Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Tech => Topic started by: Madiac on February 27, 2009, 11:06:15 PM

Title: Slide guitar extension nuts?
Post by: Madiac on February 27, 2009, 11:06:15 PM
Hello. Has anyone tried these? You just slacken the strings and then put in this "extra" nut above the normal one to heighten the strings for slide guitar. Was thinking, how would the action be further towards the bridge, still pretty low right? Or does it do a good job of putting them high up all over. Thought it would be fun to play some slide guitar from time to time without having to do a big set-up.
Title: Re: Slide guitar extension nuts?
Post by: jibidy on February 27, 2009, 11:11:22 PM
I'd try that.

But I've never tried playing any slide. Is it hard to pick up? I really like its southern sounds.
Title: Re: Slide guitar extension nuts?
Post by: 38thBeatle on February 27, 2009, 11:14:20 PM
I have started seeing them but haven't tried one. I play slide in the band but I have learned in standard tuning ( I can do it in open too) because I can't be arsed changing guitars. I just live with the fact that the action isn't ideal.
Title: Re: Slide guitar extension nuts?
Post by: tomjackson on February 28, 2009, 12:01:24 AM
Nut raisers are great but make fretting impossible.  I like to set guitars up specifically for slide so I can fret lower down but still slide without buzzing.  Nut raisers are more for the dobro experience where you learn everything by the slide or tone bar but they are also good just to have a try with your normal guitar.

But if you really want to get into electric slide I think you need to go with a heavy action and strings, it's much more versatile unless you plan on slanting the slide/tonebar which is really a whole different way of playing.

Or just raise your action for a few days, count the turns on each saddle, note them and go back when you have had enough, that's what I do :)
Title: Re: Slide guitar extension nuts?
Post by: WezV on February 28, 2009, 12:49:07 AM
if you take a guitar with a low action and put a nut raiser on it  the action will still be low near the other end of the fretboard.... this is fine if you are using your ears but never ideal. a good tool if you want to try slide without converting a guitar fully

i agree about having a guitar set-up properly for slide... or even better get a lap-steel - cheap instruments that work so much better for slide playing.   we build a weakness into guitars because we have to have a skinny neck to hold onto so we can fret it... no such problem with lapsteels and you can pretty much build them out of anything