[pcmancini]

I have a very nice ASAT "Tribute" tele style guitar that I want to use exclusively for slide. It is currently very well set up for normal playing and has a set of 10s on it.

I want to change the strings to a set of 13-53 I ordered from SOB and also want to know what I need to do to accomodate these strings and to optimize it for slide.

Can I do the mods myself (is it as simple as changing the strings and letting the new tension rasie the action?) or do you all reccomend taking it to a guitar tech?

I plan to use Open E tuning for the most part but may do some Open A as well.

Thanks

[allthumbs]

see what the heavy strings do for you first. No piont paying a tech if the strings fix it. It won't hurt anything to try them first. 13s would be considered mediums for slide so they may not pull the strings up enough. I played 13s on my non slide guitars for years and found that the high E string took a light touch not to fret out when using a slide. I play dropped d so I don't know if open E tuning would put more tension than that on your strings. I use 16s for slide on electric and 13s for accustic.

[randy_mc]

wow, that's huge!

I use a set of DR 10's with a 12 on the top on my Fenders (Tele and Strat), and I use 11's with a 12 on the Les Paul. Everything's done in standard tuning, though so I can play single note stuff as well.

[pcmancini]

I have my ASAT set up with the 13s for slide in Open E and it is working nice for me. I use a glass slide (Thanks Ian!) which allows for a lighter touch than the brass one I use on acoustic.

[LightninBoy]

pcmancini,
To check your neck relief:
fret at the 1st fret, and at the fret where the neck joins the body.
Halfway between these 2 points, the distance between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string should be about the thickness of a playing card.
If the gap is too large, loosen the strings, and tighten the truss rod gently and slowly (about a quarter to a half a turn).
Re-tune and check the gap again.
The neck can be damaged over time , and may not respond to truss rod adjustment if you neglect to do this.
Some day you may want to sell the guitar, and with a warped neck its good for nothing but slide.
Check your action, and adjust the saddles to your requirements.
(I like my action high enough to be able to fret behind the slide for chord extensions. BUT, If the action is too high, when you fret a note it will pull the strings pitch sharp).
I also use .013<.056 w/open E, and it adds a lot of tension to your neck.
If you are planning on using open E exclusively on this axe, try custom gauges.
Try dropping the 3rd string down from say a .022 to a .020, the 4th from say .034 to .030 and the 5th from a .044 to a .040.(Most music shops sell single strings)
This will even up the tension across the six strings, and make it a lot more playable and well balanced.
Hope this helps.

[Kirk Lorange]

You're a goldmine of information, LightninBoy. Thanks for sharing it with us.

When are you going to record some Mp3s and load them up for us to hear? I know you have that Roland thing, and I know what a fantastic player you are. Howsabout sharing some of that with us too?

Kirk

[pcmancini]

Thanks, I will check the strings. I am using a custom set already but went the other way on gauges - 13-17-26-36-46-56 nickel. I REALLY like the sound these strings give me so I will work on the set up but keep the strings.

(and I like your Tom Waits quote)

[LightninBoy]

Thanks Kirk.,
I started work on some home recordings, but I guess I'm not too good with Knobs and buttons!
I think I finally worked out how to get a great sound, but it involved using mic pre-amps with the VS880, to warm up the digital.
(I should just record the songs and be done with it, but I'm so fussy, I'm never really happy with anything).
I'll get something down soon though, and post it here.