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Post by bobdurham on Apr 30, 2009 13:55:04 GMT -5
Anyone heard the CD by Rory Block -- Son House songs? I think it contains some of her best (if not some of THE best) acoustic slide work I've heard.
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Post by TRK on Apr 30, 2009 14:42:34 GMT -5
Bob, I haven't heard it, but Rory Block is playing here in my town May 23, and we're planning on going. Her Robert Johnson instructional dvd is pretty good.
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Post by TRK on May 24, 2009 7:30:55 GMT -5
Saw her last night. She did three or four Son House songs, including "Preaching Blues," "County Farm," "Death Letter Blues," and an acapella "Grinnin' in Your Face" that was knock-down stunning. Also, some original ballads, and, of course, a healthy dose of Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, Tommy Johnson, etc.
It was great to see her percussive slide technique from fairly close. She had a battery of four of five Rory Block signature Martins, and was beating the daylights out of them. I found it interesting that the socket wrench she uses for slide was clacking on the frets much of the time. This drives me nuts when I use a brass or stainless slide with a heavy attack on my Martin, with its fairly low action, but it made me think maybe I worry too much about that sound.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on May 24, 2009 9:11:30 GMT -5
Interesting comments about the slide. I'm not what I would call a slide virtuouso, but I do use one on a couple of songs in the course of a four-hour gig and can hold my own on it. I have extremely short and skinny fingers making it darn near impossible for me to find a commercially-available slide that will fit and stay on my pinky. Some years back, I read about a couple of guys who use sockets, so off I went to my local Sears and tried a bunch on until I found a long-barrel one that fit perfectly, without being too snug, but firmly enough it wouldn't go flying off my pinky. Turned out being a 9/16" Craftsman with a lifetime guarantee. I can't see me outlining that socket (lol).
Recently, though, I heard about guy who makes and sells single-cut and double-cut glass slides and checked him out. You can find his stuff over at Willy's Slides on eBay. He's cheap and puts out a quality product. Because of the variety of glass, real-bottle slides he has, I emaialed him, told hime what I wanted for size and coverage, etc. He matched it perfectly, and I now have two heavier glass slides that fit as good as those sockets.
Regarding the clack from hitting those strings, well ... some guys have a smooth slide attach, and others are more percussive. Mine tends to be the latter. I find I can control that clacking somewhat with my ring finger behind the slide, which most guys also use to deaden the unwanted strings as well.
Sounds like you had a blast. I'll have to check Rory out and see if she's coming 'round these parts any time soon.
Paul
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Post by TRK on May 24, 2009 9:38:18 GMT -5
Paul, I'll have to check out Willy's Slides. I collect slides of all types and have more than anybody could ever need: probably twenty single- and double-cut glass ones I cut from bottles; a few ceramic ones I made (they're a little scratchy sounding; can't get the glazed outside perfectly smooth); a thick, short, tapered brass one I cut out of a circa 1920 faucet--it's a tone monster--etc. A Jet Slide, a patented gadget that I recently got, shows promise; it has a brass rod slide mounted on an adjustable ring-shaped holder. You slip on the ring on your ring finger, and hold your pinky on a flange to bear down on the slide; then, to play the guitar the usual way, you pull your pinky off the flange, and it frees up all your fretting fingers to do their thing. Takes a little practice, but the tone is good. You can find them on Ebay or at the usual musical supply places.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on May 24, 2009 9:51:50 GMT -5
The guy seems to be a straight-shooter, and pretty good replying to emails and so on. I wish more of those eBay guys were like him.
Paul
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Post by bobdurham on May 24, 2009 20:56:11 GMT -5
Thanks for the tip Paul -- I just ordered two slides from Willy's -- will let you know what I think of them. I've been in search of the perfect slide for years. I like the sound of thick glass slides but haven't been able to find any that fit well. Currently, I use a brass slide that I picked up at a flea market in London and a Craftsman socket -- sort of alternate between the two. I used a medicine bottle for a while -- like the sound but it feels a bit awkward to me.
Hope you find a Rory Block concert near you -- she's a dynamic performer, like her a lot.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on May 25, 2009 6:35:29 GMT -5
Cool beans! I exchanged several emails with him before ordering so that he knew what I wanted, and I would know what I was getting (size and thickness). If nothing else, you'll have a fun conversational piece. Wait 'til you see the little cloth bags he packs them in. Neat!
Let me know what you think. Of the two I got (he sends them in pairs), one was a little shorter in length than the other, which was cool. I've used them both and have no problems with wither of them.
Paul
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Post by bobdurham on May 28, 2009 15:37:37 GMT -5
I received the slides today -- very cool. They fit well (a completely fortuitous accident because I didn't communicate with him prior to ordering) and I like the heft of both of them. You're right about the cloth bags they came in -- a great addition.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on May 29, 2009 6:08:42 GMT -5
Yeah, those bags are worth the price of admission alone, aren't they? I know I like my slides, too.
Some guy over on the Carvin Museum Forums, I think, met Willie at some gig. Willie offered him a couple of slides, he tried them, liked them, and commented about them there. I checked him out and ordered a couple and couldn't be happier. I didn't think I'd ever find a heavy enough glass slide that fit and sounded good.
Glad you like yours.
Paul
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Post by bobdurham on Jun 3, 2009 16:19:44 GMT -5
I've been giving the new slides a workout -- one fits me better but they both sound great. Its probably just me but I prefer my new glass slide when playing in Open D/E but still like my brass slide better for Open G/A songs. Think the brass slide gives more of a gritty feel for Delta styles.
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