Brass fo dat ***

[navvid]

I've been manufacturing my own custom fit brass slide from brass stock, and was wondering if anybody could give me some input as to slide usage. I had to make my own because Dunlop only makes one size in brass, and huge. It's like 23mm, which is a bear paw of a hand if you're using it on even the ring finger.

I wanted to try a pinky slide, so I made one, but now I want to make a ring finger slide. I am having trouble finding the right stock, but in the mean time, I was wondering if anyone had anything to say about the differences in the two positions for the slide. Are there advantages/disadvantages, or is it a style and preference thing?

nrn

[navvid]

oops, was I not supposed to say ***? Sorry...

[Dauntless]

I prefer pinky.
Allows me more finger/fret access without removing the slide.
My problem has always been finding a slide that fits.
Small hands, you know!
What I use now is a small, old medicine bottle that was given to me by a friend or a small steel slide (small is all in perspective) that has rusted inside, allowing my finger to grip it when not using it, so it dosn't slide around on my finger.
I probably have about 6 or 7 different slides sittin' in a drawer that I've tried over the years and I only use the 2. That's not counting the ones I've given away.

Odds are, you'll find your preference the more you play.

[tot_Ou_tard]

I've only palyed a little slide, but I'd love to devote the time to it once I am comfortable playing the guitar in general.

When I've tried, I've used the slide on my pinky mainly to have use of the other fingers as Dauntless sez.

All of my slides are a bit to big for my pinky, however.

[pie_man_25]

I have a steel slide that my father cut from a kinda large piece of piping, and I use it mostly on my ring finger, although if we had some smaller pipe I would make a smaller one for my pinkie, why should I give a bunch of already rich guys $20 for something I can make myself?

[warren0728]

i use my pinkie (to leave more fingers for fingering...when i get to that level) and use a glass dunlop 202 and a mudslide that is ceramic and thicker than glass but smaller in diameter...that is small enough that it does not go over my second knuckle on my pinkie and i like it....the dunlop fits over my entire pinkie....

i also have a eric sardinas brass slide that is tapered (one end has a larger diameter than the other) that i like when using a brass slide....
ww

[Spudman***]

I love the sound of glass but prefer the durability of steel. I also like to use the ring finger or occasionally the pinkie to hold the slide.
With really large diameter steel slides it's pretty simple to use a tiny bit of adhesive weatherstripping inside to make it fit better. It's compressible and trimmable for a custom fit.

[navvid]

It seems finding a slide that fits is a common problem. Maybe I should start selling my custom fits....

I have heard that titanium slides sound unreal. I would like to try making one, but the stock is very expensive, and very, very difficult to machine. If I can get some cheap, I will have to try this.

Also, I would like to hear more about fitting over the second knuckle of any given finger. Is there anyone who can comment? I would think if you do this, you would need a shorter length. Otherwise, it would be clumsy and heavy, it seems.