Techniques for slide bass set-up?

[zongeek]

I'm trying to take an old Ibanez p-copy and turn it into some variation of a slide bass.

Now I know I want the action super high for the most part, but I'm wondering what other folks have to say about things like which strings are best? Do I need to increase the height of my nut (and would this mean replacing it)? Or can I do all of that work in the bridge?

Roundwound strings or flat? I figure rounds for more zing and bite.

And are there any other subtleties that I should know about in terms of adjustments and things?

Thanks in advance.

[walterw]

i've actually done a little of this.

you really don't need a major change in setup, although a little higher action always helps.

the key is to get a really heavy slide, like craftsman socket heavy. this will allow you to not press so hard while still "dominating" the string with the slide.

slow, careful technique and you can almost get into fretless-sounding territory. fretless-style is how you'll play it, too, making sure to stop the string right over each fret instead of behind it.

[alec]

It's very noisy with rounds, I find. Flats are a lot less intrusive.

[dlenaghan]

Ok, this is something I've also been wondering about ever since I was introduced to Mark Sandman and Morphine. I got a Dunlop glass slide that isn't really doing much.. would a curved brass slide work better? The action on my bass is medium, so it seem high enough but I can only rarely get the notes to sound full.. usually it sounds like a farty harmonic.

Maybe flats and a brass slide are the answer...

[dlenaghan]

While we're on it, do the slide bass players here use a flat cylindrical slide or one curved to match the fretboard radius? The curves on the brass slides I've seen seem rather deep, and I've not yet seen a bass guitar with quite so radical a fretboard radius...

[grisezd]

I think that slide bass isn't so mainstream that there are rules yet. We can look at what guitar players do. I guess there are two camps, one that plays slide properly and one that tries to use a slide on a guitar that's set up for fretting.

You can get a slide to sound good with just a slight increase in string height at the bridge, but you'll have to play lightly. To me that's not really playing slide at all, but it works.

My preference would be to increase the string height at both ends and take the radius out of the string heights. Quick and dirty I've done this by shoving some rod under the strings at the nut (changing the scale length, of course, so play by ear), but it's best to cut a new nut (or use an adustable nut).

Oh, yea, and as has been said the heaviest slide you can hold. Then attack that thing!

[alec]

Originally Posted by dlenaghan

While we're on it, do the slide bass players here use a flat cylindrical slide or one curved to match the fretboard radius?

Mine is flat

[Aged_Clayman]

The only slide that ever worked for me was the one I made out of wine bottle - it was heavy enough (dunlop feels like feather), and since it`s non-metall you won`t have any grounding-related pops/clicks when touching the strings. At least, my bass sounds cleaner with a glass slide. Hope, this helps

[zongeek]

Originally Posted by Aged_Clayman

The only slide that ever worked for me was the one I made out of wine bottle - it was heavy enough (dunlop feels like feather), and since it`s non-metall you won`t have any grounding-related pops/clicks when touching the strings. At least, my bass sounds cleaner with a glass slide. Hope, this helps

How'd you make a slide outta that?

[ihixulu]

I have a Morphine cover project that's been going on for a while. I can share my experiences so far, hopefully someone can make use and improve upon my experience.

I use the Dunlop 213 tempered glass slide (I think that's the model number) - the fattest one they make. I tried lighter glass slides and they just bounce off the string and produce too much rattle. Metal didn't work for me. A flat slide will make it easier to play single note runs.

I use D'Addario Chrome flats. Rounds generated too much noise.

I found that long scale basses did not work well. I bought an SX short scale bass specifically for sliding. I removed the A string and have the bass tuned D_DA. The low string comes in handy for a low pedal.

Action is maxed on the bridge and I introduced a fair amount of bow to the neck. I found that since fretting ease was not a concern I played around with the string height until I got it to where I could dig in some without bottoming out on the fretboard. Intonation is irrelevant.

I am thinking about cutting a new nut to raise the action at the headstock. Even with a light touch on the slide, I find that it is too easy to bottom out against the fretboard at the 1st position.

[walterw]

just pop the original out and shim it up with something, like say a coffee stirrer stick from a starbuck's.

you could probably then straighten the neck back out a bit, which might make for a more rigid neck and better sustain.

[ihixulu]

That's a good idea; I'll give it a shot. Thanks, Walterw!

[DONZI97]

I too someday plan on building a slide bass, just waiting for a good bass for 50 bucks on CL. But I bought a nut extender that you place over the nut to bring up the string height. I got the idea on another thread about Morphine slide bass mods.