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Slide: Technique or setup?

Posted by Don Goguen on May 9, 2011 at 4:17pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

Recently started playing slide and have a question for those who build and play.

I built a couple instruments for slide and have carefully cut the frets and set the bridge so that the strings are perfectly level.  The idea was to make it easy to make contact with all strings with the lightest of touch.  That is the theory anyway.  Now I'm thinking I may need to set the lightest strings just slightly higher to ensure even contact.

Am I heading in the right direction or I am having a technique problem?

Any hints and suggestions from experienced slide players would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Don

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Replies

  • Mungo Park May 11, 2011 at 11:32pm
    Something else to consider, do you have strings for 22' scale, regular guitar strings will be really tight on that scale to give you the same setup. You might have to buy strings for a 22" scale and not the guitar scale which is up their in the 24's or more. You can hunt for 22" instruments and buy those strings. This might be a source of your woes as you will not get regular guitar strings to work the same on that smaller scale. One of the things you mentioned was the strings are a little tight, because the scale is smaller, tighter strings on a smaller scale does not come out exactly the same, you might be happier tuning them a little lower.              Cheers Ron.
  • Jay Patton May 11, 2011 at 12:00pm

    One other thing I always tell people regarding slide technique is to pay attention to muting.

     

    Good slide is as much about quieting down what you don't want to hear as it is the notes you are playing.

     

    This is accomplished with a combo of resting a finger lightly behind the slide (nut-side) to reduce drag and overtone noises (when wanted), and right hand muting to isolate the notes that you are playing in that passage.

     

    Pay attention to Derek Trucks right hand, for instance. It is constantly busy to keep things clear and concise.

     

    I'm no Derek Trucks (not close), but you can see this in my youtube vids, and the one CBG vid I've posted here, if you'd like examples (youtube is jayp5150).

     

    Just my .02 on slidin'. : )

     

     

  • Don Goguen May 10, 2011 at 8:35am

    I figured it out this morning after the suggestions and mulling it over for the last couple of days.  I took the resonator back down into the shop and put a strait edge to the strings and sure enough the high string is a little low.  Must have settled in.  Just enough to be annoying with a really light touch.  To be sure, I still need much work on my playing skills but I wasn't having the same problem with the other guitar.

    Tonight when I get  back from work, I'll file down the middle two just a bit and see if that doesn't solve the issue.

  • Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates May 9, 2011 at 9:19pm

    VERY good point!

     

    -WY


    Keni Lee Burgess said:

    It is a double edge sword.

    To get good bottleneck tone, you need the correct string tension for the slide to ride on correctly. Light gauge strings are too thin for slide. I would recommend at least a medium gauge. Setting up a guitar is a combination of scale length, nut height, bridge height, tuning, and string gauge. Considering the neck installation angle is correct.

    The action needs to be low enough so you can fret notes over the entire length of the fingerboard, but the string tension needs to be correct for the slide too. Too loose, slide hits the frets. Too tight, hard to fret.

    I hope this helps. Enjoy.

     

  • Don Goguen May 9, 2011 at 5:46pm

    Thanks, Keni

    I've got two similarly scaled (22") guitars but they depart there in set up.  String height isn't an issue as they are set a bit on the high side for fretting but I'm used to using flat wound jazz mediums on my L5 set high anyway. 

    Where these two depart is neck width and string gauge.  Also one is electric and the other is acoustic.  I've built a resonator out of a ford hub cap.  I initially put lighter strings on it but the sound didn't hold much appeal.  Now I have the bottom end of a set of jazz lights on it.  So .052 down to .024 tuned D F# A D.  I like the sound but string tension is a little on the high side. (except for the bottom string could be lighter for more output)  I figured this would help with slide but am not sure at the moment. 

    The other instrument is tuned the same but the string choice is middle of the set.  Narrower neck same scale but less string tension.  Being electric it is an easier player and perhaps that is part of what I'm feeling. 

    I have to play harder with the acoustic resonator and maybe that is part of it but I don't think it is all of it.  What I'm thinking is the .024 string needs to be set just a bit higher to accommodate a different playing requirement.  Acoustic only builds are something new for me so I have questions as this one just isn't responding the way I'm expecting.  I really like the sound of this thing otherwise.  Slide is just proving more challenging than with the other instruments.

  • Keni Lee Burgess May 9, 2011 at 5:11pm

    It is a double edge sword.

    To get good bottleneck tone, you need the correct string tension for the slide to ride on correctly. Light gauge strings are too thin for slide. I would recommend at least a medium gauge. Setting up a guitar is a combination of scale length, nut height, bridge height, tuning, and string gauge. Considering the neck installation angle is correct.

    The action needs to be low enough so you can fret notes over the entire length of the fingerboard, but the string tension needs to be correct for the slide too. Too loose, slide hits the frets. Too tight, hard to fret.

    I hope this helps. Enjoy.

     

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