The Norman Blake Picks
The Norman Blake Picks
You can hear Norman himself talk about these picks in the audio clip just below the add-to-cart button. It's worth a listen.
About five years ago, Norman and I spent several months refining a set of picks that matched his playing style. We focused heavily on the subtleties: bevel angle, thickness, and how each pick moves through the strings while keeping a full, musical tone across all registers.
Here’s what we originally developed:
NB1 – A teardrop-shaped pick Norman uses for guitar, favoring the top two rounded corners. Available in 1.4mm and 1.5mm. (29.26mm x 25.34mm)
NB2 – A smaller, rounded-corner pick, also for guitar. Available in 1.4mm and 1.5mm. (27.7mm x 27.5mm)
NB3 – A slightly larger, rounded-corner pick preferred for mandolin. Available in 1.5mm. (29mm x 29mm)
NB4 (“The Thick Pick”) – A larger, 1.8mm pick with a bevel refined to match the extra mass and deeper tone Norman was after. He uses it for both guitar and mandolin. (32.69mm x 32.54mm)
- After five years of steady use with the original set, Norman and I recently collaborated again to develop the NB4. He mentioned that this one "gets the job done," especially when playing a bright, tightly-strung mandolin where he wants to pull out a rich, full sound.
Whenever we worked on something new, I’d send a pick down to Rising Fawn, Georgia, then wait a few weeks and give Norman a call. It’s always a real pleasure talking with him.
As great of a player as Norman is, the quality of his character is even greater. He’ll often say he’s "moving slow," but he’s funny, sharp, kind—and getting to know him has been one of the real privileges of my time making picks.
Note: The audio was captured quickly, using my wife’s iPhone to record a speakerphone conversation with Norman. Apologies for the rough sound quality, but I thought it was important to let you hear directly from the man himself.
The Norman Blake Picks
You can hear Norman himself talk about these picks in the audio clip just below the add-to-cart button. It's worth a listen.
About five years ago, Norman and I spent several months refining a set of picks that matched his playing style. We focused heavily on the subtleties: bevel angle, thickness, and how each pick moves through the strings while keeping a full, musical tone across all registers.
Here’s what we originally developed:
NB1 – A teardrop-shaped pick Norman uses for guitar, favoring the top two rounded corners. Available in 1.4mm and 1.5mm. (29.26mm x 25.34mm)
NB2 – A smaller, rounded-corner pick, also for guitar. Available in 1.4mm and 1.5mm. (27.7mm x 27.5mm)
NB3 – A slightly larger, rounded-corner pick preferred for mandolin. Available in 1.5mm. (29mm x 29mm)
NB4 (“The Thick Pick”) – A larger, 1.8mm pick with a bevel refined to match the extra mass and deeper tone Norman was after. He uses it for both guitar and mandolin. (32.69mm x 32.54mm)
- After five years of steady use with the original set, Norman and I recently collaborated again to develop the NB4. He mentioned that this one "gets the job done," especially when playing a bright, tightly-strung mandolin where he wants to pull out a rich, full sound.
Whenever we worked on something new, I’d send a pick down to Rising Fawn, Georgia, then wait a few weeks and give Norman a call. It’s always a real pleasure talking with him.
As great of a player as Norman is, the quality of his character is even greater. He’ll often say he’s "moving slow," but he’s funny, sharp, kind—and getting to know him has been one of the real privileges of my time making picks.
Note: The audio was captured quickly, using my wife’s iPhone to record a speakerphone conversation with Norman. Apologies for the rough sound quality, but I thought it was important to let you hear directly from the man himself.
The Norman Blake Picks
You can hear Norman himself talk about these picks in the audio clip just below the add-to-cart button. It's worth a listen.
About five years ago, Norman and I spent several months refining a set of picks that matched his playing style. We focused heavily on the subtleties: bevel angle, thickness, and how each pick moves through the strings while keeping a full, musical tone across all registers.
Here’s what we originally developed:
NB1 – A teardrop-shaped pick Norman uses for guitar, favoring the top two rounded corners. Available in 1.4mm and 1.5mm. (29.26mm x 25.34mm)
NB2 – A smaller, rounded-corner pick, also for guitar. Available in 1.4mm and 1.5mm. (27.7mm x 27.5mm)
NB3 – A slightly larger, rounded-corner pick preferred for mandolin. Available in 1.5mm. (29mm x 29mm)
NB4 (“The Thick Pick”) – A larger, 1.8mm pick with a bevel refined to match the extra mass and deeper tone Norman was after. He uses it for both guitar and mandolin. (32.69mm x 32.54mm)
- After five years of steady use with the original set, Norman and I recently collaborated again to develop the NB4. He mentioned that this one "gets the job done," especially when playing a bright, tightly-strung mandolin where he wants to pull out a rich, full sound.
Whenever we worked on something new, I’d send a pick down to Rising Fawn, Georgia, then wait a few weeks and give Norman a call. It’s always a real pleasure talking with him.
As great of a player as Norman is, the quality of his character is even greater. He’ll often say he’s "moving slow," but he’s funny, sharp, kind—and getting to know him has been one of the real privileges of my time making picks.
Note: The audio was captured quickly, using my wife’s iPhone to record a speakerphone conversation with Norman. Apologies for the rough sound quality, but I thought it was important to let you hear directly from the man himself.