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Post by Big John Levee on Sept 5, 2015 0:19:54 GMT
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Post by slide496 on Sept 5, 2015 0:41:45 GMT
I tried one and returned it immediately-it made a rustling paper sound on my acoustics - don't really know what else was wrong with it or what was right, or they are for electric guitars only, but it wasn't for me and I sent it right back.
Lawd lawdy,
Harriet
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2015 6:58:03 GMT
I have a titanium slide, made from a bike frame. I like the ultra light feel, but there is an issue with noise.
On new strings, they sound great, but if there is the slightest bit of rust on the strings (generally the top strings), they make a grating noise, which you can feel in your finger.
I still use mine on electric guitar.
TT
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Post by triolian59 on Sept 5, 2015 7:35:21 GMT
Titanium didn't work for me either. Has anyone ever tried these Wolfram slides, made out of Tungsten Carbide? They are about $ 380 + shipping !?!? I wonder who would spend that money on a slide, but maybe it's the holy grail of slides
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Post by Ian McWee on Sept 5, 2015 10:21:24 GMT
I have a Furious slide here in our workshop ~ definitely for electric slide only. Several professional acoustic/reso slide players have road-tested mine whilst passing through our hallowed halls, and all thought it to be way too light in weight to give a warm tone and sustain on any instrument without a pickup, and they definitely didn't get on with the 'brushed' outside surface!
And in regards to the Wolfram...YES!
Slide On!
Ian.
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Post by SoloBill on Sept 5, 2015 13:18:45 GMT
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Post by slide496 on Sept 5, 2015 14:14:53 GMT
It's a new concept to create a slide with the manufacturing cost of these and there is some resistance to the price but if its something that gives the sound you want to include in your repetoire of sounds, I think that one will spend on pedal effects and pickup similarly.
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Post by Big John Levee on Sept 5, 2015 23:38:55 GMT
Thanks for the info guys! wasn't going to buy em but just curious you know  Hey Ian, just to let you know, I'm Jonathan Provoost from the Netherlands who bought 2 slides from you last week. Really can't wait to get em  |
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Post by Big John Levee on Sept 5, 2015 23:39:41 GMT
btw, I'm gonna check out those wolfram slides
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Post by oldmanblue on Sept 17, 2015 8:13:48 GMT
$ 380.00 dollers for a slide ? did son house pay $ 380 for a slide not for me i will stick with my collection of diamond slides they do it for me.
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Post by orbital on Sept 17, 2015 9:19:08 GMT
If anyone knows where I can buy a 'relaxing' slide,please send me a link... All mine tend to lapse into being a bit too 'furious' at the moment!  ) |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2015 23:21:14 GMT
I'm new to the forum, but I can't play for squat. I'm interested in what people think of the titanium (6AL4V) slides because I have a small shop and can make them. So far, I get that the slide *must* be polished to perfection, since any "grain" will make it sound (and feel?) like fingernails on a chalkboard. I made one for a friend, but I haven't heard much feedback. If it's no good, maybe my friend is too nice to tell me I wasted my time.
Is light weight really desirable? If so, maybe a thicker wall would help, right? I've made a couple out of a solid 1-inch bar, but the first one only had a wall thickness of about 0.070 inch. What I think I'm hearing is that, whatever the material, a slide needs to be very smooth and rigid so it doesn't make "music" itself.
Titanium is rather a bitch to machine. It likes to heat up, it requires *sharp* tooling, and it will wear out tools in a hurry if I'm not careful. That being said, I've also worked with a lot of 304 stainless steel, and I've learned to deal with *that*. It can also be a real mother, but I've pretty much figured it out. Titanium isn't much worse than 304.
Now, 304 has some mass, and it can be polished to mirror perfection. Has anyone out there compared a stainless steel slide with titanium? (and glass and brass, the traditional favorites)
I'm not qualified to put a slide to a guitar - folks would complain - so thanks for any replies.
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Post by pete1951 on Oct 3, 2015 8:52:49 GMT
There is always a gap in the market for another good slide. Many players have large numbers of slides , each with its own unique sound or feel. If you can ,get a sample of your work into the hands of a known player and get a good review (Michael M might do it). Check out other threads on slides here for sizes and shapes etc.
PT
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Post by Ian McWee on Oct 3, 2015 10:42:13 GMT
Hi wirecutter When there's a discussion regarding slides here on Michaels's forum (and that a pretty regular occurrence ) the biggest distinguishing difference is between electric and acoustic instruments. I reckon all here are 95% resonator/acoustic players, and if the instruments in question are non-amplified (played directly into a microphone without outboard amplification), then the major factors of any guitar slide is fit, surface finish and in most cases, weight. A nicely polished outer playing surface, fitting comfortably onto the chosen finger and enough weight to allow a good full tone and sustain without exerting too much pressure on the strings and you're there! On electric guitars (or acoustics using outboard amplification) the slide is only a small percentage of your tonal package, so although the fit and surface finish are still important, the weight demands won't be too much of an issue....if you need more sustain, wind it in on the amplifier or add an effects pedal into the signal chain. Hope this helps wirecutter and good luck with your endeavours  Slide On! Ian. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2015 17:29:40 GMT
Thanks, Ian and Pete, for the insights for an "outsider".
The inspiration to make a slide from titanium came from that same friend. My friend's been playing guitar for decades, but has only recently gotten serious about using a slide. Glass is good, but breaks easily, so the question came up about making a slide out of some metal tougher than brass. Making a slide from brass would be super easy (brass is the "gold standard" for machinability), but brass is soft and can tarnish. I suggested stainless steel and speculated about using titanium. That idea got an enthusiastic response, and I was off to the races, as they say. It was only after making a couple Ti slides that I learned that it's already being done. I can't say I was too surprised.
From what I'm hearing here, it sounds like a custom-made slide would really be the best thing for a serious player. In my limited research, the off-the-shelf slides basically come in small, medium, and large. If they're going to be in predetermined sizes, I'd think that ring sizes would be better, but custom fit would be best, right? More research required on my part.
On another note, I saw it here first: someone is actually making slides out of tungsten carbide. (Wolfram, for those who didn't know, is the "real" name for tungsten, or W on the periodic table. Cute.) Previously, the only use I knew of for tungsten carbide, or simply "carbide" as it's most often called, is for cutting tools. We've all heard of carbide-tipped circular saw blades. I use solid carbide inserts in the cutting tools I use to machine 304 stainless steel, and yes, titanium. Carbide can *not* be cut - it must be ground. The root material, tungsten, is also desirable for cutters because it's "red hard", meaning it can get very hot and still stay hard enough to remain sharp. It's also quite brittle. As someone said, don't drop it on a hard surface or it will (shah-doo-bee) shatter. (EDIT) Ok, so you *can* get a super smooth mirror finish on it with some work. At any rate, trying to form, cut, or grind tungsten carbide is a bit too exotic for my little (home) shop. I'll stick to using cutters made from the stuff.
Thanks again for the info - I'll check out the other threads about fancy-made slides.
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