material it's made of has good grip, most of those picks I fount to be way to big and thick, I likes the smallest one they sold(at Sweetwater)

Servus Bernth, i started playing guitar 2 years ago and even i recognized immediately, that the stylus picks are not made for cords. I use them for playing scales and only use them for about 15 mins, so i didn´t get sweaty and they didn´t get slippery, but improoved my picking technique. I say, for the price, they are awsome !!

Man I remember buying these mail order in the mid 90s when I was trying to build speed and accuracy. I had started playing a lot of grunge and classic rock, and by 94-95 I was secretly trying to shred 😂. I also tried the picks with the twisted tip, Jazz IIIs, Tortex, Hot Licks copper picks, the anodised aluminium ones (Techpic?), Old school JD Nylons in 1mm, those terrible Dava Control, and weirdly now I've settled on the Jumbo Flow 420.

Here's a tip for the grip on the pick. Cut both sides of it with a knife a bit to make a better gripping surface than the flat plastic one they have. That way, it won't slip from your hand.

Of course what was probably failed to be accounted for was that it’s not necessarily pick depth that can catch on the string, but really pick slant (catching onto a flat surface versus a super thin one, ie pick edge)

yeah, i know those 300bpm bursts in the morning to warm up my right hand. But I don't play an instrument.

The only reason I know about this pick is because of Charles Caswell from Berried Alive, how he made more grip is he took a knife and actually slides little cuts into the Pick to get a better grip, they way it works is it’s supposed to train you to use less of the pick, so you’re supposed to use it a lot so you can get used to it, and then switch back to a normal pick.

they could improve it by adding texture to the flat part of the pick, it would fix the sliperyness of it, even just scoring it might do that for the ones you have. would love to hear how it feels with that modifacation to to

Aww...based on the thumbnail, I was hoping this was going to be some crazy triple pick!

Charles Caswell from berried alive is a huge proponent of this pick for practice. It really helps you with playing more efficient and relaxed. If you're struggling on something, try reducing bpm and using one of these. You'll be surprised how fast you got past a plateau.

How exactly did Google know that i bought new picks today including a carbon jazz III. I have been doing extensive testing and have found that for no discernable reason, the Erick Johnson signature Jazz III is the superior jazz III.

I had these and they worked great. They worked even better after I took a razor blade and cut a cross hatch in the top flat parts, to get a nice textured surface. My technique improved alot, but beware not to use it too much. It can become a crutch. Thanks for the review.

I think you missed one important use for these right from the 80s.. building tremolo picking speed for your sweet thrash metal rhythms. I actually had a hard time with fast palm muted chugging until one of these taught me I was using too much pick.

I bought one of these back in 1988 I was only fourteen and still very new to guitar it came with one pick its was black and its also came with a foldout with different speed exercises and I actually remember it was on sale for 11 bucks didn't do me a shit load of good considering I couldn't even speed pick in the first place

Early 90s... I had green ones. Didn't spend too much time with them, but I guess they did set me a little straighter than I would have been otherwise... I actually still have them here somewhere lol.

I used the Stylus pick back in the 80s and it actually helped me fix my "picking depth" issue. It did nothing for my overall speed. I used to dig into the strings to deep and it broke that habit and it only took about a week or two of 15 minutes a day using the Stylus while warming up. Not worth the money, overall, but I can see it helping some people but I wouldn't recommend it as I was a self taught player. If you can't break the picking depth issue this MAY help but for speed exercises? It didn't help me - save for the picking depth issue. PS - I think if I had just been taught, again I had 3 lessons in my entire life, to hold the pick with just a millimeter or two sticking out from your fingers it probably would have had the same result....maybe...who knows right?

Could you lightly take some sandpaper or steel wool to the body of the pick to rough it up a bit and get a better grip surface on it? I'm definitely not a guitar player, but I love watching your videos and that thought came to mind. Not being able to hold the pick very well when the point is to develop better pick control seems like a pretty huge design flaw.

i love that youre giving this a fair shake and seriously reviewing this product

I have a pick with a tip I've made flat mostly through use. That combined with a new way I'm holding my pick makes upstrokes pretty challenging. (Who struggles with pick depth on downstrokes?)

Picking technique is a never ending journey that I'm stuck on

Jason Richardson swears by these, he has made multiple non-sponsored posts about them in the past

I’d reshape the back part of it and make it a similar size overall to the Jazz III Max Grip. (My favourite pick) Maybe some form of thin grip tape to stop it moving around.

I used it back in the day. However, you have to keep the pick almost at an almost perfect 90-degree angle to get the most out of it. Also, the pick engages the muscles of the back of your hand to slightly elevate it. You should practice at a slow tempo for starters

I had a couple of those. It was helpful enough, yet after a few uses the "diamond" edge becomes blunt and its useless.

actually it would be great if you could do a sort of tutorial video about picks, like what kind of pick is best for certain techniques. for example i have the problem that when i play faster palm muted galloping rhythms, the pick i‘m using starts to turn around, i mean the tip starts turning to the right…i don’t know if it’s my technique or the way i hold the pick or if the pick itself is to hard or to soft or whatever. anyways, would be really helpful to get a general overview which kind of pick to use when…🤷🏼‍♂️

I would sand down the edge part fron biting the string also nip some grooves so it doesn't skip. With a dremel....

One of the most technically gifted guitarists I know used these as a training tool when he was younger. I never thought I’d see one… but now I must buy some!

I got a ton of these back in the day for free at the LA 99’ NAMM show. I wasn’t an electric guitar player at the time; mainly an acoustic guitar player and they felt horrendous to use lol

I remember once reading an interview with Dimebag Darrell. In it, he said that he would make his picks less slippery by using a dart or a knife to carve little gouges in the pick so that he could grip them better. I have no idea how well that would work on those, but it is an interesting idea.

I get the impression that it's designed to be uncomfortable unless you play perfectly, so it's more of a learning tool

I had these in the 80s, and got them right at the time I began using the red Dunlop Jazz 3s. I actually filed smooth the edge around the top of the stylus tip, and found that it works much better. Had also taken sandpaper to the sides of the pick to create more of a gripping surface. All in all, practicing with that stylus pick helped a great deal, and I am a better player for having used it over the years. Proof is in the discovery, eh Bernth?

I do 300 bpm speed bursts in the morning too, but they don't involve a guitar at all

i think you could get a similar effect by using a regular pick at the side, so the smooth curved bit hits the string

The problem with these magic pics is that they’re trying to fix something that ain’t broke

BERNTH, I bought the stylus pick from a mail in cutout ad in Guitar magazine back in 1986 or 7, when i first started playing and as poor as my playing was, those picks made it a whole lot worse. but, i can see how they can be helpful for pick depth training.

Picking technique and the choice of pick itself is so personal to me that I can’t imagine it making any sense to change it. Been using the same picks for 20 years and it would be very difficult to change now. More importantly, I’m content with my guitar playing. If I were struggling with some aspect of my playing that dedication and practice just didn’t seem to improve... then maybe there’s something about my picking that’s holding me back? But it’s more likely that my current pick and technique will take my as far as I need to go.

It's a valid practice tool, but not particularly useful. There's so much to consider when picking - depth is a small part of it. And the way you must hold these picks (pretty much 90 degree angle so they don't get caught) doesn't translate well into practical playing because you'd normally hold the pick at an angle.

My uncle gave me one when I was a kid just learning guitar and I have been confused by it ever since

Hey Bernth, Tag! I wanted to tell you, most sincerely, thank you 😊. Your videos have really helped me feel a sense of hope regarding getting unstuck. Thanks man. Hope all is well with you.👍😎

I only ever use the tip of the pick but still wouldn't use one of these pics.

A tip from Dime, if your pick is slipping scratch some hash marks on both side with a knife or the edge of clipped string and get better grip with any pick

Maybe just a slight tweak to the design and it can be much more compatible with more people. With the edge around the tip being just ever so slightly further up the pick to avoid snagging on the strings as often so it's not something you have to be conscious about then maybe it can pass as a live concert pick.

I haven't heard "CD-ROM" since the 90s! These coming out in 1984 makes sense. I bet they have a huge back stock along with the CDs.

I studied with this pick a lot long ago and it does get you to develop a more deft pick attack which is good for fast alternate picked scalar runs, but that technique can get a bit sterile sounding to the ear unless it’s combined with a more visceral attack at times. The pick is only meant to practice with, not for actual use when performing or recording. I also recommend studying both alternate picking and economy picking (sweeping to cross strings sometimes) to get the best sound when soloing, i.m.h.o..

what chords did you use here : 3:11? I'm really curious because they sound crazy good lol

That thing looks like I'd play Guitar Hero on the Nintendo DS with it.

My friend showed me one of these picks back in 1988 or so, and I have always wondered what they were called. Now I know, after 34 years.

I have a few of these left from when I bought a big box lot of stuff at a music store’s going out of business auction about 30 years ago. I’m way too ham handed to use them effectively.

I'll just stick with My Dunlops!

I actually bought the dvd a while ago. Because I got them both I understood it was just a trainer. Might be worth a review of.

It's a training tool I used it in the 90's and got rid of it when I didn't need it anymore.

Just started using one of these per the recommendation of my guitar teacher. Honestly, it's been a game changer. Helped me so much with improving my picking technique.

Does anyone know what song he is playing at 3:10 ?

I tried them back in the 80s…pretty much the same reaction, but since it’s not good for live aggressive playing it was right out. Have you tried the Dava picks? Totally different concept, but a very fast pick and quiet as well.

I’ve used this product for a few years and it helped me out a lot. Cheers!

It's true though. it does help you develop extraordinary picking style. My picking feels extraordinary when use a normal pick compared to this one.

Never heard of this, crazy. Great video!

Hi Bernth, thanks for sharing your knowledge , now I'm following you to know more about guitar, I consider myself beginner, I've been using picks I make with old credit or phone cards or slammers-pogs; the pick you reviewed looks rare but interesting design maybe much better than my home made picks 😂

i still have a couple of those from the 80s. They served the purpose to a certain degree. How about the Floyd Rose speed guide tho? Its a bit like those ramps that bass players have been using for years. The only thing i don't like about the FR Speed Guide idea though is that you can't adjust it. I made myself something that looks like a pickup but with the same radius as the fretboard and adjustable height. it works great! more forgiving than the stylus pick and no problem strumming but still encourages or forces shallow picking depth and gets you to focus on pick attack angle and arc etc.

I bought these when I was a kid. Of course, for a beginner, it was dreadful and confusing. For the time, they were pretty pricy and I maintained the negative feeling about my purchase for about 30 years! Sadly, there wasn't RU-vid around back then, or I probably would have better understood the pick's actual function. On the upside, I ended up playing mostly with my fingers, so right hand development happens the way it's supposed to, I guess. I should get on those 300 bpm speed bursts now. 😀 Great channel.

looks like it could help with your understanding of just how wrong you are picking with your normal pick, i use a jazz III jp and this stylus pick could help you make those adjustments where you are going wrong, shame about the lack of grip, maybe that will teach us to sweat less

Stylus picks are great for developing the technique of fast alternate picking and that's it... I found them more detrimental than useful when I got them back in 2008-09 because they really alter the muscle memory for the whole of the picking hand, you end up "Death Gripping" the pick so that it doesn't get snagged out of your hand by hitting the string wrong and that really fatigues the whole arm; ruins the form for playing with dynamics.... try out Dragons Heart picks if you want, they are my new favorite since I picked some up for my birthday in 2020

You should put some grip tape on that bad boy. That would help with the slippery surface.

There were a few of this type of pick doing the rounds in the 90s. I think maybe M. A. B used one? Have a vague recollection from London guitar show early 90s.

Ya know when you light plastic on fire and it drips fireballs? Those picks work really well for that.

I tried it a long time ago. Same findings you had! Not terrible. Kind of interesting. Maybe it helped me play a little faster. I didn’t find it necessary as a pick to play music with, but it did reveal that I was using too much picking depth sometimes.

300 bpm to warm up in the morning? That's what masters do.

Have you ever broke the tip of a pick I have and can still use it....somehow

Well.. a little double sided tape and maybe some sand paper or something with a rough surface on it, and this pick would be a decent practicing tool probably. Honestly, it could be useful when it comes to controlling how deep you go with your picking, but what do I know lol.

Pro-tip; use a razor or knife to score one or both faces of the pick. It helps give more grip and less slip. :)

Check out bog street picks. I personally use them and would be interested in hearing your thoughts