Few questions for you Kirk!

matt · #1 January 18th, 2005

Hi,

I was wondering if you could answer a few q's for me.

1) Are there any special considerations for playing slide on a stratocaster? (i.e. setup). I think my action may be a bit too low or something, and I also have a floating tremolo setup. I don't know what's better, floating, or blocking the tremolo. I could care less about using the whammy bar.

2) I think you get a great recorded acoustic tone on your videos. Here especially - http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/strwy/index.shtml

^What is your recording setup/signal chain? I notice you have headphones on. It almost sounds like you're playing through an amp which is blended with the natural acoustic sound being picked up by the camera. I wish I could get these kind of results....

3) On the Plane Talk website the polished brass slides you were selling are gone. I kept checking back for a few months and they were always out of stock. Are any available still and/or where can I get one??

thanks buddy

Kirk Lorange · #2 February 14th, 2005

matt ... sorry about the delay. I don't know how I missed this. There nothing I love more than questions I can answer!

1. Get rid of the whammy bar, screw that bridge down as tight as you can. Do everything needed to secure the bridge firmly. My action came up when I started using heavy strings. I use 16-18-24-34-44-54, but you needn't go that high if it's not to your taste. 13s are about as thin as you should go for the E.

2. I don't use the camera sound at all. I record the guitar through a good mic and into CoolEdit Pro, save it as a mp3, then when I edit the movie in Windows Movie Maker, I strip the good sound into the file and mute the camera sound. I can see the waveforms of each in the timeline and just line 'em up. I use different reverbs in CoolEdit, so I guess you like the one in Stairway. I bought a RODE mic a while back ... about a $250 job. Made all the difference.

3. I'll resume selling the slides when I return to Australia, late May. I'm been doing an extended working holiday in Canada, a year's worth. They're in a cupboard back home, waiting for me. They look so nice too, all shiny ... I give them the last buff myself using cutting compound.

Hang in!

Cheers,

6strngs_2hmbkrs · #3 February 25th, 2005

UMMM!!!!!!! WOAH, hold on a second! I hope he didn't run out and put 13's on his guitar! he said he had a stratocaster! acoustics and electrics use totally different gauge strings! on electrics 12's are considered really heavy, 11's are moderately heavy, 10's are moderately light, 9's are light, and 8's are super light... if he ran out and got 13's, he's probably got a problem now... I run 12-52 on my electric, and it lifted out my tremolo even with the claw screwed all the way in. I had to buy a fourth trem spring to balance it out for the heavy strings.

Kirk Lorange · #4 February 25th, 2005

I've owned my Strat since 1973, 6strngs_2hmbkrs, and I've played it every day since. I've had it set up many different ways, and for slide, which is what the question is about, I wouldn't recommend going lower than 13s for the E string. I use 16s. If you want to continue playing the Strat for 'normal' playing and just use the slide from time to time, then you'll find them heavy, but you'll just build up some strength, which is good. If you stick with light gauge, you'll always be wondering how to get a good sound.

I've never had any problems with the bridge on the Strat. I screwed it down good and tight and kept the springs in the back ... It's as solid as a rock.

I believe Stevie Ray used 13s and up on his Strat. Heavier strings mean much more volume, but you've got to be able to handle them. They're not for everyone.

matt · #5 April 11th, 2005

Hey Kirk, thanks! I remember checking the forum a few weeks after I posted this thread and I figured you hadn't seen it.

Anyway, wow - those are heavy gauges for a strat. I have two strats now, both '54 MIJ reissues made in the early 90's, and I bought a great dvd showing how to do all aspects of guitar setups which has helped me out a lot. Actually, half of my bedroom looks like a repair shop now. :-)

I think I will take your advice for my one strat and set it up for slide playing, and use my other strat for everything else (it currently has 10-50's and sounds a bit too tinny when I try slide stuff)

What amp/settings/pedals (if any) do you use for that sweet and nasty slide tone on your strat?