Vpicks Inc

What Vpicks Inc does

Vpicks Inc, doing business as V-PICKS, is a family-owned manufacturer of handmade acrylic plectrums (guitar picks, mandolin picks, bass picks, and dulcimer picks) based in Bon Aqua, Tennessee with business operations centered in Nashville. The company was formally established in 2003 by founder Vinni Smith after he rediscovered acrylic plectrums he had originally crafted as a hobby in 1980, with the product concept arising from his experience with marine aquarium plexiglass. Each pick is individually handmade using a proprietary acrylic material formulation that warms to touch and clings to the player's fingers, a feature marketed as "Super Grip Technology" that is positioned to prevent dropped picks during performance.

V-PICKS sells over 100 different pick models through a combination of direct-to-consumer e-commerce at v-picks.com and distribution in over 400 retail stores across the United States and international markets including Europe, Asia, Israel, and Central/South America. The company also operates a separate Shopify-based merchandise store (v-picksmerch.myshopify.com) selling branded apparel and accessories. Pricing is unit-based at $5 per pick or 3 for $12, with a curated Starter Kit of 7 popular models offered at a discount and free US shipping on orders over $39.

The business is bootstrapped, family-operated, and entirely self-funded through product sales with no disclosed external investment. The company has secured organic endorsements from prominent professional guitarists including Carlos Santana, Billy Gibbons, Brad Whitford, Phil Keaggy, Johnny Hiland, and Vernon Reid. Distribution is supported by a lean marketing mix including email newsletters, Instagram, YouTube, and historical engagement with musician forums such as Gear Page and Birds and Moons, where the founder originally cultivated early customers.

Name

Vpicks Inc

Legal name

V-PICKS

Website

https://v-picks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vpicks Inc (V-PICKS) is a family-owned Tennessee manufacturer of handmade acrylic guitar, mandolin, bass, and dulcolin plectrums, selling over 100 pick models direct-to-consumer and through 400+ retail stores worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Musical Instrument Accessories

NAICS

Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAIAJAF

Audio Accessories & Consumables (Cables, Stands, Cases, Strings, Picks, Heads)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Music & Audio (Recording, Publishing, Streaming)/Music Hardware & Instruments (Instruments, Pro Audio, DJ Gear)

SECONDARYCRALAEAC

Pro Audio & Recording Equipment Retail (MI-adjacent)

Consumer Products & Retail/Specialty Retail (Hobby, Books, Office, Pet, Toys)/Music Instruments & Sheet Music Retail

Keywords

• Handmade guitar picks
• Acrylic plectrums
• Mandolin picks
• Musician accessories
• Stringed instrument picks

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Guitar and Mandolin Picks Sales: One-time purchase of handmade acrylic guitar picks, mandolin picks, and bass picks. Product line includes over 100 different models of plectrums. Starter kits available with 7 popular models at discounted price. Revenue generated through direct e-commerce sales and retail store distribution.
2. Merchandise: Branded merchandise including shirts, hats, and mugs sold through separate V-PICKS Merchandise Store (v-picksmerch.myshopify.com).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

V-PICKS manufactures and sells handmade acrylic guitar picks, mandolin picks, bass picks, and dulcimer picks. The company offers over 100 different plectrum models, each individually handcrafted with a proprietary acrylic material that grips the fingers and produces rich tone. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through v-picks.com and through 400+ retail stores in the US and internationally, plus a curated 7-model Starter Kit bundle at a discounted price.

Product overview

V-PICKS Inc is a family-owned business specializing in handmade acrylic guitar and mandolin picks. The core product line consists of over 100 different plectrum models, including guitar picks for electric, acoustic, bass, and dulcimer instruments, as well as dedicated mandolin picks. The company also offers a Starter Kit bundle featuring 7 popular models at a discounted price for customers wanting to try multiple styles. Additionally, the company operates a merchandise store selling branded apparel and accessories (shirts, hats, mugs) through a separate Shopify storefront.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• V-PICKS Guitar Picks Handmade acrylic guitar picks offering secure grip, speed, and rich tone. Available in over 100 different models for electric guitars, acoustic guitars, bass guitars, and mandolins. Each pick is individually handcrafted with custom beveling on a grind wheel and hand-buffing. Sold to individual musicians through v-picks.com and 400+ retail stores worldwide.
• V-PICKS Mandolin Picks Handmade acrylic picks specifically designed for mandolin players, sharing the same proprietary acrylic material and quality characteristics as the guitar picks. Sold to individual mandolinists (bluegrass, folk, and other styles) through v-picks.com and retail partners.
• V-PICKS Starter Kit A curated bundle of 7 of the most popular V-PICKS models offered at a discounted price compared to individual pick purchase. Designed for new customers and musicians looking to try multiple pick shapes and styles in a single purchase.
• V-PICKS Merchandise Store Branded merchandise including shirts, hats, and mugs sold through a separate Shopify storefront (v-picksmerch.myshopify.com). Sold to fans and customers of the V-PICKS brand.

Quantifiable outcome

• Premium pricing justified by quality - original $5/pick or 3/$12 model supported immediate customer adoption with advance payment for unseen products

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• D'Addario (Planet Waves): Major strings and accessories brand with extensive global retail distribution; overlaps with V-PICKS at the accessories/picks level through mass-market product lines.
• Ernie Ball: Leading guitar string and accessory brand with deep artist endorsements; serves the same guitarist customer and competes in adjacent consumables categories with global retail reach.
• Fender Accessories: Iconic guitar brand with a large accessories catalog including picks and straps; broad incumbent with overlapping customer base but commodity positioning rather than handmade specialty.
• Martin Strings & Accessories: Acoustic guitar leader with branded strings and picks sold through music retail; serves overlapping acoustic and bluegrass players — a key V-PICKS segment (mandolin, acoustic) — with established distribution.
• Gibson Accessories: Major guitar manufacturer with branded picks, strings, and accessories distributed through music retail; comparable end-customer base of guitarists, though positioned as mass-market accessories rather than premium handmade.
• Dunlop Manufacturing: Largest player in guitar picks, strings, and slides with mass-market distribution; competes broadly in the same plectrum category but at commodity price points across retail and online channels.

Direct peers

• D'Andrea Manufacturing: Specialist pick maker offering a wide range of guitar and bass picks across materials and gauges; directly comparable product category with overlapping customer base of guitarists.
• Clayton Picks: Specialty pick manufacturer known for premium and custom-shaped plectrums; directly competes in the boutique/premium pick segment serving similar acoustic and electric guitar players.
• Blue Chip Picks: Premium handmade thumb picks and plectrums, also family-owned and boutique; competes head-on with V-PICKS in the high-end, artist-endorsed pick niche with similar handmade positioning and price premium.

Regional players

• Golden Gate (Saga) Picks: Maker of affordable mandolin and guitar picks sold primarily through traditional music retailers; closely comparable in the mandolin/folk instrument pick category that V-PICKS targets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/VPICKSGuitarPicks
• Instagraminstagram.com/vpicksguitarpicks
• Xx.com/VinniSmith
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/v-picks-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vpicks Inc