Question:
What type of a guitar slide should I buy?
Answer:
Slides usually come in 2 basic materials, glass or metal. Choosing one
material over another comes down to figuring out the sound and feel
that is right for you. Glass slides have a mellow sound, but they are
more fragile and can break. Metal slides are sturdy and produce a
sharper sound.
It is best to play with the slide on the third or fourth finger of your
left hand if you play right handed or wear it on the right hand if you
play left handed. This will leave your other fingers free to play
chords and leads. I've never tried one but I've seen ads in magazines
for a slide that is open on one side so it can be rotated around and
then you can use that finger to play in the regular fashion when the
slide is not needed.
Try on a slide and test it on a guitar in the store before purchasing
it to make sure it fits and you like the sound. This is hard to do
because sometimes they are packaged up pretty tightly. If this is the
case, ask the sales person to get you one out of the package.
Bob, Gman ( o )==#
Agreed, glass slides are much more mellow, and perhaps have a bit less
sustain. Metal slides
vary dramatically dependent upon what metal they are made of, and it's
thickness.
Quite often you may be offered a chromed steel slide from the guy
behind the counter.
My advice would be to avoid these. Chromed steel slides will
give you a thinner, colder sound, which can be quite
lacking in character. It's as if your guitar has lost a bit
of its soul. I've
also found that I get less sustain from these slides. The
best slide I have is brass, about 2 1/8" long, (good
for my little finger, the tip should be just visible) and 2.5mm thick
(ish).
This type of slide will give you a fuller warmer sound, more mid range,
and, IMHO, better sustain.
Also watch the diameter of the slide, it should be tight enough not to
roll about, but wide
enough for you to be able to brace your finger against the inside of
it, to have more control
over the pressure you put on the strings.
When I started out playing slide I had a too short, too wide glass
slide, and a too long, too
tight chrome slide. The combination of poorer quality materials, and
bad fit, put me off slide
for years.
If you are serious about learning slide, consider raising the action a
bit, and be sure
to find the right slide for you. A bad slide is a nightmare
and quite often (unless you are
lucky) the guys in the music shops are not always that knowledgeable
about the
differences. You'll end up with something which looks cool
but is harder than it should be to
use and sounds awful!
Thanks for the site!
Steve
See Tip 190 for more
info. on slides.
Bob, Gman ( o )==#