Setting my AV52 tele up for slide

TINMAN82

Have decided to use my AV52 tele primarily for alternate tunings (incl stones stuff) and slide.

Ive always thought this guitar manages a lower action than I’d expect with the 7.25 radius but it’s a bit buzzy and fragile when I take a slide to it.

My first step is to order a set of 11s (currently strung with 10s) which should help.

Looking at string height at the bridge and bearing in mind it won’t be exclusively for slide, do I
a) maintain the radius but raise the string heights at all saddles 
b) maintain the current string height in the middle but level off the outer saddles to flatten the radius
c) flatten the radius and raise the string heights, including middle saddle?

Bearing in mind I still want to play open g stones riffs etc, what’s the best compromise for a slide friendly setup?

cheers

Lewy

You can go either way but personally I maintain the radius on my slide guitars. That’s in part because I never have the slide covering all the strings all the time and I’m always angling it in and out of the strings and it’s actually quite handy being able to play stuff on the middle strings and have the top and bottom ones a bit out of the way.

In terms of overall action and string gauge it depends entirely on how much you intend to practice. You don’t need a high action or heavy strings to play slide if your technique is on point. 

Teetonetal

I’m not a great slide player, but getting your technique up to spec so that you dont need a setup alteration is not that hard and imo the way to go vs making it “easy” my only change was to use 11s and adjust the neck accordingly.

i also prefer the radius to be maintained.

Lewy

It's kind of ironic that the two most talked-about slide players of the moment are Joey Landreth and Ariel Posen....both play heavy strings and high actions. Both are clearly heavily influenced by Derek Trucks (JL makes no bones about it) and he plays 11-46 with a low action. 

Mark1960

My advice would be to set up your guitar wholly for slide initially, (open tuning, high action, heavy strings, no radius) and learn the technique thoroughly (including dampening with both left hand and right hand). Once you can play slide to your satisfaction, then try a different set up, so you can play both on the same guitar. When I first started I tried to play on a conventional guitar set up, and I found it really hard, and this held me back for a while. I now take two guitars to a gig, one set up for slide the other with a conventional set up. I have always admired guitarists who can play slide on a conventional set up, but I never could. Good luck either way.

mudslide73

Keep it low so you can fret the notes with the slide like Derek  

TINMAN82

Thanks chaps. I’ll throw the 11s on and take it from there. Sounds like maintaining the radius is worth trying to begin with. Just purchased the DT signature slide from Dunlop. Very comfortable.

Caffeine_Vampire

Buy a Dunlop Capo/Slide Converter but remove it when you’ve finished playing. 

TINMAN82

Caffeine_Vampire said:

Buy a Dunlop Capo/Slide Converter but remove it when you’ve finished playing. 

Had never heard of that, looks worth a try. Thanks

Lewy

TINMAN82 said:

Caffeine_Vampire said:

Buy a Dunlop Capo/Slide Converter but remove it when you’ve finished playing. 

Had never heard of that, looks worth a try. Thanks

The vast majority of iconic slide guitar also incorporates fretted notes or at least fretted chords as part of the guitar part. You won't be able to play them with that....

mbe

Try a concave slide. Dunlop make them.
http://www.hotroxuk.com/concave-brass-slide.html?utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=organic&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpsLkBRDpARIsAKoYI8z8tjdZg16A23o0fqX0gnnDg5Jx0Kh_9J6aKnGGYSU5bCPQABunp0oaAl8zEALw_wcB

Caffeine_Vampire

Lewy said:

TINMAN82 said:

Caffeine_Vampire said:

Buy a Dunlop Capo/Slide Converter but remove it when you’ve finished playing. 

Had never heard of that, looks worth a try. Thanks

The vast majority of iconic slide guitar also incorporates fretted notes or at least fretted chords as part of the guitar part. You won't be able to play them with that....

I can with mine. 

Lewy

Caffeine_Vampire said:

Lewy said:

TINMAN82 said:

Caffeine_Vampire said:

Buy a Dunlop Capo/Slide Converter but remove it when you’ve finished playing. 

Had never heard of that, looks worth a try. Thanks

The vast majority of iconic slide guitar also incorporates fretted notes or at least fretted chords as part of the guitar part. You won't be able to play them with that....

I can with mine. 

You play in-tune fretted notes with this? I'd like to see that...

TINMAN82

Lewy said:

Caffeine_Vampire said:

Lewy said:

TINMAN82 said:

Caffeine_Vampire said:

Buy a Dunlop Capo/Slide Converter but remove it when you’ve finished playing. 

Had never heard of that, looks worth a try. Thanks

The vast majority of iconic slide guitar also incorporates fretted notes or at least fretted chords as part of the guitar part. You won't be able to play them with that....

I can with mine. 

You play in-tune fretted notes with this? I'd like to see that...

In fairness you can take that sleeve off and it only raises strings 3mm (apparently). Have ordered one as I think it could be a good route into slide playing and practice tool.
Costs less than a pro setup (I’ll need one if I mess up the current setup!).

Caffeine_Vampire

Lewy said:

Caffeine_Vampire said:

Lewy said:

TINMAN82 said:

Caffeine_Vampire said:

Buy a Dunlop Capo/Slide Converter but remove it when you’ve finished playing. 

Had never heard of that, looks worth a try. Thanks

The vast majority of iconic slide guitar also incorporates fretted notes or at least fretted chords as part of the guitar part. You won't be able to play them with that....

I can with mine. 

You play in-tune fretted notes with this? I'd like to see that...

As mentioned above, the sleeve is removable leaving a nice action suitable for both slide and fretting. 

TINMAN82

For anyone interested:

Restrung with 11s which helped straight away but didn’t quite achieve rattle free slide.

Tried the Dunlop Slide converter. Work of the devil I’m afraid. Despite stating “works on any guitar” the straight bar didn’t sit well on my 7.25 frets. Horrible metal to metal design that easily scores the frets and fretboard. Slips off fret during play. Sets strings far too high even with sleeve off.

So have raised the strings around 0.6mm each at saddles, trying to maintain the radius. Now we’re in business. String height above 12th fret now around 2.6mm and 2.2mm at high E. Still playable and seems a reasonable compromise.

FWIW Derek Trucks signature slide is fantastic.

All I need now is time to practice...!