DerekSlide

DerekSlide is an interesting character. Very enthusiastic newbie, but very mercurial. He's raving madly one day about how great something is, then the next day it sucks. Asks lots of questions in ways that make it hard to tell what he's asking. Someone asked about slides for changing between sliding and free fretting a while back, and I told about my Jet Slide, which I said isn't one I'd use for my main slide, but works well for the quick change thing and is well made. Derek jumped on ordering one, then along came someone else saying he didn't like the JetSlide. Derek jumped on me like I'd badly misled him into spending his money. I pointed out that I'd said just what I'd said, qualified praise for the device in its specific niche. When he got it he had some problems getting used to it, wasn't at all sure he liked it, and I said that any piece of gear takes learning the proper use. He posted right back that he'd already learned how and it was marvelous. (That may have been over on Big Road Blues, which he's on, too.) Then someone else posted that they didn't like it and Derek posted that he didn't like it either and that led to the Diamond slide recommendation. He bought a Republic tricone reso at someone's recommendation, raved about it, posted several messages about how marvelously he was playing it, then posted a short video of a couple of seconds of him sliding more or less up to the third and fifth frets and asked if any of us would like to try our hands at his song! Then he posted that he didn't like his reso because it made his leg go numb and he couldn't make it sound good. Then how his teacher tried it, loved it and played it for 10 minutes, so it's great again. Asked about having a dragon engraved on it at one point. He'll whine about not having any money, then he'll suddenly make a big purchase on impulse. I'm being careful about answering him and recommending things. He's too fickle. He won't have any credibility if he decides after a while that his Diamond slide doesn't suit him, though! (He'd complained that all he had was $27, and wanted to know what kind of slide he could get for $27 shipped. Ian McWee, the owner of Diamond, E-mailed me that he was having trouble logging on and could I get a message to Derek that he'd fix him up with a very nice Redhouse slide for $27 shipped. When Derek heard that he could get a nicer one for his proclaimed limit than the lower end one he'd asked about, he suddenly decided he wanted a $70 Ultimate made to his custom specs with his name engraved on it, and Ian accommodated him.)

Sometimes he makes me remember Walters, but Walters always worded his questions clearly, at least. And Derek does read the replies he gets, which I don't think Walters did.

He says he's making a blues pilgrimage to the Delta this fall. Said he'd come by here so we could jam. I'm quite sure I'm going to be too busy then, though! I hope the Delta folks don't kill him! (If he goes.)

He's not disruptive on the boards, malicious or anything, but do try to be discreet in dealing with him. He has issues.