Playing Slide with Flatwound Strings

[wangdangdoodle]

Have any of you ever tried it? I've recantly been asked to do some gigs and mabye a studio session with an electric blues band and we'll be doing slide tunes from the Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Robert Johnson library.

I will be using my secound guitar which is a Tele for these kind of tunes... thing is though I am getting set up with most likley 11, but mabye 12 gauge flatwound strings for a jazz group I am.... I was just wondering if slide would sound alright on flatwounds? Have any of you tried it? I'd prefer to have 11's since I teach 2 kids a bit of rock, so I need the versatility but I doubt they'd be much difference in tone....

Any tips appreciated

[jazztele]

you can do it... remember, the top two strings are the same. i use flatwounds on my lap steel, actually.

the big thing for me with slide is the setup--i couldn't play slide on any of the guitars i use for jazz--the actions too low. i have a danelectro with higher action that's my go to slide instrument.

[Bob Mc]

Just walked up from music room (basement) after about an hour of playing.

I have a hunkapoop Kramer with P90 pickups and I use D'Addario Chromes on it. This set happens to be 010 but it's usually 011s. I dial in lotsa reverb and add mild to mid gain.

FYI, its always open G, real glass slide on pinky; it allows me to grab chords on the dgb strings without refingering (thinking) from standard.

I play behind slide so action is a little high.

You need to try it.

BOb

[bargoedboy]

i only changed to flatwounds by accident , my mate had a set he didn`t want and i gave them a go for slide and it sounds great, i use open G mainly as well with a very heavy glass slide, and just trying to learn how to finger behind slide , suddenly found i can do a minor chord at last !!!!!! go for it !!

[Mike Bruce]

On lapsteel I always use flatwounds, usually D'Addario Chromes but currently Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Swing (13-53). Less rattle, more sustain, smoother glissandi, fatter tone.

I would prefer flatwounds on electric and acoustic slide too except that those guitars always seem to do double duty as regular axes. Once in a while I'll string up with Chromes anyway.

Mike Bruce

[SatelliteOrders]

Part of the sound for slide (more acoustic, I guess) is the strings starting to vibrate as the slide bounces over the windings. I'd guess it'd be less so with flatwounds. Otherwise, I wouldn't see it as a problem.

You do need high action, but high-but-fretable action. You don't really need dobro-high action.

[devoewoolf]

When i worked at Rudys in New York I did setups for Little Feat guitars for a N.Y.show.I was surprised to see that they did in fact use flats on their strats for slide. It doesnt work for me for what I do but for them with compresion it obviosly does the trick.Good luck..DeVoe