Slide playing

**FZ2017** · 06-16-2018, 08:38 AM

I know this is a jazz site and slide guitar is mainly associated with the blues but you can play slide jazz. I remember seeing Jack Pearson play Well You Needn't once and it knocked me out. Anyways I was at my local guitar shop yesterday and the guy there tried to sell me on getting a 30 dollar slide. I thought about it but ultimately just bought another cheap 8 dollar Dunlop slide. Any thoughts on the difference between cheap and expensive slides or how about cheap vs expensive period for that matter heh?

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**TOMMO** · 06-16-2018, 11:50 AM

Marketing. I'm a passionate acoustic and electric slide player and my favourites are either cheap or at least not overly expensive.

**citizenk74** · 06-16-2018, 12:50 PM

For me the most important factors are size, fit, and material. The slide has to fit the finger snugly, but not overly so.The slide must have a certain heft, but not too much, or you wind up with damaged frets. I stopped using metal slides for years because they just get funky and are difficult to clean; however my Son recently crafted one for me from stainless steel and it is quite nice. My other slides are glass of a certain size, and a Mudslide, which is glazed ceramic. My Coricidin bottles, alas, are long gone. It takes some experimentation to find out what works best with a given instrument/string combination. Good luck in your quest.

**Doug B** · 06-16-2018, 01:41 PM

Duane Allman seemed to play ok and he only used a Coricidin bottle that was probably worth 5 cents. 'Nuff said.

**FZ2017** · 06-16-2018, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by Doug B

Duane Allman seemed to play ok and he only used a Coricidin bottle that was probably worth 5 cents. 'Nuff said.

That's some food for thought I've also munched on!

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**coolvinny** · 06-16-2018, 05:46 PM

The Dunlops are the best if you ask me. They only cost around $10. I have a bunch of them from when I used to play a lot of slide. Duane is the man. Transcribe some of his stuff from the "Anthology - Volume 1" album and from Derek & The Dominoes. I can't tell which one I have but I think it's the Dunlop 210, 215 or 218 from their site: Slides & Tonebars
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Accessories
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Products

**neatomic** · 06-16-2018, 05:57 PM

the great lowell george used a sears craftsman socket wrench!

i'm with ck74, all about the fit and the materials...just the difference between glass and metal is huge..then you can get into chrome vs brass etc etc....also how it sits, and on what finger...

like all things guitar, constant trial and error....till it doesnt really matter anymore...they're all good! haha

cheers

ps- my recent fave has been a dunlop glass 212...its thickish glass and shortish...two ring finger joints long...i use it on my ring finger....

**FZ2017** · 06-16-2018, 07:11 PM

I have the Dunlop 213 and use ring finger.

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**neatomic** · 06-16-2018, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by TOMMO

Marketing. I'm a passionate acoustic and electric slide player and my favourites are either cheap or at least not overly expensive.

that's true blues my friend!!

the essence

the old blues guys cut down whiskey bottle necks for slides!!! used "snake oil" bottles! ...anything

cheers

**neatomic** · 06-16-2018, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by FZ2017

I have the Dunlop 213 and use ring finger.

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213 has same thick glass as 212, but 212 is shorter length....i also used the glass 203 for a run....its same size as 213, but thin glass...needs a very light touch!

i started out with chrome slide (212 style) on pinky in g tuning...keith & ry!!!...i filled chrome slide with melted wax and stuck my pinky in for exact mold...set it for exactly where i wanted it on my finger...worked great...to this day!!...raw primal bluesy vibe

now play in standard tuning...with glass...more hari (and derek trucks) melodic...nuance...not that you can't wail with it tho!! hah

cheers

**Johnny_L** · 06-23-2018, 01:29 AM

The lower your action is, the lighter the slide should be.

I started practicing on none dedicated guitar so I'm also considering a shorter slide (I currently use the Dunlop 212) as I mostly play single notes or double stops.

These are the main things I figured out... not sure how expenssive slides help, it's just about finding the right slide for your technique. And if you need a glass slide - I hope you can find cheap ones that fit you. Invest in a good broom and dustpan...

**Alter** · 06-23-2018, 05:20 AM

Remember this guy, David Tronzo, a great jazz player that plays with a slide? Talk about a slide journey!

**FZ2017** · 06-23-2018, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by Johnny_L

The lower your action is, the lighter the slide should be.

I started practicing on none dedicated guitar so I'm also considering a shorter slide (I currently use the Dunlop 212) as I mostly play single notes or double stops.

These are the main things I figured out... not sure how expenssive slides help, it's just about finding the right slide for your technique. And if you need a glass slide - I hope you can find cheap ones that fit you. Invest in a good broom and dustpan...

Sorry for the ignorance but what is a dedicated and none dedicated guitar?

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**Johnny_L** · 06-23-2018, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by FZ2017

Sorry for the ignorance but what is a dedicated and none dedicated guitar?

Sorry, maybe it's just the way I define it...

Many slide players do the next two things:
1. tune their guitar to an open major chord (usually open E, D, G or A) - it allows one to play full chords and play arpeggios in one position (it's a very common slide phrase).
2. raise the action so they don't have to mind hitting the frets with the slide. It also allows heavier slides (it's not a must, just a matter of selection).

I decided to focus on playing slide on standard tuning guitars. It's much more limiting, although one can learn to get a few very cool sounds out of it. I might reconsider when I'll have a roadie to carry my guitar arsenal to every gig...

**FZ2017** · 06-23-2018, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by Johnny_L

Sorry, maybe it's just the way I define it...

Many slide players do the next two things:
1. tune their guitar to an open major chord (usually open E, D, G or A) - it allows one to play full chords and play arpeggios in one position (it's a very common slide phrase).
2. raise the action so they don't have to mind hitting the frets with the slide. It also allows heavier slides (it's not a must, just a matter of selection).

I decided to focus on playing slide on standard tuning guitars. It's much more limiting, although one can learn to get a few very cool sounds out of it. I might reconsider when I'll have a roadie to carry my guitar arsenal to every gig...

Yeah what I like about standard tuning is you can play slide and throw in some chords and changes in with it. I think that sounds good but yeah it's limiting. I was trying to play slide on my epiphone 335 semi-hollow body copy of the Gibson and the action is so low on it in standard tuning makes it tough. But my Martin and dobro resonator sound great even in standard.

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**Johnny_L** · 06-23-2018, 12:53 PM

I took out my slide and played for 20 minutes after a few month of not touching it. It's like riding a bicycle - you never really forget... only thing I forgot is that it's a 210 and not a 212.

**FZ2017** · 06-23-2018, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by Johnny_L

I took out my slide and played for 20 minutes after a few month of not touching it. It's like riding a bicycle - you never really forget... only thing I forgot is that it's a 210 and not a 212.

Yeah honestly slide might be easier than regular guitar if you got the ear. Some equate it to stride piano. I'm not so sure on that 1 but I can see similarities.

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**neatomic** · 06-23-2018, 08:01 PM

if its getting easy, it's time to take it up another level!! hah

strive ahead!

cheers

**FZ2017** · 06-23-2018, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by neatomic

if its getting easy, it's time to take it up another level!! hah

strive ahead!

cheers

I didn't say easy just maybe easier than jazz and classical guitar.

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**Thumpalumpacus** · 06-24-2018, 09:00 AM

I use a shorter, thick-walled Dunlop Pyrex. I play in standard tuning and do not maintain any special setup; I like being able to go between slide and standard playing at will.

Originally Posted by Johnny_L

And if you need a glass slide - I hope you can find cheap ones that fit you. Invest in a good broom and dustpan...

Pyrex is surprisingly resilient. I'm betting the wine-bottlenecks are, too. The Coricidin bottles, not so sure.

**FZ2017** · 06-24-2018, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by Thumpalumpacus

I use a shorter, think-walled Dunlop Pyrex. I play in standard tuning and do not maintain any special setup; I like being able to go between slide and standard playing at will.

Pyrex is surprisingly resilient. I'm betting the wine-bottlenecks are, too. The Coricidin bottles, not so sure.

Going back and forth between slide and standard is where it's at.

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**FZ2017** · 06-24-2018, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by Thumpalumpacus

I use a shorter, think-walled Dunlop Pyrex. I play in standard tuning and do not maintain any special setup; I like being able to go between slide and standard playing at will.

Pyrex is surprisingly resilient. I'm betting the wine-bottlenecks are, too. The Coricidin bottles, not so sure.

People I hear used the coricidin bottle up until recently!

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**Thumpalumpacus** · 06-24-2018, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by FZ2017

People I hear used the coricidin bottle up until recently!

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I tried a repro, oh, I don't know, maybe fifteen years ago ... just didn't gel with it. I like my slide on my pinky, that repro bottle was a bit too sloppy there. Worked great on my ring-finger, but I didn't like how it affected my chording.

Horses for courses, eh.

**TOMMO** · 06-25-2018, 11:43 AM

I have an original somebody gave me decades ago. Thin wall and eats up too much string energy for me....

**FZ2017** · 06-25-2018, 12:01 PM

Anybody ever try playing any standards or jazz pieces on slide?

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**TOMMO** · 06-25-2018, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by FZ2017

Anybody ever try playing any standards or jazz pieces on slide?

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Not yet but I've been thinking of trying that with slow ballads although an open tuning will make it tough to fret the proper chrds....

**Doug B** · 06-25-2018, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by FZ2017

Anybody ever try playing any standards or jazz pieces on slide?

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It might be an idea to listen to some jazz trombone players, given that they also use that sliding motion when playing same as slide guitar.

**grahambop** · 06-25-2018, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by FZ2017

Anybody ever try playing any standards or jazz pieces on slide?

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**grahambop** · 06-25-2018, 05:04 PM

Interesting interview with Warren Haynes and how he uses standard tuning. I have a cool DVD by him where he goes into all this at length. A trick he uses for single note slide is to pick the note with his RH index and mute the string above and below it with his RH thumb and middle finger, that’s how he gets such amazingly clean and fluid single note lines. I used to mess around with slide sometimes, I should pick it up again!

**dasein** · 06-25-2018, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by Alter

Remember this guy, David Tronzo, a great jazz player that plays with a slide? Talk about a slide journey!

Take away all his slides, and Tronzo would still be a great player.

But give him a slide, and he's one of the best guitar players alive.

**FZ2017** · 06-25-2018, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by dasein

Take away all his slides, and Tronzo would still be a great player.

But give him a slide, and he's one of the best guitar players alive.

So prepared and dedicated guitar are the same thing right?

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**grahambop** · 06-25-2018, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by FZ2017

So prepared and dedicated guitar are the same thing right?

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I wouldn’t equate them like that. Prepared usually means temporarily altering an instrument in some way, e.g. putting a paper clip on a string or an object between the strings or something. It can be applied and taken off again relatively quickly. Doesn’t necessarily relate specifically to slide guitar.

Dedicated (in the context of slide guitar) means a spare guitar completely set up for slide playing and nothing else. So it would have heavy strings and a very high action, to facilitate slide playing. You wouldn’t change it much, it would be a permanent setup.

**FZ2017** · 06-25-2018, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by grahambop

I wouldn’t equate them like that. Prepared usually means temporarily altering an instrument in some way, e.g. putting a paper clip on a string or an object between the strings or something. It can be applied and taken off again relatively quickly. Doesn’t necessarily relate specifically to slide guitar.

Dedicated (in the context of slide guitar) means a spare guitar completely set up for slide playing and nothing else. So it would have heavy strings and a very high action, to facilitate slide playing. You wouldn’t change it much, it would be a permanent setup.

That makes sense like John Cage's prepared piano right?!

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**grahambop** · 06-26-2018, 02:39 AM

Originally Posted by FZ2017

That makes sense like John Cage's prepared piano right?!

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Yes that’s it.

**Mark Leggett** · 06-14-2019, 04:00 PM

Here's an arrangement of Blackbird I came up with. Open E capo'd up to G. Flatwounds on this teisco. Action not very high, just enough for a little rattle.

**MikeS** · 06-15-2019, 05:17 PM

Here's a guy in Australia who plays slide in standard and dropped D tuning. No jazz, but a blues player. He uses a custom brass slide on his pinky. Here's one of his videos.

**Lobomov** · 06-15-2019, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by Mark Leggett

Here's an arrangement of Blackbird I came up with. Open E capo'd up to G. Flatwounds on this teisco. Action not very high, just enough for a little rattle.

Wow!