Beginner slide guitar questions

[Robert]

Someone asked me what to get as a complete beginner on slide guitar. He has never played any instrument in his life. He wants to go straight into slide blues guitar. His idols are Big Joe Williams and Sonny Boy Williamson.

He is asking what guitar and what book or DVD he should get.

I am not sure what to tell him. What would you recommend?

[mark wein]

I like this book alot...it helped me quite a bit and I use it to teach my beginning slide students. One of my students has a DVD by Warren Haynes that he likes alot but I haven't checked it out yet. Don't really have a reccomendation on an instrument, though....

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51C0SXAZ3RL._SL500_BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/Slide-Guitar-Book-Record-Arlen/dp/0825601622/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212868719&sr=8-15

[sumitomo]

I have that book and the dvd form warren both are great.But on the dvd there are loops and slow mo lessons.Sumi:D

[piebaldpython]

Robert,
Does your friend want to play acoustic or electric slide? Or both?? Open tunings or standard?
The book mentioned above is good, I have the Warren Haynes book on order. For Acoustic bottleneck playing, I have this 3 DVD series by Bob Brozman and it's great:
http://www.elderly.com/videos/items/300-DVD27SET.htm

The guy is a monster player and a great teacher.
As to guitars, ahahahahaha, well......any guitar will DO, just that if the guitar has really low action, it should be raised so that you don't get fret buzzing when you put the slide to the strings. That being said, there are a whole boatload of specialty guitars to handle blues/slide work; usually some type of resonator, spider cone, biscuit cone, tri-cone.
I assume since your friend wants to play SLIDE, that means a guitar held in "normal" position as opposed to LAP SLIDE, where the guitar lays on one's lap. SQUARENECK resos are best for LAP style.
Feel free to question me more if what I have above isn't specific enough.

[Robert]

He doesn't know anything about guitar, that is why he is asking me.

I have heard about Brozman, that might be the way to go.

These are good suggestions, thanks guys.

[Rabies]

Does anyone else think that it might be a good idea for someone just starting out to learn a little more about regular guitar playing before going all out slide?

[piebaldpython]

One can go directly into slide guitar without first playing "regular" guitar. It can be done as it's a totally different process than learning "regular" guitar. This is especially true with someone learning LAP style.

[Blaze]

Most of the slide guitar freaks play in open tunning ..



Blazes:dude: