The fastest place to buy picks depends on whether you need them today
Guitar picks are sold at music stores, big-box retailers, and online marketplaces. If you need them when ready, a local music store or Guitar Center will have stock you can walk out with. If you can wait a few days, online retailers like Amazon, Sweetwater, and Musician's Friend often have lower prices and wider selection. Drugstores and supermarkets carry basic picks in a pinch, though the range is limited and the price per pick is usually higher.
The choice comes down to three things: how soon you need them, how much you want to spend, and whether you know what type of pick you're looking for. A standard .73mm nylon pick costs between 25 cents and $1 when you buy in bulk, but single picks at a checkout counter can run $2 or more.
Key Takeaways
- Local music stores and Guitar Center have picks in stock for same-day pickup, but charge more per pick than online retailers.
- Amazon, Sweetwater, and Musician's Friend ship picks within a few days and offer bulk packs at lower per-pick cost.
- Drugstores like CVS and Walgreens stock basic picks near the music section, useful for emergencies but not economical for regular use.
- Specialty picks—metal, glass, or unusual thicknesses—are easier to find online than in physical stores.
- Buying in bulk (50 or 100 picks at once) cuts the per-pick cost to under 50 cents, making online orders more worthwhile.
Music stores: same-day pickup and informed information
Independent music stores and Guitar Center are your fastest option if you need picks today. Both carry standard nylon picks in common thicknesses (.60mm, .73mm, .88mm, 1.0mm) from brands like Fender, Dunlop, and Tortex. You walk in, grab a pack, and leave within minutes. Staff can also recommend picks based on your playing style if you're unsure what thickness or material suits you.
The trade-off is price. A single pack of 12 picks at a music store typically costs $3 to $5, which works out to 25 to 40 cents per pick. If you buy a bulk pack of 100 picks online, the same brands cost 10 to 20 cents per pick. Music stores justify the higher price by offering when ready availability and the ability to handle and compare picks before buying.
Not all independent music stores stock the same brands or thicknesses. Call ahead if you're looking for something specific—metal picks, celluloid, or an unusual gauge. Guitar Center locations are more consistent because they're a chain, but selection still varies by store size.
Online retailers: lower prices and wider selection
Amazon, Sweetwater, Musician's Friend, and Thomann are the main online sources for guitar picks. All three ship within 3 to 7 business days (faster if you pay for expedited shipping). Prices are substantially lower than music stores: a 100-pack of standard Fender picks costs around $15 to $20 online, compared to $30 to $40 if you bought 10 packs of 12 at a music store.
Online retailers also stock specialty picks that most physical stores don't carry: metal picks for aggressive playing, glass or stone picks for acoustic tone, thumb picks for fingerstyle, and unusual thicknesses like 2.0mm or 0.38mm. If you play a specific style and want to experiment, online is where you'll find the range.
Sweetwater and Musician's Friend are music-focused, so their product descriptions include thickness, material, and player reviews. Amazon has more sellers and sometimes lower prices, but you need to read reviews carefully because quality varies between manufacturers. Thomann is based in Germany and ships internationally; it's useful if you're looking for European brands like Herco or Pickboy that are harder to find in the US.
Drugstores and supermarkets: emergency-only option
CVS, Walgreens, Target, and Walmart stock basic guitar picks near the music or sporting goods section. They carry standard nylon picks from Fender or house brands, usually in packs of 6 to 12. These are useful if you broke your last pick and need to play tonight, but the per-pick cost is high—often $1 to $2 per pick when you do the math.
The selection is minimal: you'll find .73mm and maybe .88mm, but not the thinner or thicker gauges. Specialty materials like metal or celluloid are not stocked. Use drugstore picks as a temporary solution, not a regular source.
Bulk buying and subscription options
If you lose or wear through picks regularly, buying in bulk online is the most economical choice. A 100-pack of Fender or Tortex picks costs $15 to $25 and lasts most players several months. That's 15 to 25 cents per pick, compared to $1 or more at a checkout counter.
Some online retailers offer subscription services where picks are shipped to you monthly or quarterly. Musician's Friend and other sites have these programs, though they're not heavily advertised. The savings are modest—usually 10 to 15 percent off the bulk price—so a one-time bulk order is often a better deal unless you want the convenience of automatic replenishment.
Buying in bulk also lets you experiment with different thicknesses and materials without overspending. A 100-pack of mixed gauges costs the same as a single pack of 12 at a music store, so you can try .60mm, .73mm, and 1.0mm to see what feels right.
Specialty picks and hard-to-find brands
If you play metal, jazz, or fingerstyle and want picks outside the standard nylon range, online is your only practical option. Metal picks for aggressive downpicking are sold by Musician's Friend, Amazon, and specialized retailers like Ernie Ball's website. Thumb picks for fingerstyle are easier to find online than in stores. Glass and stone picks, popular for acoustic tone, are almost exclusively online.
Brands like Herco, Clayton, and Gravity are stocked by Sweetwater and Thomann but rarely by independent music stores. If your local store doesn't carry what you want, ordering online usually takes less time than driving to multiple locations.
Comparing cost across retailers
| Retailer | Typical Price (100-pack) | Shipping Time | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local music store | $30–$40 (as 10 packs of 12) | Same day | when ready need, trying before buying |
| Guitar Center | $25–$35 | Same day | Consistent stock, multiple locations |
| Amazon | $15–$22 | 3–7 days | Low price, fast shipping with Prime |
| Sweetwater | $16–$24 | 3–5 days | Music-focused descriptions, specialty picks |
| Musician's Friend | $15–$23 | 3–7 days | Wide selection, subscription option |
| Drugstore (CVS, Walgreens) | $6–$12 (pack of 6–12) | Same day | Emergency replacement only |
Frequently Asked Questions
What thickness pick should I buy if I don't know what I like?
Start with .73mm (sometimes labeled "medium"). It's the most common thickness and works for most playing styles—strumming, fingerpicking, and lead. If you find yourself wanting something thinner for speed or thicker for durability, you'll know after a few weeks. Buying a mixed 100-pack online lets you try .60mm, .73mm, and .88mm without overspending.
Is there a big difference between cheap and expensive picks?
Standard nylon picks from Fender, Dunlop, and Tortex are all similar in quality and cost roughly the same. Specialty materials—metal, glass, stone—do sound noticeably different and cost more ($1 to $3 per pick). For everyday playing, a basic nylon pick is fine. Spend more only if you're chasing a specific tone or durability for aggressive playing.
Can I return picks if I don't like them?
Most retailers accept returns on unopened packs. Once you've opened a pack and used picks, returns are usually not accepted because they're consumable items. Amazon and Sweetwater are more flexible than others. If you're trying a new thickness or material, buy a small pack first rather than committing to 100 picks.
Do I need to buy picks in bulk, or is a small pack okay?
A small pack works fine if you play occasionally and don't lose picks often. If you play several times a week or tend to lose them, bulk buying saves money. A 100-pack costs about the same as three small packs at a music store but lasts much longer and costs less per pick.
Where can I find metal or specialty picks?
Metal picks are sold by Amazon, Sweetwater, and Musician's Friend. Brands like Ernie Ball and Clayton make them. Glass and stone picks are almost exclusively online—search "glass guitar pick" or "stone guitar pick" on Amazon or Sweetwater. Specialty retailers sometimes stock them, but calling ahead is necessary because they're not standard inventory.