In the mid 1970's, Jean-Charles Dugain began experimenting with the plectrum.
Playing regularly in the close atmosphere of the Paris jazz club scene his hands tended to sweat, making it hard for him to grip the smooth plastic of the pick and maintain it in the desired position. . He tried carving a plectrum from wood and found that the natural absorbency helped, whilst the texture of the grained surface made for increased airflow and a better grip. . But that wasn't all he found.

The overall tone was deeper, richer, more resonant and responsive to the string. . Soon he was hooked. . At first he tried using a range of different woods, finding that each had its own subtle difference and individually distinctive sound. . Horn and bone were to follow, then metals such as bronze and silver, semi-precious stones, and even mother-of-pearl.

Today he handcrafts plectra in a wide range of natural materials, and each Dugain pick has its own particular character, lending different things to different players in every genre, from jazz, classical, folk and country, right through to blues, rock and metal.