banner

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Slide guitar setup?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Slide guitar setup?

    Hi all,

    I’ve got a pretzeled strat neck and got to thinking that it might be fun to put together a partscaster to really learn slide on. Under the condition that it’s used exclusively for slide, where is a good setup for nut height, relief and string height at the last fret?

    For the build I’m thinking that one of the finished alder hardtail Strat bodies sold by Eden Guitars should be okay. Yes they’re made in China, but considering I might not even get along with slide, $99 USD seems okay. Additionally I have a loaded pickguard with Fender SCNs and all 500K pots. Should be okay to experiment with. Any advice on pickup height for an all slide guitar?

    Anything else I should consider?

    Thanks

  • #2
    Re: Slide guitar setup?

    There aren't really any rules with slide guitar. If you're only using the slide and not fretting notes, then set the action as high as you want and have at it. You can get good slide guitar with a shovel, so I'm not sure that the body makes too much difference. :P
    Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

    Originally posted by Douglas Adams
    This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Slide guitar setup?

      Anything will work. Whatever guitar, whatever pickups, whatever gauge strings, blah blah blah

      Spend any money you have earmarked for this on different slides until you find one that fits really well and is comfortable.
      “I can play the hell out of a riff. The rest of it’s all bulls**t anyway,” Gary Holt

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Slide guitar setup?

        Originally posted by JB_From_Hell View Post
        Spend any money you have earmarked for this on different slides until you find one that fits really well and is comfortable.
        YES!


        It's really hard to find a slide that fits just right. I ended up getting one that was pretty close, and then using epoxy inside it to build up a perfectly snug fit.
        Join me in the fight against muscular atrophy!

        Originally posted by Douglas Adams
        This planet has - or rather had - a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movements of small green pieces of paper, which is odd because on the whole it wasn't the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Slide guitar setup?

          Shubb

          Shubb AX Axyx Reversable Slide https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017OS7JY..._FlFuEbTJYYED3

          Or make one

          EHD
          Just here surfing Guitar Pron
          RG2EX1 w/ SD hot-rodded pickups / RG4EXFM1 w/ Carvin S22j/b + FVN middle
          SR500 / Martin 000CE-1/Epiphone Hummingbird
          Epiphone Florentine with OEM Probuckers
          Ehdwuld branded Blue semi hollow custom with JB/Jazz
          Reptile Green Gibson Custom Studio / Aqua Dean Shire semi hollow with piezo
          Carvin Belair / Laney GC80A Acoustic Amp (a gift from Guitar Player Mag)
          GNX3000 (yea I'm a modeler)

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Slide guitar setup?

            Rockslides with the tapered interior are my favorite.
            “I can play the hell out of a riff. The rest of it’s all bulls**t anyway,” Gary Holt

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Slide guitar setup?

              Thanks all. I guess I’ll throw a new nut on it and leave it high so the slide isn’t banging on the frets at least. I guess with the rest I’ll just mess with it until it sounds and feels right.

              Any experience out there with the “Eden” branded bodies on eBay? At the pice they’re listed at I’m not expecting much. At ~$80 it’s not hard to swallow if the “Slide only” project goes nowhere.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Slide guitar setup?

                I have a client with action on his Taylors at stoopid low measurements. I have posted pictures elsewhere on this forum. It's the lowest action I've ever done on any guitar, and he can not only play them without buzzing, but play slide without that fret clicking noise. I don't know how he does it - he's a damn spook. But he uses the heaviest damn Mighty Mite slide I've ever seen (from the 70's), and it sounds great.

                Here's a video... This is an off-the-rack Taylor he later bought, and I did my "fretless wonder" mod on it.


                And the previous thread with pix that I mentioned.
                Last edited by ICTGoober; 02-23-2020, 04:35 PM.
                aka Chris Pile, formerly of Six String Fever

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Slide guitar setup?

                  You only need to touch the strings to create the "slide fret"
                  Because the slide becomes the point that the string breaks on
                  Like a fret that moves

                  Light touch
                  Or like with super jumbo frets
                  It can go sharp
                  EHD
                  Just here surfing Guitar Pron
                  RG2EX1 w/ SD hot-rodded pickups / RG4EXFM1 w/ Carvin S22j/b + FVN middle
                  SR500 / Martin 000CE-1/Epiphone Hummingbird
                  Epiphone Florentine with OEM Probuckers
                  Ehdwuld branded Blue semi hollow custom with JB/Jazz
                  Reptile Green Gibson Custom Studio / Aqua Dean Shire semi hollow with piezo
                  Carvin Belair / Laney GC80A Acoustic Amp (a gift from Guitar Player Mag)
                  GNX3000 (yea I'm a modeler)

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Slide guitar setup?

                    Originally posted by ICTGoober View Post
                    I have a client with action on his Taylors at stoopid low measurements. I have posted pictures elsewhere on this forum. It's the lowest action I've ever done on any guitar, and he can not only play them without buzzing, but play slide without that fret clicking noise. I don't know how he does it - he's a damn spook. But he uses the heaviest damn Mighty Mite slide I've ever seen (from the 70's), and it sounds great.

                    Here's a video... This is an off-the-rack Taylor he later bought, and I did my "fretless wonder" mod on it.


                    And the previous thread with pix that I mentioned.
                    https://forum.seymourduncan.com/show...retless+wonder
                    Granted I’ve never taken any time to learn to play slide, but the few times I have I’ve constantly been banging in to the fret work. It may e inexperience, but I also set my action super low. Makes me think starting with exaggerated high action might make it more pleasant to learn... instead of just cringing at the clam chowder I’m whipping up.

                    Considering that I have the twisted neck in the closet (that I bought the replacement one off you, by the way it’s a gem), I’ve got all the other hardware and electronics to assemble a Strat minus the body... I might as well take a stab at it. It’s always fun to put together a partscaster.

                    It seems like you’ve had everything imaginable on your bench. Any chance you’ve seen one of the Strat bodies b “Eden”? They have a Mary Kay Ash hardtail body for silly cheap. Considering it’s got to be all CNC... I’m figuring it’s worth a shot unless there’s evidence it’s crap. If not... we’ll it might make a cool click for my office at work.

                    Thanks

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Slide guitar setup?

                      It seems like you’ve had everything imaginable on your bench. Any chance you’ve seen one of the Strat bodies b “Eden”?
                      I've seen a lot in 40 plus years, but not an Eden. Of course - there are so many axes in the world - I'm sure I haven't seen everything yet. There's still time....
                      aka Chris Pile, formerly of Six String Fever

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Slide guitar setup?

                        Rather than really high action, try a heavier slide. I think they’re easier to control, and you won’t feel the need to press down as hard. Sounds better, too.
                        “I can play the hell out of a riff. The rest of it’s all bulls**t anyway,” Gary Holt

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Slide guitar setup?

                          I just don't get using the warped neck
                          You can accomplish the same thing with something you can otherwise play

                          Why not just build a decent guitar and play slide on it
                          Why make learning any harder than it has to be
                          EHD
                          Just here surfing Guitar Pron
                          RG2EX1 w/ SD hot-rodded pickups / RG4EXFM1 w/ Carvin S22j/b + FVN middle
                          SR500 / Martin 000CE-1/Epiphone Hummingbird
                          Epiphone Florentine with OEM Probuckers
                          Ehdwuld branded Blue semi hollow custom with JB/Jazz
                          Reptile Green Gibson Custom Studio / Aqua Dean Shire semi hollow with piezo
                          Carvin Belair / Laney GC80A Acoustic Amp (a gift from Guitar Player Mag)
                          GNX3000 (yea I'm a modeler)

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Slide guitar setup?

                            Originally posted by JB_From_Hell View Post
                            Anything will work. Whatever guitar, whatever pickups, whatever gauge strings, blah blah blah

                            Spend any money you have earmarked for this on different slides until you find one that fits really well and is comfortable.
                            In addition to fit, it has to sound right to you. there are many different materials available that sound totally different...brass, glass, ceramic, steel, etc. Also the thickness of the slide makes a difference in feel, action, and tone. That one in Goober's vid is not a very heavy one as he says. It is actually a very thin brass slide. I have one that is at least 4 times as thick and heavy.
                            Originally Posted by IanBallard
                            Rule of thumb... the more pot you have, the better your tone.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Slide guitar setup?

                              Originally posted by ehdwuld View Post
                              I just don't get using the warped neck
                              You can accomplish the same thing with something you can otherwise play

                              Why not just build a decent guitar and play slide on it
                              Why make learning any harder than it has to be
                              Ha, it’s a way to also sneak in another guitar with only getting minimal backlash from the wife .

                              Chances are over time I’ll put on a good neck. I can’t get too much flack with parts.... why am I thinking of a Jonny Cash song now?

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X