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The sound( both softness and roundness of tone) as well as the playability of the guitar depends greatly on how thick or thin the plectrum used is.
Plectra, also referred to as picks may be thin, medium or thick. The choice depends on individuals.Thin plectra. Anything less than 0.44 mm is considered 'thin'.
This is where beginners start because it makes strumming of chords relatively easy and also the material is quite flexible. Although so many seasoned guitarists have confessed that they use nothing short of thin picks, a large number of guitarists have argued that playing the lead riff with thin picks is quite an uphill task. A thin plectrum tends to give out a sharper sound irrespective of the material from which it is made.
The desirability of this will squarely depend on the type of music one intends to play.Medium plectra0.4 to 1 mm plectra are considered medium sized and are the most widely used type. During lead sequences, these picks offer adequate rigidity for maintaining good control.
Their flexibility does not make strumming of chords difficult for the guitarist. sound produced by these plectra is slightly soft and round, and not sharp like that of thin plectra. However, the material used for the plectra also play a crucial role in determining how noticeable the the softness and roundness of the sound is. research indicates that plectra made of old tortoise shell, for instance, produce softer and rounder tone in comparison to those made of metal or those made of a mixture of carbon fiber.Thick/Heavy plectraAnything above 1 mm is rated heavy. It would extend up to 3 mm thick and more.It is, however, important to note that the playing tip is almost similar to the medium plectra.
Loved mainly in the jazz world, the big fat 3 mm picks are known to offer excellent control over lead passages even though they suffer in as far as the rhythm category goes.