Slide guitar advice requested.

If you have one slide, you are not into slide or just like to wear your underwear for a week at a time. Jazztele, you have a nice touch, nice enough for you to recognise differnt feel & sound from differnt slides. I like weight, so heavy is fine. THe glass needs to be thick as I feel it better sustains. But it is best to have a brass slide, a stainless steel slide, a couple of differnt glass slides. I even have a craftsman Lowell George sized one. Porcelin seems to break easy.

 

Kirk Lorange plays in Drop D, so it's basically standard tuning except for the lowest string, which then gives a nice open tuning effect across the bottom three strings.

He has a lot of resources for slide and general playing if you google him

He uses a fair amount of dirt but still can get jazzy

 

I have a bunch, but my favorite is this one I made from a wine bottle.
It has a concave radius that mimics the neck radius, and it's heavy as hell, so it's unlikely to break.



For electrics with skinny strings and low action, I have one of those imitation coricidin bottles like Duane Allman's.

 

I haven't played slide in years...but, I always liked the 3rd finger rather then the pinky.
I used plain old copper pipe, and then ran a piece of sandpaper over it...gives it way more "grit", makes it nasty. But that was when I was playing a bunch of George Thorogood stuff. So yea...not really your style....just throwin' it out there.

 

High , nice to hear from you and for you to share your interest in a life long pursuit
I play in open tunings.
I used a brass slide forever , and it disappeared , ???
so I bought a Dunlop (RIP Mr. Dunlop ) extra-extra-extra large size 13 brass slide and I decided to try out
Rev Will's Mo-Jo Slide . it's ceramic and is unglazed on the inside to absorb the sweat.
It's lighter than the same size brass slide and yet maintains all the tonal qualities of brass.
If I lost it I'd buy another one .

 

I’ve tried many sizes and materials over the years, as I’m sure you have. I find I have more control with a “full-length” slide. It’s long enough to cover all six strings easily. The Dunlop 215 is what I use most now (the one beside the brass). It’s glass is thicker than the 210. I’ve thrown away the short ones.

You can see that brass corrodes over time. The smoother tone of glass is my preferred sound.

 

I am no slide expert, but I find I like the Joe Perry boneyard large/short. I lined the inside of one half with medical bandage tape to decrease the i.d. to fit my pinky, and the unlined side fits my ring finger.

I have a brass slide for acoustic playing, a rev wily ceramic slide that was part of my search for the boneyard slide. I don't use it as much but it is cool. My prized slide is a Billy Gibbons red glass bottle slide given to me by Billy's tech a few years ago when my family got to see ZZ Top as guests of the band. Yes, I use it. Hoping the mojo will wear off on to me.

If I had a huge budget my slide collection would be exponentially larger. I wod like to try Tyler Bryant's titanium slides and the jet slide that Scott Holliday uses.

I really should learn to play better instead of buying tons of slides.

 

I've got a few, but rarely wear longer than 10 min - that's not enough time to get good or really see what works best.
Will try again.
Peace - Deeve

 

I have a always used glass slides since my first Coricidin bottle from the '70's. I find them quite rugged. Never broke one.
You can aways DIY with a wine bottle of the perfect diameter and size the length to your preference

 

The front 2 are Rock slides. They’re the best IMO. My favorite was a worn chrome short slide but that is missing. I find myself using the ball-end one the most now. They also make nice looking glass ones.

The dark socket was a failure. It just didn’t sound good - like it wasn’t making full contact on the strings

Next to that is a 16mm socket. Fits my pinky perfect and sounds great but is stupid heavy. Sockets are great because you can find out what size it perfect for you even if you don’t use the actual socket.

The big socket is a 3/4 because I wanted to go full L George but it just doesn’t fit right and I don’t love playing with my ring finger.

The next one is my oldest slide. I used to where it full finger but you can see the gauze in there to help the fit.

Last is a chrome one I forgot that I had. Back in the day I thought chrome was to brittle sounding but I’m going to give it an other chance.

 

For electric slide my 2p worth is definitely use glass but go for 4mm thick walls.
On your small, or indeed any finger, to have full control it needs to be a snug, but not tight, fit and, if you're going to move on to sliding bass strings too, then it needs to fit from the bottom of the finger to at least the top if not a mm or 2 above it.

tbh... Get some custom made. I'm sure there'll be local glass workers making slides to order... or there's always companies online.
It'll probably take a few orders to get the exact one, straight or flared is another issue, but it is worth the effort.

 

Glass for me, and heavy, for my pinky. I don't play open though.e

I really like Diamond - the blue one they have - here

https://www.diamondbottlenecks.com/

You can pad the inside of a bottleneck with moleskin from the drug store to help it fit if it's too loose.

 

I'm one of many, who uses a Dunlop 212, because they are cheap and easily replaced. For tone, though, I recommend you to acquire something made with better material, than the Pyrex ones. The good news is that something from Diamond Bottlenecks- or equivalent small manufacturers, in other countries- is still quite affordable. Home made wine bottle slides usually sound great, as well- but are a little long for the OPs needs.

 

i stick a bit of felt in my slides too, works like a charm
easy to find in most department or hardware stores

 

I like stainless steel. I cut a piece of
stainless pipe long enough to cover the end of my pinky and bore to fit. Never had the luxury of alternate tuned guitar on stage, so i've always played in standard. Nice to have the first 3 fingers for fretting.
On electric bright slightly overdriven sound works well for me.

 

Some folks like to use a compressor pedal to help with sustain and such - or even two compressors in series. Might be worth experimenting.

Here's a short youtube (ok, I'm not taken with this guys tone, but...):

 

Not many use slide with standard tuning.
As far as technique, have a look at Dave Hole. Saw him live about 2 decades ago.

 

I use a 5/8” socket with the (heavy) drive end cut off. It’s super-smooth and won’t break if I drop it.

I really like the thick-walled Dunlop Pyrex slides, too

Try everything you can get your hand (finger?) on...it’s a highly personal “feel” thing...

 

++

Short Fuse Blues!