Pickmaster Plectrum Punch Maker

I really liked the idea of creating your own picks. I considered making something myself prior to buying the Pickmaster. Unfortunately I found the build of the Pickamster to be poor. The cutting edges of the punch had burrs, which meant the punch ripped at the cut material as opposed to a clean cut. I had to take the punch apart and dress the cutting edges to enable it to work. I should of just returned the punch for a refund but thought I had a chance of making it work properly. The punch now work better, although because of the gap-tolerance between the punch and cutter surface it tends to give a rough edge around the cut pick. It's a shame, they could of made this work a lot better, with a better build quality.

Bought for me as a Christmas present, this has proved almost completely useless. First card I used it got wedged inside as the cut wasn't accurate and close examination shows a small gap between the cutting head and the shape it fits into to form the plectrum shape. This cutting assembly is very heavily manufactured but if the shapes aren't accurate, then it won't cut cleanly! I saw videos of this being used at a guitar show and waited expectantly for its launch but I suspect between the show prototypes or first production run and the one I received there has been a breakdown in quality control. I have tried it on a variety of plastics and to make a useable pick you would have to use some special plastic in my opinion and it probably wouldn't work even then half the time. If you try it with a plastic card as shown in the photos then it just isn't accurately enough manufactured. Using thinner plastic like the packaging it came with, the poor manufacturing tolerances meant the plastic stretched and wedged between the two halves of the cutter and took ages to free.

If you did manage to 'cleanly' cut a pick, the edges are usually so rounded and rough that it is pretty useless. The instructions tell you to strum with it for a bit to wear these off but do you really want to wreck your £15 Elixirs by using them as sandpaper?

The concept is sound and the ones I saw on the trade show videos clearly worked but this is an object lesson in outsourcing manufacturing to another country. The construction is heavy enough but if the cutter and the die do not match up, you get this poor quality version. Beware and wait until the mark 2 comes out. Mine is being returned ASAP and I will go back to buying picks.

Just recieved the plectrum punch and as I had been and purchased a sheet of plasticard from a local model shop for £1.50 I decided to have a go. 2 runs down the sides of the plasticard gave me 20 white 0.5mm plecs, next onto my expired bank debit card, 3 green Lloyds Bank one's with chip still in place, NHS Direct card 3 blue ones, couple of RAC ones.

I already have enough from one 5 minute session to last me ages, as i usually pay 60p-90p each for a single plectrum I reckon it will pay for its self shortly. Sturdy, robust, brilliant bit of kit.

i bought this plectrum maker for my son who is forever loosing his guitar plectrums.
i thought it would b a fun way for him to create his own individual plectrums and that he would never again complain about not having any to hand as he could just make another one. its a great idea however the the punch is increadbly difficult to press down to break the plastic, even wafer thin plastic. we found it works best by putting it on the floor and standing on it with your full weight in order for it to punch through!!! however it still leaves a bit of plastic at one end still attached which u have to twist and pull to completely break it away from the rest of the plastic u have just cut it from. this results in the new plectrum being quite sharp and we have had to then trim the edges with scissors - hardly the best plectrum maker if u need to finish it with scissors!! (tho in the instructions in the box it does say the edges may need to be filed and that with use they will smooth down - but again this isnt really safe if its soo sharp u can cut yourself on it!!!! maybe is cos its new and a bit stiff that we are experiencing problems or that the puncing edge isnt sharp enough. its a good novelty item but not an essential, its easier to just go and buy a stack of 'real pleactrums' from a shop.
its not really worth the money if its just going to sit there not being used. if u really want to make your own plectrums, just get a sharp pair of scissors and a plectrum template and cut out your own, dont bother buying one of these!

Massively disppointing CHristmas present!!! Tbis is a great gimmick and would be a fine idea if it worked.
Won't cut even the plastic packaging it comes in, let alone a card thick enough to use as a pick.

Cool picture of Johnny Ramone on the packaging though!

when i first got the pickmaster i was really happy with it, but not even a month after i got it the piece of metal where you get the punched pick from broke off when i was trying to make a pick from an old credit card(That was thinner than 1mm).I guess i just got a faulty product.I might buy another one but i am in no rush to get it. i was very disapointed with this product.:(