How heavy and how high?

[MTguitar]

So I pulled the trigger on a guitar for slide when MF sent me an email about a sale this weekend.

My next question is, how heavy of strings do I use and how high do I set the action? It's an LP, so it has a 24.75 scale.

[Budda]

There are "Factory Specs". But, you really need to get a feel for this stuff, as each guitar is individual as to just what makes for a good setup vs. a great setup.

The "Guitar Player Repair Guide" and "How To Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great" are must-have books for every guitarist. Both by Dan Erlewine.



Maybe go to the local shop and measure the guitars that play really well, to you? Try and mimic their setups.

[strat a various]

There are two approaches for slide set ups.
1. Raise the strings really high, go a step or two heavier, set them up flat rather than following the neck radius , and tune to a chord. I call that the vertical dobro style.
2. (this is how I do it.) Go a little higher, not much. I like a high action so I'm already there at 3mm or so. Stay with the neck radius (or maybe a little flatter). I use 12s on my Les Paul, but 11s are fine and 10s will work, too. Leave guitar tuned to standard and play both slide and regular when necessary.
I really like "ground flat" strings for slide, they're smoother ... or plain flats. Stainless is better than nickel, it binds and drags less on different metal slides.

[brokenjoe]

I used to have a strat set up for 'Hound Dog Taylor' stuff. Had 13s on the high E and jacked the action way up.
It works well, but don't expect to bend much, and your intonation when fretted above the fifth fret will drive you crazy.
Nowadays I just grab a slide and play what I need to play on my tele. Sometimes I'll quickly retune to whatever tuning I want, sometimes not.
My action is med-hi, and I use 9s these days. I'll get used to anything eventually.
I just got too lazy to have to carry around another guitar!

[Jahmbie]

All of my electric guitars are set up with 11s. The nice thing about LPs is the 12" radius lets you set the action fairly low for playing slide without getting any "fret knocking." A lighter touch helps my intonation and damping. I keep it in standard tuning, but will drop into slack G 'taro patch' or open D tuning for slide. For me the drop or slack tunings are easier to change tunings but YMMV.