Eh, IC2 tools are really not that important anymore.
These days, you're going to want a Fortune pick, probably Ruby/Sapphire/Green Sapphire one. Then upgrade to Thaumium with Fortune and Repair. Pickaxe of the Core really isn't necessary within the context of the mod pack, unless you want to use it as a divining rod. MPS also makes it mostly outdated, even if it is more resource-intensive.
Honestly, IC2 is starting to look like a mod which can be fun, but can also be skipped entirely. Most of the addon mods to IC2 are relevant to IC2 (Gtech, Compact/Advanced Solars...), with MFFS being the sole exception that I am aware of. And even then, MFFS can be run without needing IC2, since it can accept MJ. I believe it is still dependent on IC2 for materials and construction components, though.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to bash IC2, it's a lot of fun to play around with. I'm one of the few nuclear engineers left on the IC2 forums. However, unlike in 1.2.5, it isn't absolutely super-critical or vital to have ASAP anymore. TE does a better job with ore processing, TC has better tools, and not needing to build a third energy infrastructure is a very attractive reason to simply not bother with it anymore.