The Sixpence Coin is a pick. Close alternatives include the Ritchie Blackmore Custom Square Picks and the B.B. King's Red Heavy Plectrum. It pairs well with the Ampeg V-4 and the Blackstar Unity Bass U250.

Sixpence Coin

Unknown brand · pick

Brian May has used an old British sixpence coin instead of a standard plastic pick for the majority of his career, favoring its rigid metal edge and the specific grip it affords for the intricate, layered guitar harmonies and precise picking heard across Queen's catalog. The coin's hard, unyielding edge produces a brighter, more percussive attack than a flexible plastic pick, part of the overall distinctive tonal character May achieves with his homemade Red Special guitar, and its use has become as recognizable a part of his public gear identity as the guitar itself, inspiring officially licensed sixpence-style pick reproductions for fans.

  • articulation
  • metal
  • attack
  • clear
  • bright
  • electronic
  • singing
  • articulate

Genres the Sixpence Coin is commonly used in

  • Electronic
  • Metal
  • Heavy Metal
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Hard Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Jazz
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Amps that pair well with the Sixpence Coin

Ampeg V-4

Ampeg

tonal match
$599via Reverb

Ampeg V-4's mid-forward fills in what this transparent tone doesn't make on its own

Blackstar Unity Bass U250

Blackstar

tonal match
$527.41via Reverb

Run Blackstar Unity Bass U250 after it and the bright edge settles into something more warm

Ampeg V4-B Head

Ampeg

tonal match
$1519.94via Reverb

Ampeg V4-B Head's smooth balances out the bright tone

Park P45H

Park

tonal match
$4300via Reverb

Park P45H leans warm right where the bright tone needs it

Harmony H650

Harmony

tonal match
$999via Reverb

Harmony H650 leans warm right where the bright tone needs it

Dumble Steel String Singer

Dumble

tonal match

Dumble Steel String Singer leans smooth right where the bright tone needs it

Blackstar St. James 100

Blackstar

tonal match
$2074.33via Reverb

Into a transparent tone, Blackstar St. James 100 brings the high gain it's missing

Fender Prosonic

amplifier

tonal match

Fender Prosonic leans warm right where the bright tone needs it

Pedals that stack with the Sixpence Coin

Beetronics OV-LE-Uva

Beetronics

tonal match
$254.38via Reverb

Sixpence Coin leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Beetronics OV-LE-Uva wants

Tone City King of Blues

Tone City

tonal match
$79.80via Reverb

Tone City King of Blues's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Sixpence Coin delivers it

Crazy Tube Circuits Heatseeker Pre-Amp

Crazy Tube Circuits

tonal match

Crazy Tube Circuits Heatseeker Pre-Amp's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Sixpence Coin delivers it

Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz

Behringer

tonal match

Behringer SF300 Super Fuzz is voiced for a clean amp's front end — Sixpence Coin gives it exactly that

Carl Martin THE Fuzz

Carl Martin

tonal match
$319.90via Reverb

Carl Martin THE Fuzz's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Sixpence Coin delivers it

Catalinbread MontaVillian

Catalinbread

tonal match
$179.99via Reverb

Sixpence Coin leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Catalinbread MontaVillian wants — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Warm Audios Throne of Tone

Warm Audio

tonal match

Into Sixpence Coin, Warm Audios Throne of Tone is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end

Beetronics Larva

Beetronics

tonal match
$249via Reverb

Beetronics Larva is voiced for a clean amp's front end — Sixpence Coin gives it exactly that

Alternativessee all similar tone character →

Ritchie Blackmore Custom Square Picks

pick

94% similarity

similar tone character

B.B. King's Red Heavy Plectrum

pick

93% similarity

similar tone character

Dunlop Carlos Santana Triangle Pick

Dunlop

93% similarity

similar tone character

Dunlop Jazz III Picks

Dunlop

93% similarity
$4.14via Reverb

similar tone character

See all alternatives to the Sixpence Coin (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Sixpence Coin?+

The closest matches in character are the Ritchie Blackmore Custom Square Picks, the B.B. King's Red Heavy Plectrum, the Dunlop Carlos Santana Triangle Pick.

What pairs well with the Sixpence Coin?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Ampeg V-4, Blackstar Unity Bass U250, Ampeg V4-B Head — Ampeg V-4's mid-forward fills in what this transparent tone doesn't make on its own.

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Related searches

Sixpence Coin — NodeTone