Slide Scratching

Hello, after listening to a fwe of Dr.Simon's tunes and Exile On Main Street, I was really in the feel to get myself a slide. I bought a steel one and when I use it, I am never get a nice clean sound out of it. Always scratchy. I usually use Open G or Open D. Should I raise the saddles to increase the action? I will not always be using it for slide so I don't want to totally mess everything up.

I have the Tele set up specifically for slide and I keep it tuned to an "open E". In terms of setup I have the action whey high and all the strings at about the same height. Im using Ernie Ball 10s and Graphtech saddles. The Guitar (72 re-issue thin line Tele) has a high action anyway (I tried dropping it and it was horrible) it had always sounded better than it played so...open tuning central.

I know some people will play slide on EADGBE tuning but that is whey too hard for my little brain !


Exile on main st....one of my all time fave albums !!!

Yeee Hawwwww

take off strings you dont need!!
Em.. tie a hankerchief around the first freet so's to mute idel strings

If you're going to set the action high you can probably get away with a lot heavy gauge string which will give you a really healthy, round, and full sound...try 11's or 12's...

I am using 10's and the action is higher than some other guitars I've played. What if I used a glass slide? Would that quiet the scratching down a bit?

Im using a glass slide and I don’t think it will make much difference. I have heard that you can get a fuller tone with a brass one though I have never tried it. I am always too scared of inadvertently digging a chunk out of my neck !

Dont do the scarf thing, you will want your open stirngs to resonate. Also taking off strings is not good, remember you aren't tapping !

I just realised something about playing slide (though I've been doing it for a couple oof years now, I just never noticed). You have to be much more gently with your right hand. Obviously, it depends on what tone/style you're going for, but playing slide (particularly single note slide solos) is much more about "caressing" the note with your right hand, rather than simply whacking it with your pick.
Of course, once you get used to it and you feels more comfortable with that you can experiment with that great rough bluesy sound, but it helps to start light and really feel your way. It's a very expressive mode of playing, and you have to be very in touch with your... touch... :D