Best way to set-up for slide?

Go thicker man, really. 9s suck for slide, 11s will make everything SO much easier you wouldnt know. You'll need to raise the action a LOT on 9s to get a proper clean slide sound. With thicker strings you can have them lower so you can still fret easily. For chord work thick strings really matters nothing, it'll only be a problem if you plan to solo a lot, besides playing slide and normal open. In that case, get another guitar. ;)

I have messed around a bit with different open tunings for slide work, but then I read an interview of Warren Haynes. He does some pretty good slike work, and he uses only standard tuning, because he likes to go back and forth. So, I have decided that this winter I am going to work on developing my slike technique in standard tuning.

Might want to ask this in Slide and Alternate Tunings.

FWIW: Recommend against using relief (truss rod adjustment) to obtain additional fret clearance. Strongly recommend moving up to 11s +, and using the saddles for height and radius (curve) adjustments. Might also consider raising the height at the nut slightly if you are getting serious about this.

"Best setup for slide" depends on what kind of slide playing you're doing.

A lap slider of course will have a totally different outlook from a bottleneck player, using a heavy steel in a horizontal position, he needs a high string clearance in the range of 3/8" and will never fret so couldn't care less about that.

Some bottleneck sliders who will only play slide solos over band accompaniment basically play slide only, never fret, and are happy with raised nuts (insert tight G-string jokes as you see fit here) and couldn't care less about frettability either. (just like I really don't care whether frettability is in the dictionary, or whether I spelled it right.) These are the folks who buy nut extensions. (Maybe they answer some of those other male enhancement spams, too, I couldn't say.)

Bottleneck players who play blues solo in open tunings need to accompany themselves with rhythm playing, and for this they need to be able to do some basic fretting just to do some basic blues shuffles and such. It helps to add spice to the playing if they throw in some fretted chords and melodic figures now and then instead of sliding everything. It's important to maintain frettability and decent intonation. So, while it's helpful to use reasonably heavy strings and a slightly higher action than one might otherwise choose, you don't want to get carried away with it. It's still got to be playable without the slide. And a really good slide player can pick up a normal guitar with no special setup and play it. Takes developing muscle memory to learn to stop the slide in the right place without relying on string tension to stop it.

There are also standard tuning players who normally fret and once in a while want to throw in a slide solo over a band accompaniment, using something like a JetSlide. They don't need any special setup, but will find it easier if using somewhat heavier strings, like 11s.

Well, I'm nowhere near the standard I want to be yet, but I am managing to develope a fairly delicate touch, even with the light strings. Gnease, I appreciate the advice, but I'd really rather stick with the 9's - I'm comfortable with them. What I want to be able to do is alternate between chords and slide - I use a glass slide, a fairly light one which seems to suit my style. I've used the Squier Tele often enough in the past, with the light strings to know that eventually I'll get the sound I want. I've thought about switching to open A rather than open G tuning, the added tension would probably be perfect for me to play slide - trouble is, most of the songs I play on slide (including some of my own!) are in the key of G, so that option's out.

The strings really don't need raising all that much - just a touch, I reckon. I used to think the Squier Tele had a low action till I bought the Fender! I just want it high enough to get rid of that last remaining fret rattle if I'm playing on the highest couple of strings.

:D :D :D

Vic

When I was playing a lot more than I am at the moment, I bought a new Epi Special II (I think that's what they called it, my boy gave it to a friend), and it came with either 8s or 9s on it, very light strings. Had a pretty low action, too. I was way too cheap to take off good strings, so I made myself play that thing as it came till the strings got corroded enough to change out, which was about 2 months of playing with a light Pyrex slide. It was tricky, but I got pretty good at playing it like that. Did the same with my Agile when it came with 9s, but I quickly changed them to 10s, then on up to 12s. I've gone soft. I know it can be done, though. My teacher normally grabbed guitars at random off of the store racks, tuned into the open tuning of the day that I was using (usually Open D, sometimes Open G) and played along with me, always way better than I could. Those guitars weren't specially set up and had whatever strings they shipped with, but his playing would bring tears to your eyes. It really is more in the technique than in the gear.

Well, I'm nowhere near the standard I want to be yet, but I am managing to develope a fairly delicate touch, even with the light strings. Gnease, I appreciate the advice, but I'd really rather stick with the 9's - I'm comfortable with them. What I want to be able to do is alternate between chords and slide - I use a glass slide, a fairly light one which seems to suit my style. I've used the Squier Tele often enough in the past, with the light strings to know that eventually I'll get the sound I want. I've thought about switching to open A rather than open G tuning, the added tension would probably be perfect for me to play slide - trouble is, most of the songs I play on slide (including some of my own!) are in the key of G, so that option's out.

The strings really don't need raising all that much - just a touch, I reckon. I used to think the Squier Tele had a low action till I bought the Fender! I just want it high enough to get rid of that last remaining fret rattle if I'm playing on the highest couple of strings.

:D :D :D

Vic

C'mon Vic, 11s are perfectly playable, and are actually still considered "light gauge" on an acoustic. The only thing that is really more difficult is bending near the nut -- but you will build strength.

I've gone to 12s and use the same nickel strings on my electrics and resonator now. Haven't gotten around to doing the same on my woody acoustics yet, but may one day. Having the same feel is nice. I agree, I think of 12s as lights.

Vic -
Yeah, I gotta go w/Greg on the - not recomending using the truss rod.

I have no problem messing with truss rods myself, I know most guitar players avoid them like the plague....
Still, I agree that saddle height adjustment is the better course.

Yeah, it's a pain to use that tiny allen wrench on all those screws.
My slide guitar has one of those wooden moveable bridges. (I believe they are called floating bridges)
They have no forward/backward saddle adjustment.
Just two thumb screws on either side for height adjustment :wink:

I also agree with the heavier strings.
You say 9, Greg says 11....
Why not try 10s.... they were always my favorite string gauge (when I played a lot)

Ken

I always preferred light strings anyway - I did try 10's one time, they just felt WRONG to me....but hand strength IS a major factor. After the severed tendon last year, that hand is a LOT weaker than it used to be - I've got probably 90-95% of the mobility back, but only about 50% of the strength I had. Holding barres down - well, one song and I'm screwed. Have to take a rest till it stops aching.

So the 9's are pretty much a must - there's no point experimenting with strings if I know I'm not even going to be able to hold them down. Seems like I'll just have to practise more and develope an ultra-light touch!!!

:D :D :D

Vic

Yeah, I see what you mean Vic.

Well there is certainly nothing wrong with 9's.
They are what I use these days, as I don't really play as much as I should anymore.

I like strings in the 9/10 range, mostly for the tone.

8's seem too 'Thin' sounding, tinny.
11+ and they seem too 'Thuddy' if you know what I mean.
They seem to be a bit lacking in the sparkle department I guess, to me anyway.

And yeah, it just takes some practice to get the 'touch' for thin string slide playing.
That's how I got my clean slide technique....
I practiced religiously just putting the slide down on the strings smoothly. (and picking the slide up as well)
Any extraneous noises, I found how to avoid, and practiced just the technique that eliminated the noise I didn't want.
Sounds boring... worth it to me though.
And you can practice the 'techniques' while watching TV or something.

Anyway,
Good luck.

Ken

That's it. Just takes playing, and lots of it.

I've never even tried playing slide but I want to learn, so this thread caught my eye.

My hubby's got an old acoustic I can play around with and I have a beat-up electric I can't hurt, so no new guitar(s) involved. :( And I found 2 slides (one glass, one metal) still in the packages as I was cleaning out the attic yesterday, so no trip to the store even... :cry:

Anyway, I'm glad to see that someone here (Vic) is planning to go with 9's no matter what! I can go higher on the acoustic, but not on the electric.

Also, whilst reading some of the advice, I see that truss rod adjustment for purposes of raising or lowering action seems to be a no-no. I'd never heard of it, personally, until the guy who sold me my last guitar (not last...most recent! :wink: ) adjusted the action on mine via the truss rod. It took him nearly an hour to change the strings and do the truss rod thing, so I was thinking it'd take him all decade to adjust the saddles. My question: Is it likely to hurt my guitar if I keep it as is for about a month? It's got a trem (if that makes a difference). I'll be having it set up professionally when I take another guitar in for a pup and pots switch. But if anyone thinks my neck will warp, I'll take it in ASAP. Thanks! :)

P.S. Vic --- While my husband and I were looking through the attic for book-worthy material we ran across your taped-up acoustic. That's the good news. The bad: it's simply unplayable. You'll be FORCED to purchase a NEW one. So sorry...You'd better tell Marilyn now. :lol: Good luck sliding! :)

P.S. Vic --- While my husband and I were looking through the attic for book-worthy material we ran across your taped-up acoustic. That's the good news. The bad: it's simply unplayable. You'll be FORCED to purchase a NEW one. So sorry...You'd better tell Marilyn now. Good luck sliding!

Well it can't be the same attic - unless there's a wormhole that the mods and administrators haven't found yet! I had a sneaky peek in my attic - I looked at the old acoustic, and my heart sank. Covered in more layers of dust than a Nile Valley pyramid - and yet......it still had five (EADGB) strings on and they sounded OK! I MIGHT (fingers crossed!) be able to do something with it, as the fretboard only joins the body at the 15th fret....

Gaffer tape's a wunnerful fing, innit!

:D :D :D

Vic