Anyone slide their Balls?

[candid_x]

Does anyone play slide on their Balls? Do you change your guitar’s set up, like raising the action or flattening the radius a bit, or using heavier strings, etc? Which model do you slide with?

 

[robelinda2]

Yep i play HEAPS of slide!!! I use my rosewood ASS w/MM90's mainly, i set the action high and slide away! I like the MM90's for slide, they have just the right tone on the neck pickup. Eric Johnson, Brett Garsed, Jeff Beck, Derek Trucks and Duane Allman are the slide guys for me, most of them use standard tuning whch is what i like. Much harder to do, but it means i can just play normal and use some slide, just like Lukather does at times too!

 

[candid_x]

Never would have expected choosing the rosewood ASS w/MM90's for slide, but thinkin’ on it, it does make sense. Interesting!

 

[robelinda2]

i did try all my balls playing slide, and the rosewood ASS just sounded perfect. Initially i chose the silo special so i could get some stratty clean tones with the slide, but it just didnt cut through right.

 

[candid_x]

Yeh, can see where the hotter pickups would prolly work better, and rosewood is so warm sounding.

 

[robelinda2]

its very warm sounding, it sounds a lot better than my other MM90 ASS, by a long way. gee i really cop it when i pull out the rosewood ASS, 98% of people who have seen it just laugh at it!!!!! They just go "what is that, a kitchen bench top from 1972?" They tend to shut up once i'm playing it.

 

[candid_x]

its very warm sounding, it sounds a lot better than my other MM90 ASS, by a long way. gee i really cop it when i pull out the rosewood ASS, 98% of people who have seen it just laugh at it!!!!! They just go "what is that, a kitchen bench top from 1972?" They tend to shut up once i'm playing it.

I don't get it. I think it's a classy looking axe.

 

[fbecir]

I play slide with my Steve Morse. I do not change the string height and I play in standard tuning. I use a brass slide (small size : the size of 3 strings) so I can mix normal and slide playing.
The hardest part is to play without choking the frets. I tried to play with a plexi slide (very light) but the sound was not good. So I use a brass slide. I took me one year to be able to play without doing awful noise with the frets ...

 

[THE_EB_KID]

I play slide with my Albert Lee, I play on 10's and use a dulop radiused brass slide
it sounds great and is really comfortable..

 

[Spudmurphy]

I can't use my EB for slide because the action is too low and I use a heavy slide.

Following from the recommendations of Lowell George and Bonnie Rait I use a Spark plug socket (LG said he used one from Sears and Roebuck). The socket I use is perfect as there is no shoulder on it and it's great for getting wicked vibrato into the slide. The socket acts like a "flywheel" on your finger and seems to store up and release the energy from the vibrato - it's so wierd to explain in the written word but it's a great effect.
I also use Glass slides made from wine bottles. As my hobby is stained glass I have the glass cutters/ grinding wheels to do it.
When I go buying wine I don't buy it for the "vintage" but for the size of the neck.

I wish I could play in normal tuning but can't seem to master it!

I also don't like a flatened fretboard as I like to Rock the slide and fret behind the slide like Sonny Landreth.
My slide heros are :-
Lowell George
Sonny Landreth
Ry Cooder
Bonny Rait
and although not a "hero" I admire Chris Rea.

I wish I could play slide thro a Dumble or Black Cat to try them out.

 

[robelinda2]

Bonnie Rait is just brilliant Spud! Goos taste sir!

Cant wait to find out if the AL is good for slide.......

 

[Spudmurphy]

Bonnie Rait is just brilliant Spud! Goos taste sir!

Cant wait to find out if the AL is good for slide.......

Thank you sir!

Well you may be able to manage but I think the action is too low.

A mate of mine plays on a crappy charity shop guitar. When he rolls off the tone control and brings in some gain - heaven!!!

 

[robelinda2]

how bad is this- i was in a studio a few weeks ago and was doing some slide parts with my rosewood ASS, and the producer goes "ive got one of those i play slide on!". i was shocked. He goes and pulls out a purple quilt.........OLP! CRAZY high action, perfect for slide! He changed the pickups, it wasnt bad at all, but terrible for normal playing, it was his dedicated slide guitar.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Good idea = an OLP!

I think the stock pick ups would be just fine !!!

 

[Quarter]

I've tried a little bit of slide on my Rosy ASS but the action is really to low and don't want to up the action for a dedicated slider.
I wish EBMM made a lap steel. I've been playing around with one I built and its been a ton of fun.

 

[beej]

I'd love to ... but damn, I'm not much of a slide player (despite all the Sonny Landreth albums ...)

On the to-do list for this year.

 

[candid_x]

Interesting info.

I saw Bonnie playing through what looked like original VOX AC30's, giving her that nice saucy growl.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Interesting info.

I saw Bonnie playing through what looked like original VOX AC30's, giving her that nice saucy growl.

Bonny has a saucy growl when she speaks ha!

Lowell George passed on the "trade secrets" to Bonnie and boy, there are times when she sounds just like him.

I think I saw her play a (is it a ) Black Cat amp at one time - if this was the right name for it, it was awesome.

I know that Sonny has used a Dumble - I'm not sure what Ry Codder uses.

Paul Barrere with Little Feat has a great slide sound too.

What about ol' George Harrison - what he did play was sublime.

We don't get to chew the fat over slide players very often.
Nice thread!
Spud

 

[candid_x]

I think I saw her play a (is it a ) Black Cat amp at one time - if this was the right name for it, it was awesome.

Spud

Think you mean Bad Cat? Never played through one, but I think it's got the Voxy vibe goin' on.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Think you mean Bad Cat? Never played through one, but I think it's got the Voxy vibe goin' on.

Thats the one !!!! - Bad Cat.
I think they cost a lot too!!