First produced in 1977, the Jazz III pick has attracted a growing cult of some of the music industry’s most talented guitar players. What is behind the mystique of this little red pick? What is it about its shape that’s drawn and inspired so many players? They swear by it.

The years have seen material variations on the shape as well: Tortex Jazz, Nylon Jazz XL, Ultex Jazz III, Ultex Jazz III 2.0, the Carbon Fiber Jazz III and the Max Grip Jazz III. Utilizing the Jazz III shape with other materials and different grip options allows players to take advantage of its unique shape while retaining the tonal qualities of their favorite material. The Max Grip Jazz III is for players who want the ultimate gripping surface from our Nylon Max Grip picks, and the Jazz III XL offers players the same shape but with a size closer to that of standard picks.

The Cult of Jazz III includes a diverse group of adherents, brought together by a pick that allows them to interact more fluidly with their guitar strings and brings them closer to their instruments.

So what’s the big deal? Let’s ask the cultists themselves.

Matt Heafy

Band: Trivium

Uses: Max Grip Nylon Jazz III

Matt Heafy performs lead vocals and trades rhythm and lead guitar duties with Corey Beaulieu in heavy metal band Trivium. Matt’s been a loyal Jazz III user since he was a teenager.

“For me, the pick that has been consistent in my playing since I was about 16 years old is the Jazz III. Thankfully, the slipperiness of the original Jazz III has been suped up with the Max-Grip as of late,” says Matt, who goes on to extoll the versatility of his favorite pick. “You can’t hide behind anything due to its thickness and shape and size—it’s all about accuracy. Whether you’re playing tremolo picked Black Metal-styled riffs, super-tight sextuplet solo runs, pedal-toned Gothenburg-style downpicking, arpeggiated folk-picking, lightly strummed chords (this one may take a different pick-grip approach with the III)—the Jazz III can handle it all in a far more efficient way than the standard pick.”

You can check out his impressive technical skill on Trivium’s latest album In Waves, released in August.

www.trivium.org

Mick Thomson

Band: Slipknot

Uses: Carbon Fiber Jazz III

Mick Thomson shares guitar duties with Jim Root in heavy metal band Slipknot, and both are loyal Jazz III users. Mick has been using Jazz III picks for the last 20 years, and he helped us develop his pick of choice, the Carbon Fiber Jazz III, by taking it out on the road and putting it through the rigors of playing live night after night.

“Every aspect of my approach is based around it,” Mick told Guitar One Magazine in April 2007. “It’s small and precise, and there’s no wasted energy. Simply said, it goes where you put it.”

Simply said, indeed.

www.slipknot1.com

John Petrucci

Band: Dream Theater

Uses: Nylon Jazz III

John Petrucci is lead guitarist and one of the founding members of the legendary prog metal band Dream Theater. He has long used the Jazz III to craft his progressive metal masterpieces and is currently working with us on a signature pick for release in 2012.

“I like the tone of [the Jazz III], the way the strings sound when the pick comes in contact,” John told Guitar One Magazine in April 2007. “There’s a certain fatness, or sweetness, and the high end comes through great…It’s very conducive to playing fast; that is, it doesn’t give way, or antagonize what you’re doing. The point just glides on the strings, and it sounds very precise with lots of clarity.”

Check out John’s shred mastery on A Dramatic Turn of Events, Dream Theater’s eleventh studio album.

www.johnpetrucci.com

www.dreamtheater.net

Kirk Hammett

Band: Metallica

Uses: Kirk Hammett Signature Jazz III

Kirk Hammett is the lead guitarist for thrash legends Metallica. A recent convert to the Cult of Jazz III, he uses the Kirk Hammett Signature Jazz III which features a v-shaped cutout for improved grip.

“I started using these Jazz picks—[Matt Heafy] from Trivium gave me one and said, ‘Check this pick out!’ I started playing with it, and I said ‘Hey, you know, this is pretty cool!’ More picking action without moving as much. Once I started using it and liking it I realized that a lot of other guitar players were using it. So I thought, ‘Man, I thought I was onto something cool, but I guess I’m just stepping into place here.’”

Metallica is set to release Lulu, a collaboration with Lou Reed, at the end of October.

www.metallica.com

Joe Bonamassa

Uses: Nylon Jazz III

The list of metal guys who use Jazz III picks is long, but it also has its place among modern blues rock greats. Enter Joe Bonamassa. The quintessential tonechaser, Joe brings amazing technical skill to from-the-guts blues, and the Jazz III has been an indispensable part of his arsenal for nearly 20 years. While watching an Eric Johnson video, Joe spotted a red pick in Eric’s hand and rushed to a local music store to find it.

“I’ve been using them ever since. Once you go to these picks, it’s almost impossible to go back to standard size picks. Plus you get used to the sound—it’s a really unique tone. It’s the one thing I can’t live without. Give me any guitar or any amp, but if I don’t have the little red pick, I’m in trouble.”

“The Jazz III gave me this sense of accuracy and articulation, and I found that it gave me this big amount of attack with only a small amount of picking,” Joe told Guitar One Magazine in April 2007. “I play rhythm guitar a lot with my hands, fingerstyle, and the Jazz III is so easy to tuck away between your index finger and thumb. It’s a dynamic pick that allows you to play soft or hard. They don’t wear out, and they’re great for accuracy.”

Joe’s eleventh album, Dust Bowl, was released in March.

www.jbonamassa.com

Eric Johnson

Uses: Eric Johnson Signature Jazz III

Eric Johnson is a guitar player’s guitar player, famed and highly respected for his technical prowess and deft blending of different musical styles, from jazz to New Age to country western. Eric is legendary for his particularity and high-standards when it comes to his equipment, and he won’t settle for sub-par. Naturally, the Jazz III is his pick of choice.

“I first saw the Jazz III years ago in a music store and decided to try it out. After that, I knew it was the pick for me. The shape is right, and the material on my signature versions produces the tone I need.”

www.ericjohnson.com

Join the Cult…

Tell us YOUR Jazz III story for your chance to win a Jazz III pick pack, and get your story told on the JimDUnlop.com Blog! CLICK HERE TO ENTER.

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