Delrin Guitar Picks – A Review

Last Updated on March 30, 2024 by Justin

As a guitar player, the chances that you’ve stumbled upon Delrin guitar picks in your time, are exceptionally high. The reason for this is that in the last couple of decades, the popularity of Delrin as a material for guitar picks has exploded due to its popularity.

There are many reasons that Delrin is the preferred choice for many guitar players which I will discuss in detail below. In order to avoid any confusion when it comes to this Delrin material, I just wanted to list the many different names that Delrin plectrums go by.

For any guitar player of any level, hunting for guitar picks can be a daunting task because there are so many different names for the same type of material. Different companies will call Delrin to pick different things. At the end of the day, they’re all just different names for Delrin. So if you see the following words below, you can be assured that the guitar pick is made from Delrin. Delrin A.K.A:

• Polyoxymethylene / Acetal / Polyacetal / Thermoplastic / Duraplex / Duralin

What are Delrin Plectrums & How Did They Come to Be?

In plain terms, Delrin is just a synthetic material which is basically just a type of plastic. I’d have to guess that Delrin came to exist due to the fact that the popular use of real tortoise shells as plectrums became outlawed back in the day.

This resulted in manufacturers finding a suitable replacement for the tortoise shells. In the pursuit of this, they came to find Delrin as the preferred material to replace the real tortoise shell.

What Are The Best Delrin Plectrums?

The list below is representative of what I believe are some of the best Delrin guitar picks available on the market.

Just keep in mind that some of the picks featured below have special features whilst others are quite similar to one another If this list interests you, you might be interested in our overall list of the best guitar picks.

1) Jim Dunlop Delrin 500

These Delrin plectrums by Jim Dunlop have been a staple in their pick range for many years. Guitar players that use these really love them.

I’ve used Dunlop’s a good few times and I was always pleased with the sound and feel. The only issue I had was that these tended to slip out my fingers, especially when things got sweaty.

You can also get the Delrin 500 picks with a feature called “Primegrip”. The patented “Primegrip” is a plectrum grip innovation. What I mean by this is that they come with a gri[ built-in. Which Dunlop calls, “A low profile gripping surface”.

This improves the issue that many guitarists faced with the original Delrin 500 picks and that is they can become quite slippery in your hands.

Shapes available: Regular

Gauges available: 0.46mm / 0.71mm / 0.96 / 1.14mm / 1.5mm / 2.0mm

You can get all the gauges in a Delrin 500 variety pack of picks which is great to get you started if you’re not sure which gauge you prefer.

 

2) Dava Delrin Grip Tip

This series/range of guitar picks by Dava actually comes in different materials but these particular picks are made from Delrin. These grip tip picks are also part of our list of cool guitar picks, They’re definitely the preferred picks in the Dava range. What separates these from other Delrin plectrums is their multi-gauge control feature. What is this exactly? Read more about the Dava Grip tip multi-gauge control feature.

Shapes available: Regular / Jazz

Gauges: Multi-gauge feature

---

3) Jim Dunlop Gator Grip Delrin

The first Delrin picks I mentioned above by Dunlop are their regular Delrin range. Which I mentioned, tended to get quite slippery. Well, in order to combat this problem they created the Gator Grip which comes with a chalk-like matte finish that drastically improves grip whilst maintaining the Delrin material.

These are somewhat similar to Tortex picks but tend to sound darker and feel different when compared to Tortex.

You’ll certainly have a tough time letting these fall out of your fingers. The Gator Grip Delrin picks are available in a range of gauges, however, are only available in regular shape. Each different gauge is representative of a different color.

Shapes available: Regular

Gauges available: 0.58mm / 0.71mm / 0.96mm / 1.14mm / 1.5mm / 2.5mm

---

4) Ernie Ball Everlast Delrin Picks

Ernie Ball has come out with a range of exceptionally bright color Delrin guitar picks. They’re made from A-grade Delrin and are exceptionally durable.

Besides being very luminous in color, the picks are only made in the regular shape and there’s only a choice between two gauges.

These Delrin Ernie Ball everlast picks come in either bright pink or bright green. Each color represents a different gauge.

Shapes available: Regular

Gauges available: 0.73mm (pink) / 0.88mm (green)

---

5) D’addario Duralin Guitar Picks

These Delrin picks by D’addario are really awesome in that you can decide if you want a version with grip (called dura grip) or without.

If you opt for the Duragrip options with the grip then you’re limited to one shape which is regular with multiple gauge options.

If you decide to go for the regular D’addario Duralin picks then you have the option of a regular shape or a triangular shape. The regular Duralin picks by D’addario have a sharp picking edge compared to most other plectrums on this list.

Gauges available: 0.50mm / 0.60mm / 0.70mm / 0.85mm / 1.0mm / 1.2mm / 1.5mm /

Shapes available: regular Duralin / triangle Duralin / regular Duragrip

---

6) Clayton Duraplex Picks

As I mentioned at the start of the article, there are many different names/words used for “Delrin”. Clayton’s “Duraplex” is just another example of using a different word. for the same thing.

Alas, these Delrin guitar picks by Clayton are really epic. They’re made from regular Delrin but come in a wide variety of shapes and gauges. The coolest part is that you can contact Clayton and they can custom print for you on their Duraplex picks

Gauge available: 0.50mm / 0.60mm / 0.73mm / 0.88mm / 1.0mm / 1.14mm

Shapes available: Regular / Teardrop / Triangular / Hex / Flex

---

7) Strum-N-Comfort Delrin

Perhaps Strum-N-Comfort is better known for its very popular stone guitar picks. What they did was take their famous tri-shaped stone pick and made a Delrin version in a couple of gauges.

They’re a company known for their innovative plectrum shape and they have kept that exact shape for this Delrin range. Essentially, they’re a very oddly shaped flat pick with a triangular shape and talon-like tip.

These are apparently also really good for beginners to help develop a better Flatpicking technique.

Shapes available: The Strum-N-Comfort original shape

Gauges available: 0.65mm / 0.80mm / 1.00mm / 1.2mm

---

8) Dragon’s Heart Polyoxymethylene

Dragon’s Heart makes some really incredible guitar picks. None more so than their polyamide series. So, they took the shape that has made them famous and produced them in a Delrin material.

What sets these apart from others is their exceptionally odd shape, similar to the Strum-N-Comfort picks above. The issue with these is that they’re available in one gauge. However, there are many different shapes available.

Shapes: Wyvern’s Heart Regular / Wyvern’s Heart XL / Wyvern’s Scale / Wyvern’s Scale XL

gauges: 0.75mm

---

9) Everly Delrin Guitar Picks

Everly took your everyday Delrin plectrum, punched a star in it, and patented the design to create a feature that has been useful to so many guitar players around the world. Despite this epic feature, the Everly guitar picks are only available in one shape at the moment (regular) but in multiple gauges. The feature is a cut-out star shape that functions as a pick grip.

Shape available: Regular

Gauges available: 0.50mm / 0.60mm / 0.73mm / 0.88mm / 1.0mm / 1.14mm

---

10) Fender Guitar Picks Delrin

When it comes to guitar picks, Fender is definitely more well-known for its celluloid guitar picks. Despite this, they do actually produce Delrin guitar plectrums which not many people know about.

They come in different gauges but only one shape. When it comes to these Fender Delrin guitar picks, there’s nothing really that makes them stand out from the others. Except for the big printed Fender logo which I love.

---

11) Fred kelly Delrin Flat Picks

An honorable mention that I had to include in this list is the Delrin flat picks by Fred Kelly. They’re very unique in terms of the grips that they are made with.

They also have a standard Delrin pick which also comes with a grip feature. Fred Kelly is most well known for their innovative thumb picks as well as their finger picks. of which, are also available in the Delrin material.

---

Physical Characteristics of Delrin Picks

The number one physical characteristic of Delrin is its immense durability in comparison to a lot of other guitar picks. It can withstand a lot and take a beating which allows these guitar picks to last longer than other materials such as celluloid.

The one issue with Delrin plectrums is that they can sometimes be quite slippery on the fingers. However, many plectrum manufacturers have found a way to improve the grip on Delrin guitar plectrums.

How Do Delrin Guitar Picks Sound?

The consensus on the sound of Delrin seems to be somewhere around the two terms “Organic” and “Natural”. The way I like to describe it is Delrin is somewhere in the middle between bright and dull.

I’d say they’re brighter than the nylon material but not as bright as polycarbonate picks for example.

Many guitarists believe that synthetic materials such as these tend to dull the string as it makes them resonate less. Is this true?

Well, when you compare Delrin to stone guitar picks then yes, I’d say this is probably true. For the most part, however, Delrin is a great choice for the rock and blues player and is probably also a really good choice if you’re leaning toward the electric guitar. Having said that, I like to use Delrin picks on my acoustic guitars too and they sound great.

How Do Delrin Guitar Picks Feel?

These guitar picks generally feel smooth with enough flexibility yet, are still able to maintain their memory. It is very often said that Delrin picks have a “great attack yet has a quick release”.

To be honest, I’m not really sure what this means exactly but I can tell you that for me, Delrin is the best feeling guitar pick for my preferences. If you’ve never tried this material guitar pick, I highly recommend giving them a shot.

There’s a reason they’re so favored by many a guitar player. Not only is Delrin a popular material for guitar, but bass guitarists too. Making Delrin one of the best picks for bass guitar.

The great thing about this material is that because it is a synthetic material, it is cheap to produce and therefore you can expect to pay very reasonable prices for these types of guitar picks.

What Shapes & Gauges Can I get Delrin Plectrums?

Due to the fact that Delrin is a synthetic plastic, it can be produced cost-effectively as well as in a wide variety of shapes and gauges including standard, jazz, teardrop, triangle, specialty picks and so much more.

The fact that you can get Delrin picks in a vast array of shapes and gauges is probably another reason why these are such popular picks for both guitar and bass. From thin picks all the way to medium and heavy and anything in between.

Isn’t Tortex Also Delrin?

It was a very tough choice for me to leave out Tortex (Jim Dunlop) from the Delrin guitar pick list below. However, whilst Tortex could be considered a Delrin guitar plectrum, it is not 100% confirmed.

I have a comprehensive resource that covers Jim Dunlop Picks and Tortex so you can read more about them should you wish.

But despite this, Tortex is such an exceptionally popular plectrum in the world and has such a massive range of guitar picks that it deserves its own page. It is also claimed that Tortex is made from some secret “ingredient” so I decided to leave it off this list.

As a matter of fact, I have an explanation that breaks down the differences between Tortex and Delrin.

---

Related Posts:

• Wooden Guitar Picks