Known for their sharper tips and compact sizes, Jazz III picks have been a hit with guitarists for decades. With so many choices and variations on the theme, how do you know which Jazz III is right for you? Here’s a rundown of the different Jazz III picks to help you decide.

Nylon Jazz III Picks

Let’s start with nylon, the medium of the Standard Jazz III—it’s a soft material that boasts a warm tone.

The softest and warmest in the line is the Eric Johnson Signature Jazz III, designed to be more like the classic red Jazz IIIs of days gone by. The softer material and ever so slightly thicker pick help Eric achieve his signature violin sounds.

The standard red Jazz IIIs are a bit more rigid but still have some flexibility and the dark tonal response that this pick is famous for. The  standard black Jazz IIIs, affectionately called Stiffos, are even more rigid and come off the string faster, adding more high-end articulation and “click” to the plucked note. This one’s a favorite of metal players.

Nylon Jazz IIIs are available in two sizes:  Standard and the larger XL, which was originally designed for guitar virtuoso Buckethead. Nylon Jazz IIIs are also available as Max-Grip picks, featuring an aggressive gripping pattern designed for less slippage during those hot and sweaty gigs.

The Max Grip Carbon Fiber Pick was designed with the help of Slipknot’s Mick Thomson. This gun metal gray pick has carbon injected into its molding to make it even harder and stiffer, and the carbon texture helps the pick slip off the string even easier and adds additional top end.

Ultex® Jazz III Picks

Ultex material was originally designed for the aero-space industry to use on aircrafts. Its strength-to-weight ratio was perfect for the purposes of the mad scientists in our pick lab here at Dunlop.

Ultex Jazz picks are currently available in two colors: amber and black. The translucent amber Ultex Jazz Pick is far brighter than nylon. The black Ultex Jazz 2.0 is further sculpted with a knife-like edge for a faster release, and the black dye takes off just a bit of the very top end.

The upcoming black John Petrucci Signature Pick is even more sculpted with broader shoulders, a little more girth in the meat of the pick, a more pronounced spine and even sharper edges. This pick has the fastest release out of all of Jazz III picks due to its polished gloss tip, and the added girth adds some heft to the tone as well.

Tortex® Jazz III Picks

The Tortex Jazz III provides the classic touch, tone, and feel of Tortex with the size and tip of a Jazz pick. Its flat edge adds crunch and the surface texture smoothes out the initial hit. These come in all of the classic Tortex gauges, from thin to very heavy—depending on your style of play, the choices are many.

Hopefully, this helps you navigate the world of Jazz III picks. Ultimately, it’s up to you to experiment and find out which Jazz III pick is right for you!

Check out this piece we did with some of the Cult of Jazz III’s clergy:  Eric Johnson, Joe Bonamassa, Kirk Hammett, John Petrucci, Mick Thomson, Matt Heafy.