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Old 10-18-2019, 06:51 PM
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Default Wolfram slides

Hi everyone,

For about three years I've been playing slide with a Wolfram Martin Simpson Raven slide, and I love it. Changed my life, even, a little. It's very cool looking (though I suppose most slides are) and it's apparently got some kind of coating on it even though I would have otherwise thought it was just steel.

Anyway, partly because I'm planning to get one as a present for my slide-playing child I went back to their website and am now intrigued by the other models on offer. The ultimate one seems to be the tungsten carbide, at a cool 325 pounds, and of course I would love to try it, along with the others. (I could even order it for Beloved Child, but I think they would feel guilty if they learned how much it cost). I'm also tempted by the "Aurous", which is described as specially silky (whatever that really means)>

Leaving aside all these emotional complications, has anyone tried more than one Wolfram model? Is the Tungsten Carbide one really worth it?? Does the Aurous sound very different from the Raven? Should I just leave well enough alone and go back and play?

best
will
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Old 10-18-2019, 08:24 PM
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Yrksman Yrksman is offline
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I haven’t spent £325 but I know people who have and nobody has regretted it.
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Old 10-19-2019, 04:33 AM
stringjunky stringjunky is offline
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It costs that much because of the time David has to put into that material. It apparently is totally unforgiving of surface imperfections and has to be perfectly smooth. I've been desiring a carbide pick but he's not up for it again yet because of the time and making it cost-effecient enough. I imagine, given its hardness, nothing comes close to keeping the energy in the strings without absoprbing it. Price-wise, I don't think it's something you can justify in terms of simple value for money metrics but by other reasons, like probably its tone; that's what it costs to have that particular tone, as nuanced as it may be. It's the same with very high end guitars.
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Old 10-19-2019, 04:52 AM
welshruss welshruss is offline
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My go to slide is my Wolfram Martin Simpson steel slide. I also have one of the Wolfram tone bars for my Weissenborn. I’d love to try one of the coated slides but I’m happy with the steel one.
I use the nail files as well.
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Old 10-19-2019, 05:40 AM
AndrewG AndrewG is offline
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Not for me; too 'perfect', too slick. I prefer a slide with some abrasive wear which imparts energy into the string, excites it and gives some resistance. I get great tone from a cheapo Dunlop #228 heavy chromed brass slide. I don't need a 'high end' slide to get good sounds. Listen to Johnny Winter, Sonny Landreth, Sam Mitchell, Ry Cooder, Lowell George; nothing remotely 'boutique' about their lowly slides, but the the tones they produce are sublime.
Here'a an old drinking buddy of mine, the late great Sam Mitchell playing 'Thibodeaux'...

https://open.spotify.com/album/7JUY6...Yd2Oe?replay=1
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Last edited by AndrewG; 10-19-2019 at 06:19 AM.
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