Tortex Vs. Ultex Plectrums

Last Updated on July 3, 2023 by Justin

Let’s dive right into the difference between the Tortex vs Ultex guitar picks. The comparison between these two guitar picks is one that is regularly asked however there do not seem to be many answers out there.

As a result, I decided to answer this question myself and discuss with you the differences between the Ultex and Tortex picks.

Some Background To Tortex & Ultex

Tortex and Ultex are both guitar picks produced by Jim Dunlop, a company I’ve mentioned many times as being one of the most popular and well-known companies to produce guitar picks today.

They have so many different types of guitar picks in their range. However, the Dunlop Tortex, as well as the Dunlop Ultex, are some of the most popular on the market.

Ultex Material vs Tortex Material

The Ultex material is essentially polyetherimide plastic which is one that is strong and can withstand quite a lot. It is no secret that Ultex guitar picks last much longer than Tortex and wear down a lot less.

Tortex on the other hand is basically a Delrin guitar pick with possibly some other materials added which Dunlop is not explicit about. It is no wonder seeing as though Tortex is one of the most preferred plectrums in the world.

Tortex vs Ultex Sound?

Before talking about the tone, I have to say right off the bat that the Ultex plectrums are much noisier against the strings in comparison to the Tortex and possibly one of the noisiest picks I’ve played, especially the thinner gauges.

However, this doesn’t put me off and I still enjoy the sound of the Ultex picks.

Ultex guitar picks will give you a much brighter sound often described as being “crisp”. The Tortex guitar picks will give you a much smoother sound when compared and the midrange that these Tortex picks produce is clear and evident which I absolutely love. I go into more depth in my Ultex Jazz iii review.

The Feel of Tortex vs The Feel Of Ultex?

The Ultex picks are definitely a lot snappier whilst the Tortex picks are smoother and give less friction against the guitar strings. Despite this, the Ultex picks seem to glide across the strings a lot better.

It is because of this that the Ultex guitar picks are most likely preferred by speed/shred players. However, this could be a generalization.

What Shapes & Gauges Can You Get Ultex & Tortex?

I’ve said many times that Jim Dunlop makes Tortex guitar picks in pretty much ALL the popular shapes and gauges.

That means it is very unlikely to not find a Tortex pick that you’ll enjoy.

With Ultex picks, they are made in a variety of gauges in the “regular” and “Triangle” shapes but are only made in one gauge for the Jazz III version.

Also, those are the only three shapes. So the Ultex range seems to have less variety making it potentially harder to find a suitable pick for your personal preferences.

Tortex Range:

Ultex Range:

My Tortex vs Ultex Conclusion

For me, it is very hard to say which of these two guitar picks I prefer. But I think when it comes down to it, I like the Tortex better.

This could however be due to the fact that I’ve used these picks pretty much all of my guitar life and the discovery of Ultex is one that is a lot more recent.

Having said that, I opt for Ultex when it comes to using picks for Bass guitar.

The final verdict at the end of the day has to come down to what you prefer as we are all different however if I had to try to sum up each of these two picks, I’d say that the main differences between Ultex and Tortex are:

• Tortex: smoother, warmer, and more mid-range tone
• Ultex: fast, crisp, noisy, and snappy.

If you enjoyed this article, check out my article on Delrin vs Tortex.