String advice for Drednought acoustic

[menamestom]

Hello folks,

I was wandering what strings would be best for slide on an ordinary acoustic guitar. I'm currently using phosphor bronze 12's which are a bit skinny and bright. Could I use National type strings, perhaps the newtone Light's or would they be too heavy (I tune to open D, but am open to suggestions).

I currently use a Simon and Patrick guitar and an old Harmony Kay (very nicely set up for slide due to it's age when I bought it!). I'm thinking of getting another acoustic to dedicate to slide and thinking about Cedar. Has anybody experience of Cedar soundboards with Slide? I've heard they are quite mellow. I'd go for a resonator if I had the budget but just can't afford a good one I'm afraid.

I know the best thing to do is try things out but I don't want to damage my guitars with too heavy strings and when trying new guitars in music shops they are never set up for slide; and I don't think they would apprciate me messing with their nuts!

Thanks
Tom

[Michael Messer]

Hi Tom,

For open tunings I use MM Newtone National 15 to 56 on all my guitars....Nationals, Dobros, flat-top acoustics and electrics. In open DADF#AD and DGDGBD the MM Newtones will be fine.....and they sound & feel GREAT! There is a page on my website about the strings.

Regarding your questions about cedar soundboards....I am sure someone on this forum can advise you, but I can't.

Keep in touch,
Slide On & Shine On,
Michael.

[fitchmeister]

Hi Tom

I use a cedar topped parlour for slide and it sounds pretty cool, i swapped the bridge pins for brass ones, and fitted a set of 12s but replaced the 12 with a 13. The guitar manufacturer (AMI)spec was upto 12s, so i didnt want to err to far. I tried a heavier set but the sound was very choked.

The finish on my guitar is not hardwearing and the cedar is a soft wood so it is starting to look pretty rock & roll quite quickly.
I found some clear sticky scratch plate material that is v thin and protects the top from my thumbpick assualt really well.

If you're interested i can email you either pics of it, and or, a sound byte. The whole lot cost me £200.

Rgds

Roj

[robn]

Hi Tom,

A set of medium gauge strings (13-56) give roughly the same overall tension when tuned to open D (DADF#AD) or open G (DGDGBD) as a set of light gauge strings (12-54) tuned to standard tuning (EADGBE). So you can afford to go up a gauge without truss rod adjustments if you keep the guitar in open D or G.

13-56 with the 1st string changed for a .14 or .15 is pretty much the standard package for slide guitar on an acoustic. Unless it is a particularly light build or old parlour guitar when 12-54 would work best, with the 1st string swapped for a .13. My small travel guitar is set up with this system (12-54 with the first swapped for a .13) as I have found that a .12 first string is just too weak for slide. Incidentally my travel guitar (an SX Baby) is put away in standard tuning but regularly played in open D or open G and occasionally tuned up to open E or open A (the up tuning is equivalent to putting on medium gauge strings in standard tuning).

The Newtone National strings 13-56 or 15-56 are great and would work if you kept the guitar in an open tuning. However, modern dreadnaughts are not usually great slide guitars as they produce too many overtones. Your Harmony Kay may well sound better than your S&P for slide work. If you are looking for a new cedar top guitar for slide playing then try one with a smaller body size which will emphasise the mid-range. Something like the Tanglewood TW73 would be worth a look. I have played a couple of these and been very impressed. I think that I would go for the Newtone Masterclass12-54s with the first changed for a .13 on that particular guitar because it would be great for ragtime and finger picking blues in standard tuning as well as slide.

Hope this helps

Robn

[menamestom]

Thanks all for your replies. This is my first post on the forum and it's really nice that you all have been so helpful.

I'll give the set a try as advised by Robn, it is usually the first string that sounds a little week so I like the idea of having it upped to a 15. It's always been my worry that I'd be putting things under too much pressure but I guess 13's should be happy on most acoustics when tuned lower.

Your right about the Harmony, it certainly sounds better for slide than the S & P whose sound is too - for want of a better word - 'polite' for slide. Id just like something a little less boxy sounding than the Harmony, something with a bit more detail in the sound. I really like Xavier Rudds slide sound although I think most of it is Weissenborn slide. I shall check out the Tanglewood.

Roj, your AMI sounds interesting, especially at the price. Yes, a sound clip and photo would be great, is my email is [e-mail] (is it okay to put my email on the forum??), or can you post the details in this thread?
A solid topped guitar for that price seems very good. My only reservation on the parlours in the upper fret access (as with my harmony ) although I guess all the blues guys of that era managed on them! I was thinking a full size acoustic with a cut-a-way but come to think of it I've not seen many people playing slide on them. I have seen Ry cooder playing a dreadnought (I think) though....

Many Thanks
Tom

[fitchmeister]

Hi Tom

I think the preferred method of passin yr email address would be via private message, but hey.

Sound byte an pic sent

Rgds

Roj