I have been using these picks almost as long as I've been playing guitar (some twenty one years).I do like the .73's for strumming, but the .88's are the perfect pick in my opinion. They have just enough give to play some fast strumming chords, and just enough stiffness to play lead, get good pick squalls, etc....As with all Nylon picks, you'll get a good thirty or forty hours of playtime before the tips start to dull or wear down. Of course, you aren't going to only own one pick even if you have your favorite, so usually, it's losing picks that makes you go out and buy more. these ones do have a tendency to hide in carpets and sofas, lol. One other advantage beyond the one's i already mentioned is that they won't ever chip or break. They will last as long as you don't lose them, let your dog chew on them, etc...Oh, and they have a nice grip on them as well, so you won't drop them as easily.