# NSD - New Slide Day



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

*New Slide Day*. This is a Dunlop Harris Slide - Medium. It has a flair, a radius. It's brass and has good heft. I have tried slide over the years have given up after a month or so each time. I could never get ride of ugly high pitch buzz - never get the pressure right across all of the strings. After one day, I've dramatically reduced the buzz, I am able to play four notes a once without crapping out on two of them. The weight of this slide really suites me too.

Dunlop - Harris Medium Slide

I am still at kindergarten level, playing in open D, just sliding chords up the neck, but I couldn't even get there with a straight slide and not enough weight. I couldn't use a Bic lighter if my life depended on it. But in hindsight, that doesn't surprise me. I have had problems adapting to any neck with a nut width wider than 1 11/16", any radius over 14" (well, 12" is better, and so is 9.5") and anything with a fret size under medium jumbo. Those guys who can play any guitar no matter what the specs used to make me feel green with envy, but I have since realized I've got limitations (lots) and *try* to work within them. And so far, this slide helps.


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## Cups (Jan 5, 2010)

For some strange reason I've always been able to play slide. Not amazingly but the basics blues moves everyone does, With little practice. Same with harmonica. 
Almost any brass slide will do for me.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

There's a few aspects to slide, apart from practice.

Neck radius: Personally, I like flatter fingerboards, but some prefer bigger and smaller radii or compound-radius necks. Different sorts of fingerboard profiles lifely complement different goals and styles of slide playing.
String height/action: Trying to play slide on a guitar where the action is adjusted for shredding is asking for frustration.
Finger choice: Some folks prefer using their pinky, whle others like to use their ring finger.
There are going to be combinations of those three factors that work for you, and combinations that work against you. I suppose sometimes a particular slide (such as the one you got) is going to be what knits together the elements effectively, and the very same slide simply doesn't do it for other constellations of factors.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

I have been seriously thinking about trying slide! It's sounds so cool. I am going to seriously look into it! I know that starting out will be a bit frustrating but oh well. I honestly think that my action on my Parker might be a little too low but I can go to L & M and get one and try it. 

So I just checked slides out on the L & M site and there are glass and metal. I have to find out how both will affect my sound. Does anybody know?


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Found a beginner lesson with Justin Sandercoe!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

This slide is my 4th. It is the first one with a curve and the heaviest. Right now I use it full finger on the pinky and to the knuckle on the ring finger, depending on what I want to do with the other fingers. Just started experimenting. I'm glad it fits both ways.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Robert1950 said:


> This slide is my 4th. It is the first one with a curve and the heaviest. Right now I use it full finger on the pinky and to the knuckle on the ring finger, depending on what I want to do with the other fingers. Just started experimenting. I'm glad it fits both ways.


I really want a slide now. I think I will go with a brass one. I like the fact that it's fairly heavy which means I can just let the slide do the work!


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Lola said:


> I really want a slide now. I think I will go with a brass one. I like the fact that it's fairly heavy which means I can just let the slide do the work!


I tend to prefer a brass slide for a number of reasons--this may be one...


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Hold the phone! Lead guitar player Nalle Colt from Vintage trouble is just an amazing slide guitar players. This band is truly one of my new favorites.

Take a listen. They were the opening act with AC/DC September 09, 15 and am I ever glad I saw them.
This band gives me the energy to start my day with.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Lola said:


> I really want a slide now. I think I will go with a brass one. I like the fact that it's fairly heavy which means I can just let the slide do the work!


Be careful what you wish for. A heavier slide is going to demand considerable effort on the player's part NOT to press down too hard if the action isn't raised. That's one of the reasons why players who switch back and forth between slde and fretting chords on the same instrument often (though certainly not always) use a glass slide (like the famed Coricidin bottle) - it's lighter and just sits atop the strings. If one has a different guitar with raised action, expressly for slide, that's a different matter.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

By using the heftier slide, I found out that one of my problems was that I didn't press down hard enough. And this is on a guitar that has not had the action intentional raised. It is an Acoustic with 11-52s.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

What are the tonal qualities between a glass and a brass one though? They obviously affect the sound to a certain extent!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I should note that I used a dedicated acoustic tuned to open D with the 11-52s. 

And glass appears to me to have a slightly mellower top end.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

They're not that expensive so I am thinking I will buy both and decide which one I like better.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

The thickness of the glass or brass might something you want to consider. I have a thinner brass slide and a thicker brass slide. I feel the latter gives a touch more fullness to the sound.


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## TubeStack (Jul 16, 2009)

That looks like a sweet slide, OP.

I've been really loving the Billy Gibbons signature glass slide from Dunlop for a few years now.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

TubeStack said:


> I've been really loving the Billy Gibbons signature glass slide from Dunlop for a few years now.


Looks like it's call Rev Willy's Mojo Glass Slide on the Dunlop Site. Look's like he has a porcelain slide too.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

TubeStack said:


> That looks like a sweet slide, OP.
> 
> I've been really loving the Billy Gibbons signature glass slide from Dunlop for a few years now.


Ya, maybe I will check it out! Sounds like the one I need. I am new to slide! It will be a challenge to get it right, I'm sure.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Going to L & M to get both today


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Went to L & M! Customer service was just horrendous! I had a few intelligent questions to ask about the slides and different types. I was totally ignored! Granted it's obviously a very small purchase but nevertheless! What a total dick this guy was! I walked out! 

I have another local music store that opened a month ago! I will give them my business! 

I have purchased quite a bit of stuff from L & M over the past year! That really pisses me off!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Lola said:


> I have purchased quite a bit of stuff from L & M over the past year! That really pisses me off!


A few years ago, Mr. Long actually responded to a complaint that was on this site. If you direct a complaint to the head office, you will likely get a response. There is always a complaint about a dickhead sales person at L&M once or twice every year that shows up here. The head office is in Pickering, hey, there's an idea.

What store opened up? Durham Music on Old Kingston Road in Pickering Village closed down not long after the Pickering L&M opened up. Nice to see another one give it a try.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Robert1950 said:


> A few years ago, Mr. Long actually responded to a complaint that was on this site. If you direct a complaint to the head office, you will likely get a response. There is always a complaint about a dickhead sales person at L&M once or twice every year that shows up here. The head office is in Pickering, hey, there's an idea.
> 
> What store opened up? Durham Music on Old Kingston Road in Pickering Village closed down not long after the Pickering L&M opened up. Nice to see another one give it a try.


It's actually Legend Music who have been around for a long time. They closed shop a couple of years but have since reopened down the street from me. Russ Dwarf of the Killer Dwarfs is the one who owns this place. Very cool company if I may add!


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

Russ Dwarf


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Lola said:


> Russ Dwarf


They put on a great show--high energy.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Yes, but there shows were always ...................... short! 




Badum, bum. We're here all night. Tip your waitress.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

High/Deaf said:


> Yes, but there shows were always ...................... short!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes he is short, it's not just a joke about the band name


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

zontar said:


> Yes he is short, it's not just a joke about the band name


 Yes he is very short! I am 5'7" and he is maybe 5'3"! He us a really nice guy but you could tell he is a smoker because of his weezy laugh! I can't believe that singers would jeopardize their voices that way!


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Lola said:


> Yes he is very short! I am 5'7" and he is maybe 5'3"!


maybe...
But again--high energy show.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

zontar said:


> Yes he is short, it's not just a joke about the band name


As I recall, they were all short. But it was a long time ago and we were all pretty drunk. Fun guys - partied like champions!


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

High/Deaf said:


> As I recall, they were all short. But it was a long time ago and we were all pretty drunk. Fun guys - partied like champions!


A I recall they were shorter than average.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

To bring this back on track, I jut bought a short thick walled glass slide to fit on the ring finger to the knuckle (closest to the hand). Shall give that a whirl. Notice that the word 'short' turned up in this post.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Another one of those "Damn You All To Hell" double posts again *#*(


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I was watching this YouTube and had a WTF moment when I realized that Toby Walker here was sometimes uses the slide on ring finger for fretting a note just like one of his other fingers. I hope others can confirm that I was not hallucinating.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

slides are awesome.
i love collecting/making them-
its a cheap thing to experiment with.
ive got dozens of them lol.
i actually really like the 2 inch dunlop pyrex slide,
its like 10 bucks and works well for me.
and i like a mastercraft 2 inch long 16 mm socket as well.
but im finding these days that a lighter walled slide cut from a wine bottle, 
at about 1 and 3/4 inch long fits my style best.

even if i buy/ make a slide that doesnt really do it for me,
i hang on to it.
i sometimes feel differently about a slide at some point down the road.
easier to afford and store than a guitar collection in any case lol.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Some technique here....


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## Rideski (Feb 25, 2009)

Lola said:


> Hold the phone! Lead guitar player Nalle Colt from Vintage trouble is just an amazing slide guitar players. This band is truly one of my new favorites.
> 
> Take a listen. They were the opening act with AC/DC September 09, 15 and am I ever glad I saw them.
> This band gives me the energy to start my day with.


Here is my band (Dirty Little Secret band) playing Run Down The River this past Friday night. I love playing this song!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I also have a heavy walled medium glass slide. Can use it to the knuckle on the ring finger and the whole pinky. Just ordered a short, small heavy walled slide to use to the knuckle on the pinky. The Harris slide still works slightly better for me than the glass. 

A couple of weeks ago I put 13-56 Nickel Bronze strings on the A&L Ami parlour, my dedicated slide guitar tuned to Open D. Slide improvement, but there was still that tendency to get that tinny vibrating sound on the high E string (high D in this tuning). I had a plain 15 lying around and put that on instead of the 13. Less tinny vibrations. I also have 16 and an 18 for the B string (high A in this tuning) to try. If you look at the typical set of resonator acoustic strings, they are 16-56. 

I guess it is now up to practice and refining technique.


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## elbandito (Oct 14, 2009)

Have any of you ever heard of, or tried the JetSlide? I bought one a few years back because I thought that it's comfort would encourage me to play slide more. It's pretty neat but in the end, I think I'm just not a slide kinda guy. 

Check it out here: Jetslide Guitar Slides


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

elbandito said:


> Have any of you ever heard of, or tried the JetSlide? I bought one a few years back because I thought that it's comfort would encourage me to play slide more. It's pretty neat but in the end, I think I'm just not a slide kinda guy.
> 
> Check it out here: Jetslide Guitar Slides


I tried one once--it wasn't a bad idea--but it would take some getting used to.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Absolute beginner slide on electric...


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Okay changes in the setup here. Still using the Brass Harris Slide and a thick walled Glass Slide, but changes the strings from 13-56 to 15-56 by adding a 15 and 18 to the set. Then I changed the tuning to Open E from Open D. The result is a little bit higher action and more string tension. A bit easier avoiding that tinny buzzy sound.


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## ping-ping (Jul 30, 2021)

Lola said:


> Hold the phone! Lead guitar player Nalle Colt from Vintage trouble is just an amazing slide guitar players. This band is truly one of my new favorites.
> 
> Take a listen. They were the opening act with AC/DC September 09, 15 and am I ever glad I saw them.
> This band gives me the energy to start my day with.


nice playing , he knows what leave out a rare things


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