Slide guitar pickups

[cross.bones]

No brands but types.

 

I've got a strat copy I was given and want to set it up for slide.

 

I also have a humbucker on a pickguard and a whole strat set all 3 pups etc on a different one.

 

Which is best for a slide guitar in everyones opinion??

[DaleH]

P90 neck.

[Elias Graves]

A Lace Sensor makes a badass slide pickup. (Sorry if that's a brand, but only Lace makes em)

 

EG

[csm]

I favour Fender (-style) singlecoils for regular playing, but they sound too harsh and shrill with the heavy brass slides I like, so my dedicated slide guitars have a humbucker or P90. Single-coils work better with the softer, smoother sound you get from a glass side than they do with either brass or chrome.

 

For the record, the late and much-missed Mick Ronson continued to use Les Pauls and other HB-loaded guitars for slide work even after he switched from his LP to a Telecaster for his regular playing.

 

Summary: it depends on (a) what kind of sound you want and (b) what kind of slide you like. Lowell George (of Little Feat fame) used a metal slide -- a Sears socket wrench, as I recall -- with Fender pickups, but smoothed it out with heavy compression. Generally, though -- single-coils with a glass or Pyrex slide; HBs or P90s with metal.

[BG76]

the old dano lipstick pickups were great for slide. lollar also makes steel pickups.

[BydoEmpire]

The Hot Rails in my tele's bridge sounds amazing for slide, but I also like the Tex Mex neck pickup of my SRV strat. Very different tones, but both good. I use Dunlop Chrome slides with both - sounds smooth, but with just enough bite, and it's the perfect size & weight for me.

[cross.bones]

Cheers guys.

 

As for the sound I don't really know, I got given this guitar and I thought i'd get it setup for slide as i've never really specifically played any slide and thought i'd give it a go.

 

Thanks for the info CSM I might experiment. I have both, and both are setup bar wiring to the output jack , just wanted to hear peoples opinions.

 

EG I would love a Lace in it. Maybe in the future, depending on how it sounds!

[Doctor49]

 

Generally, though -- single-coils with a glass or Pyrex slide; HBs or P90s with metal.

 

 

Exceptions being Warren Haynes, Duane Allman, Dickie Betts, Derek Trucks to name a few who have gone glass with humbuckers............

 

 

but there is a lot more to slide sounds than slide and pu and the OP could usefully check out what goes with his amps and pedals to get a sound he likes.

[mistersully]

my dedicated slide guitar has p90s... love it

 

i like humbuckers for slide too though

 

one of my favourite things is to use a fuzz pedal with my volume knob rolled back... so i get just enough grit

[=JL=]

You can use your amp EQ to make any pickups work for slide, but if you want to be able to switch between slide and fingers then what CSM says is important.

For example, if you set up a nice sound for conventional playing on a Strat, but just want to play a slide solo in the middle of a song, a metal slide can be very scratchy sounding.

Generally speaking, I like a darker, more middy sound than usual for slide, Texas Specials work well even though I hate them for everything else.

Like all guitar choices, it depends on the style and sound you want. I usually favour a clean Fendery, lap steel kind of sound for slide, but then again, a good SG plugged into a JTM45 running full-bore into a 4x12 is one of the most joyous sounds on earth.

[cross.bones]

I'm thinking the singles are the best choice to begin with.

 

Dammit that means I have to find another Strat copy as a project for the other pickguard assembly!!

[ΨWindingΨ]

Single Coils, Humbuckers, Horseshoes. Many are good. I like the tone of them all. I'd stay clear of hi-output myself would be about the only thing. I'd want clarity.

 

Good Humbucker Slide Tone.

 

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