Forced to change tracks...

Interesting responses so far. There is more of a difference between the lap steel and slide, to me, than to some others. The tone is completely different and I nearly always play overdriven; the secret to making lap steel sound good with overdrive is to adjust a lot lower on the gain. You can drive the strings a lot harder with a bar, and with the inceased output you will get increased sensitivity. I almost NEVER play clean, being a devout Lindleyite, but almost never play with a really had overdrive- just a taste so I can easily control it.

The real issue I am having is the loss of sustain. I don't hold chords a lot, but there is a more immediate drop in output with a slide. I am going to screw around with the setup this weekend and see if I can get it to respond better without feeling that I have to pick so hard.

Yah, really different scale lengths could cause that too. Like most laps are like what - 22"-24"? Shorter scale length, thicker strings vs longer with maybe not so thick strings.

Also maybe the neck width and string spacing would be something to get used to.

Just a thought - maybe get one of those dobro type capos and capo the thing around the where the 22" string-length mark would be, get heavier strings and tune lower so you'd be in the neighborhood you were with the laps and play it lap-style.

Hi again :)

What kind of slide are you using????

I don't know a thing about lap, though a steel bar is used for that isn't it????

So I was thinking that if you were using glass for a slide, maybe go with steel instead.

Also - the heavier the slide, the more sustain it has. (The thicker the walls that is)
Of course that runs into control problems.
Especially if you are placing the slide on your pinky.

Anything can be adapted to though, given enough practice.

Ken

Anything can be adapted to though, given enough practice.

Not necessarily - it's physically impossible for me to play with a slide on my pinky. I have a hard enough time using it for chords - but put a slide on, no matter how light or how heavy, and that finger's uncontrollable. All boils down to those hand injuries I've had....I managed to play guitar again, but slide on my pinky is absolutely a non-starter. Sure, I'd like to be able to do it - but I can manage with it on my ring finger. I have to!

:D :D :D

Vic

In general, you want to match the mass of your slide to the strings. Light strings work well with a light slide, which is more easily controlled without clunking into the fretboard. A light slide will buzz and bounce off of heavy strings, and won't sound good at all. This was the source of my discontent with my JetSlide when I tried it with my reso when I was in a super-heavy string craze. The slide just wouldn't stay on .017-.070" strings. They vibrated it right off. Works great on .012-.052" electric strings, which is what it was made for. My Bigheart Bronze Bomber is just the ticket for those monster strings, as is my Craftsman deep socket. The latter two slides also work on the light strings, but are demanding of skillful slide control. A lighter glass slide is more forgiving.

It's hard to find a better compromise that covers a wider range of applications than a Diamond lead crystal slide. I have a Diamond Ultimate, and I love that thing!

http://diamondbottlenecks.com/

Holy Cool!!!!
Those are leaded glass slides.
I've heard that they are the best.
Didn't know you could get 'em in the US.
Way Cool.

17-70s!!!! WOW!!!!
Yeah, I would think that anything would bounce off of those. LOL.
Crazy.

Vic - Yeah, I mean if something is painful due to injury then of course - adapt.
One of my favorite lines is from the movie Siverado;
The world is what you make of it. Sometimes we are forced to make 'alterations'. :D

I was just saying that I have personally played slide with a hefty sized steel slide on my pinky, and it felt like I was
fighting a magnetic field the way that thing just wobbled about and fell over on me LOL :lol:
So, if you were to go heavy, either move to a stronger finger or, stick it out on the pinky.
It would be tough for a while, though overcomeable.

Ken

I've heard that they are the best.
Didn't know you could get 'em in the US.

Going from my regular "glass" and ceramic slides to a couple of 'The Ultimate' slides from Diamond Bottlenecks was almost like getting a new guitar - just get yourself one, you won't regret it! 8)

Steinar

Cool.

Yeah, I use a glazed clay one now.
Seems to be the best that I've found (that is, I like it better than glass or metal).

I think that the Ultimate is the way to go though.

Thankx Steinar :D

Ken

Ken, the 17-70s are on my Johnson in the pic above. Since then I've gone clear down in one fell swoop to .012-.052" nickel electric strings on it, same strings I use on my electrics. Right at the moment I'm in Open A and playing with that Diamond slide and ProPiks ResoPiks. Makes a very bright, banjoey sound, plenty loud, lots of sustain, and I like it way better than with the monster strings. A 13 or 14-56 set is better for Open D or G, and it's hard to beat the Martin Bluegrass Resonator Guitar strings, which are .016-.056" and intended for high bass G dobro tuning but work great for regular Open D or Open G on roundnecks. The reason I'm using the light strings is that I just wanted to see how they'd sound, mainly, and I thought it'd be nice if the same strings worked on my electric and reso. Same playing feel, and handy to keep one sort of strings around.