Best Overall Pick

I like the carbon fiber and the black max grips but there's something about these that outshine them. The carbon fiber are great for rhythm and lead but don't glide of the strings as much as the blacks. The blacks don't have the bite I like for rhythms.

The Eric Johnson picks are the brightest of all the jazz III's in my opinion. They don't glide like the blacks but tend to slip past and pluck the strings in a way that accentuates every note. They're just as fast as the blacks but better for rhythms. The bright red color is helpful in live applications.

The only thing I like about the max grips is they feel the same on both sides. I'm aware of which way the pick is facing with these. It's not an issue most of the time but I've noticed in the faster pace of a live performance I choose the way the pick is facing before a hard lead passage. This probably doesn't effect my playing but it just feels better to me with the Eric Johnson logo on my thumb.

The Best Jazz III's!

I have used Jazz III's for most of my playing life, and have tried them all...even the new Max Grip's in red, black and carbon fiber and these are truly superior! These have a slightly matter finish than the other models and are a tiny bit more flexible which makes them a great strumming pick as well as for lead work. Incredibly these picks also grip better than the Max Grip Jazz III's...due to the matte finish and raised lettering. These are easy to see if you drop them as well. Try 'em, you'll like 'em!