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Post by paulsblues12 on May 23, 2023 15:17:09 GMT
Hi every one. I have a good selection of slides that vary from glass sterling silver German silver. That are all open ended. Ive been watching a few blues teaching videos and the guy is using a closed end brass looking slide on a guitar like my own gretsch. Is there much difference in the closed end to the open is what i am asking opinions on.
Thank in advance Paul
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Post by bonzo on May 23, 2023 15:36:12 GMT
Think of the closed end as your fingertip.
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Post by Michael Messer on May 23, 2023 15:36:35 GMT
Hi Paul, It's a personal taste thing and my advice is to get one and see how it feels. Duane Allman used a glass bottle with a closed top, so it can't be all bad. I know a couple of good players that use brass ones, but for me they feel weird and there's no air, so it can get a bit sweaty in there. Just get one and try it, it's the only way to find out. Shine On Michael None of those are closed rounded ends, they are solid Hawaiian bullet steels. There's another drawer-full downstairs!
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Post by disparatesoul on May 23, 2023 16:31:34 GMT
You should sign a few and start selling them Michael !
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Post by pete1951 on May 23, 2023 16:58:06 GMT
I was an open end slide player for many years, then my local music shop got some closed end ‘’bullet’ shaped one . They were too long and unpolished ( I should think several people who bought them were put off slide if they tried them straight away) but cut down and polished were perfect for me. I play a little lap steel and one the same slide as for standard guitar. Other slides are available! Pete
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Post by Michael Messer on May 23, 2023 17:15:33 GMT
You should sign a few and start selling them Michael ! Hmmm...I think I have around 150 slides, maybe more. It's what happens when you do what I have done the past 45 years. I have never sold one and I am not sure I could. I occasionally give them away if I feel inclined. The thing is that I know each one, where it came from, how and why. For example...That steel one in the middle facing us, is a very important slide. I had it made in 1983 because it was just like my friend's one that I really liked. I used it as my main slide for quite a few years. Someday I will line them all up for a photo and see what we've got. Shine On Michael
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Post by disparatesoul on May 23, 2023 17:56:58 GMT
do you tend to play the same one most of the time, then move on - or do you change the slide depending on the guitar or even song you're playing ?
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Post by paulsblues12 on May 23, 2023 18:00:48 GMT
I was an open end slide player for many years, then my local music shop got some closed end ‘’bullet’ shaped one . They were too long and unpolished ( I should think several people who bought them were put off slide if they tried them straight away) but cut down and polished were perfect for me. I play a little lap steel and one the same slide as for standard guitar. Other slides are available! Pete
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Post by paulsblues12 on May 23, 2023 18:03:01 GMT
Hi pete, Does the blue glass one sound much different to the brass one ?
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Post by disparatesoul on May 23, 2023 18:33:30 GMT
Hi pete, Does the blue glass one sound much different to the brass one ? i'm not Pete but the blue glass one looks like a diamond bottleneck blue diamond
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Post by pete1951 on May 23, 2023 18:56:12 GMT
Yes it’s a Diamond slide, it sounds great ,but I prefer the size and weight of the brass, so it only comes out on special occasions. Pete
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Post by paulsblues12 on May 23, 2023 18:56:39 GMT
Hi pete, Does the blue glass one sound much different to the brass one ?
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Post by pete1951 on May 23, 2023 19:57:24 GMT
Most of the difference, for me, is the feel, rather than the sound, I will have a play tomorrow and try to describe the way they sound, I guess I could do a video? I’ll see if time allows. Pete
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Post by Michael Messer on May 23, 2023 20:30:03 GMT
do you tend to play the same one most of the time, then move on - or do you change the slide depending on the guitar or even song you're playing ? In recent years I tend to go through phases of favouring one particular slide, which for the past few years has been a German silver one. There was a time when I used the same one as my main slide for around 25 years.Then there are are a few that I like to change to on occasions for various reasons, tone weight, or just a change. I have been using a couple of Ian's Diamond bottlenecks a lot in the last few years because sometimes my ageing hands struggle with the weight of heavy alloys. A lot of this is force of habit and sometimes I just need a change. I have recently finished recording a new album and I used a German silver slide and a Diamond bottleneck on the whole album, apart from the lap steel parts which I think I did with a German silver Hawaiian bullet steel. Sometimes it's whatever's in the bag and sometimes I get really fussy. A different slide can completely change my attitude and vibe when playing, especially speed and vibrato. I can play much faster with glass because it's lighter than metal alloys, but I can get a deeper fatter darker tone with more sustain when using a heavy German silver, steel or brass slide. This is deep stuff. 45 years with a piece of tubing on your finger is a long time. I can babble for hours about slides and send everyone around me to sleep in the process. Shine On Michael
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Post by disparatesoul on May 23, 2023 22:04:49 GMT
do you tend to play the same one most of the time, then move on - or do you change the slide depending on the guitar or even song you're playing ? In recent years I tend to go through phases of favouring one particular slide, which for the past few years has been a German silver one. There was a time when I used the same one as my main slide for around 25 years.Then are are a few that I like to change to on occasions for various reasons, tone weight, or just a change. I have been using a couple of Ian's Diamond bottlenecks a lot in the last few years because sometimes my ageing hands struggle with the weight of heavy alloys. A lot of this is force of habit and sometimes I just need a change. I have recently finished recording a new album and I used a German silver slide and a Diamond bottleneck on the whole album, apart from the lap steel parts which I think I did with a German silver Hawaiian bullet steel. Sometimes it's whatever's in the bag and sometimes I get really fussy. A different slide can completely change my attitude and vibe when playing, especially speed and vibrato. I can play much faster with glass because it's lighter than metal alloys, but I can get a deeper fatter darker one with more sustain when using a heavy German silver, steel or brass slide. This is deep stuff. 45 years with a piece of tubing on your finger is a long time. I can babble for hours about slides and send everyone around me to sleep in the process. Shine On Michael Thank you for the detailed response Michael. As someone who is relative new to this mystical art, this is all valuable knowledge and a great insight into the workings and thought process of a master musician. At the moment, i'm using a glass red house from Ian and i've got an ultimate on the way. I do like the tone but may try a heavier metal one in the future.
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