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  #16  
Old 10-31-2015, 08:28 AM
syrynx syrynx is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mdutr0 View Post
On a whim I ordered a Dunlop 232 from Amazon. I ordered the smallest size available, which was a medium.

Now, I'm a relatively big guy. I'm 6' 1" and weigh just north of 185 lbs. My fingers are on the long side but I don't believe they are unusually skinny.

This slide is MASSIVE! It is WAY too big to be worn on my pinky; it just flops around, no matter which end I put on my finger (it is one of the flared models). Even on my ring finger the only thing that stops it from bottoming out is my wedding ring.

And this is the medium?
Well, you probably weren't going to get your lifetime-keeper-does-everything-perfectly slide on the first try, anyway. But you could have tried sticking your fingers into a few things before ordering.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Neal View Post
I'm surprised no one gave you any advice on how to size your finger or any folks to talk to regarding proper fit. Had they done so, perhaps you could have saved some time as well as money. This forum sure is lacking sometimes.
Actually, I did. But perhaps I didn't spell it out in sufficient detail:

In almost every city, town, or village, there is a hardware store which sells socket wrenches. Between imperial and metric sizes, there is for practical purposes an infinite variety of sizes from which to choose. Find the nearest Sears, Roebuck or Ace Hardware or True Value or Harbor Freight or Lowe's or Home Depot or locally O&O socket wrench purveyor (I don't make a penny from any of 'em) and stick your finger into lots of socket wrenches, until you find the best fit. That one may not be the lifetime-keeper-does-everything-perfectly slide for you, but it will give you something that fits, while you further investigate whether steel, copper, brass, ceramic or glass suits you best. I mean, sheesh, Lowell even put the instruction manual in a song: "Rocket in my pocket... Finger in the socket."



My most recent slide, as I mentioned in my previous post, is a Dunlop 232, which seems to suit me better than a socket wrench for most of my electric guitars. But a few weeks ago I fell under the spell cast by (Berklee College of Music Associate Professor) Dave Tronzo in this concert, and I may have to dig out my own Silvertone 1457.



If I do, it's back to the socket wrench; the Dunlop's concavity won't work well with the 1457's flat finger board.
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  #17  
Old 10-31-2015, 08:36 AM
blue blue is offline
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Been through tons of them, from homemade (anybody else ever flub your grip right as you get through the bottle and watch your newly minted slide hit the garage floor and shatter? Lesson learned. Cut over some padding!) to imported from the UK.

My best advice is "If you can buy it at Guitar Center or Musician's Friend, don't..."

Pay a little more. Get something a little heavier made by someone who knows what they are doing. I won't recommend any other than Diamond. There are other "artisans" you can find on Ebay, but I know what I'm getting every time. I feel no need to experiment and waste another cent.

I do pay attention to threads like these though, and am open to trying something if it looks promising AND it is more than $10 cheaper than my go to Diamonds. But if it's even close in price, I'm sticking with my fave.

The Slide equivalent of "Blue Chip" picks are always intriguing, but I simply won't pay that much.
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  #18  
Old 11-01-2015, 04:33 PM
Neal Neal is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by syrynx View Post
Actually, I did. But perhaps I didn't spell it out in sufficient..
Second post of the thread. Should have probably put [/sarcasm] in for those that don't read other's posts.

Getting a good first slide that fits properly and has some heft is more important than the material, as it's all just noise in the beginning. Kinda like "should I go mahogany or rosewood back and sides on my first guitar?" It just doesn't matter until you can make a more informed choice yourself.
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  #19  
Old 11-01-2015, 07:29 PM
syrynx syrynx is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neal View Post
Getting a good first slide that fits properly and has some heft is more important than the material, as it's all just noise in the beginning. Kinda like "should I go mahogany or rosewood back and sides on my first guitar?" It just doesn't matter until you can make a more informed choice yourself.
I think we're vehemently agreeing with each other. And I can't think of any quicker way to find something that fits than a socket wrench.
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