Glass slides, size?

robgilmo

Are there different sizes? How do you know what size to buy?

mart

Try, try, and try again.

robgilmo

Online buy, I was in the shop on Saturday and forgot all about a slide, and what difference does wall thickness make? Is it purely feel?

fftc

The Dunlop site have a ring size and slide size chart.
Decide what finger you want to use and whether you want a knuckle, short or long slide. Measure the finger to get your US ring size and then choose the slide in the material you want that fits.

https://vidweb.aws.marketlive.com/jimdunlop_vid/text/content/pdp/manuals/Slide_Chart.pdf

robgilmo

Oooh, coolio, thanks.

Now , how to choose a finger? I am thinking the ''flip the bird'' finger as its my least used finger, any ideas? is there a preferred finger? I guess that's a silly question but I have to ask, as you can tell I dont play slide..

Funkfingers

robgilmo said:

what difference does wall thickness make? Is it purely feel?

Weight.

I like the replica Coricidin bottles. Probably due to my Duane Allman obsession.

robgilmo said:

Now , how to choose a finger? I am thinking the ''flip the bird'' finger as its my least used finger, any ideas? is there a preferred finger? I guess that's a silly question but I have to ask, as you can tell I dont play slide.

The most common choice is probably to wear the slide on the little finger and support it using the ring finger. 

Nerve damage means that my fingers do not always co-operate. I often use the ring finger.

Wearing the slide on the middle finger should free up the ring and little fingers to fret notes above the slide. Sonny Landreth is known for sometimes fretting notes below the slide.

robgilmo

So from what I have gathered (you tube) , weight = sustain? Glass = mellow tone, steel = brighter tone but less sustain than glass, am I barking up the right tree?

Grunfeld

robgilmo said:

Are there different sizes? How do you know what size to buy?

Not just finger size but slide length.

I am never going to impersonate a proper slide player but that's why the half-length slide works really well -- it's easier to play I think.

If you just want an occasional bit of slide in a gig it's really handy.

bbill335

robgilmo said:

So from what I have gathered (you tube) , weight = sustain? Glass = mellow tone, steel = brighter tone but less sustain than glass, am I barking up the right tree?

sustain is to do with technique, not material

robgilmo

Half length does sound interesting but I think setting ,myself up with the basics first before exploring other avenues would be best. I have just measured my flip the bird finger at 80mm, that's at the base of my finger, its fattest part, that 10mm off the Dunlop scale, am I missing something?

poopot

Watch Blake Mills doing his thing in this vid.

should give you an idea how to wear your slide

https://youtu.be/kH1ZxoEkv84

robgilmo

Ive just been watching Justin saying the same thing, quite relieved , I thought I might have unnaturally swollen fingers! So resting ontop of the first knuckle. Those pill bottles, are they not quite loose on the finger?

pumkin

Try these people .... all you need to know and great service
http://www.diamondbottlenecks.com/BestOfTheRest.html

crunchman

robgilmo said:

Oooh, coolio, thanks.

Now , how to choose a finger? I am thinking the ''flip the bird'' finger as its my least used finger, any ideas? is there a preferred finger? I guess that's a silly question but I have to ask, as you can tell I dont play slide..

Different people use different fingers.

Ring finger seems most common, and it works for Derek Trucks who is probably the best slide player on the planet. I use my middle finger, which seems to work for Bonnie Rait and Billy Gibbons.  I've seen people using their little finger as well.

A couple of people have said some good things.  The length of the slide is definitely important.  It makes a big difference to feel.  If you want to play in standard tuning, then there isn't any point in getting a long one, as you won't ever be playing all the strings at once.

+1 on Diamond Bottlenecks.  I've got one of theirs that is far better than any of the Dunlop ones you see in guitar shops.

This is great and is made from a proper bottle neck:

http://www.diamondbottlenecks.com/TheRedhouse.html

fftc

+1 on Diamond Bottlenecks.  I've got one of theirs that is far better than any of the Dunlop ones you see in guitar shops.

No ceramic/porcelain options though. I know the OP said glass but that might be due to not knowing about all the options, and ceramic is definitely a preference for some folks.

Guitar_Slinger

pumkin said:

Try these people .... all you need to know and great service
http://www.diamondbottlenecks.com/BestOfTheRest.html

Wis'd. I went on a blues course last month and he had a table set up there one day, which I visited with my guitar after my fourth slide workshop of the week. It was a great few minutes and had a great customer service/goldilocks experience.

I tried one, played something and a voice behind me asked how it was. I said "too light" and before I could get the thing off, another appeared over my shoulder and the voice said "Try this one". I did, it was too wide. "This?" Too narrow. "This?" Not long enough. "This one?" It went on for about 10 slides, which he was picking out with lightning speed and I went going back and forth between a few, to make sure until I found one that suited me.

FWIW mine's on the little finger so I can play riffs with my first 3 fingers, and can also use my middle finger behind/under the slide to play a minor chord.

Matt_McG

I never know how loose the slide is supposed to be on my fingers. Should it stay put without the supporting finger either side? Should it need me to slightly bend the knuckle join to keep it on? 

When I measure the size of my fingers, according to the charts, I need a fairly big size, but I have a Derek Trucks signature slide and find it just feels a little loose and uncontrolled on my ring finger.

Guitar_Slinger

Oh, yes - when I play, my ring finger supports it.

You should be able to take it off (obvs) but you'd be surprised after a few minutes playing when one that goes on OK doesn't always come off... as live updates from @noisepolluter on the bus to A&E confirmed (true story).