Thorough explanation of the Pykmax Universal

Hello, this is Cheena. This time, I will review the Pykmax Universal Picking Platform, commonly known as Pykmax, a pick accessory that a certain super multi-string bassist also loves.

Pykmax / Pykmax Universal

This is a kind of performance aid that is used by attaching a pick and grasping the holder. The selling point is that you can have the correct pick position and have the correct picking form. And if you play in a normal way, it will not interfere with your performance and will have little effect on the sound.

I actually tried it out

It seems that 99% of jazz picks and teardrop picks can be installed, so I tried some of the ones I have.

● John Petrucci Jazz III、Jazz III XL

You can play while easily holding the pick, but it may be a little difficult to play fast because of the weight increase with the holder. Since the pick is covered with a rubber cover, the non-slip part of the pick itself cannot be used.

● Ibanez JTC1

A pick that is slippery and transparent and tends to be dropped and lost. The pick alone is about 2 mm thick, so you can hold it firmly and use it.

These two models were excellent.
On the other hand, it was difficult to use for other reasons.

● Teardrops and jazz picks with sharp edges other than those used for picking

This is not so much about playability as it is about durability, as the rubber cover may break.
There is only one cover for jazz picks and one for teardrops, and they are not sold separately, so it is bad if it gets damaged.

● Thick body with indents on the part where the thumb and index finger touch

Although they can be fitted with the cover, I’m concerned because it covers the indents.
I felt that the close contact with the pick was reduced and the pick got misaligned.

It appears to have been designed with the shape of most common picks in mind. As you can see in the product tagline, "fits 99% of teardrop & jazz picks" appears to be correct.
It works well for "ordinary common picks".

Regarding the structure of the body

The holder is made of plastic. The white crescent-shaped part can be removed to change the size:

Small. Approximately 36 mm from the base of the thumb to the index finger.

Medium. Approximately 39 mm from the base of the thumb to the index finger.

Large. Approximately 42 mm from the base of the thumb to the index finger.

There are two types of rubber covers for picks, one for teardrops (left: width 27 mm x depth 18 mm) and one for jazz (right: width 25 mm x depth 16 mm). It fits snugly on slightly larger picks.

It also comes with a hinge that connects the holder to the rubber cover.

Most of the parts are robust, but the hinge is very small and doesn’t seem to be so strong, so it feels like it will break.
Also, since the removal pin it comes with is a little difficult to use, I recommend using a flathead screwdriver with a 1mm tip (approximately).
Regarding the size of the holder, Medium is installed at the time of shipping.
My hand is quite large (20 cm from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger), but the Large was too big for me, so I think that the Medium or Small will be easy to use for most people.

This is a product that some will love while others will not, but those who do get addicted to it may feel that there is still room for improvement.
Pykmax also has several versions including this universal model, as well as one that uses a dedicated pick. It seems that each model is undergoing minor changes, so it may be an accessory from which we can expect good things in the future.