The MacSlidulator prototype

Bob-Dubery

Well that's what I call it. I don't know if it's going to end up with a proper name.

As you know, I took a few lessons on slide guitar recently. I used my Smoothtalker which sounds great for slide. But it's not set up for slide. None of my guitars are. The action is too low, the slide is rattling against the frets all the time. So I want the action higher.

I spoke to Andy McGibbon about this. We tossed some ideas around. We came up with three possible ways to proceed
1) Nice high nut, typical of guitars set up for slide, and perhaps a shim under the bridge to give a very high action - good for slide but only for slide really.
2) A compromise setup with the 1st to 3rd strings higher and in a straight line. This is something that Ry Cooder has on some of his guitars, it allows a compromise setup that allows him to combine slide with fingered chords.
3) Some kind of magical widget that I can fit to the guitar when I want to play slide but is fairly easily fitted and removed and does not require the strings to be removed or slackened off. Fitting this will raise the action.

So we agreed that Andy would have a crack at the third. We had both heard about some kind of nut extension but
a) This requires the strings to be slackened off so that you can get this device on top of the existing nut
b) Word is they don't work that well, that they're unstable.

So after a week he came up with a prototype device that slides over a fret and raises the action. It's not perfect yet and it's roughly finished (but not so that it will damage the instrument). I have this at home to road test. After the long weekend I will take the prototype and the guitar back to Andy and give him feedback.

Early indications are promising. I'm using it on the 2nd fret. This means that I effectively change from open D to open E.

Ray

Or you can slip a pencil in behind the first fret.

Bob-Dubery

I've heard of things like that, or a match between the strings and the nut. But it seems to me that those would give unreliable intonation.

Squonk

Seems like a perfect device Bob.

Keep us up to date, and maybe we can order, when you and Andy have perfected the Macslidulator, maybe you can have a couple of models

The Standard Macslidulator
The X rated Macslidulator

?

Bob-Dubery

Squonk wrote: Seems like a perfect device Bob.

Keep us up to date, and maybe we can order, when you and Andy have perfected the Macslidulator, maybe you can have a couple of models

Mark 2 is now in the pipeline. The first one was not perfect but it was very promising and besides that's what prototypes are for.

[deleted]

Very interesting... Any more news and feedback?

Bob-Dubery

Brentcgp wrote: Very interesting... Any more news and feedback?

Nothing yet.

Jack-Flash-Jr

Hmmm... interested to hear how this works out. I just keep a guitar set up for slide.

Attila

Bob,

Nice idea...I am going to give Ray's suggestion a try it seems the most practical ....but will try a solid brass rod with the right diameter maybe flat a section to prevent roll, it will be like playing with a capo in the first,

Wizard

Was just thinking ...
A "capo" pulls the strings down
This pushes the strings up; to make a greater "gap" between fingerboard and strings.
Is it a "gapo"?
?

Bob-Dubery

Wizard wrote: Was just thinking ...
A "capo" pulls the strings down
This pushes the strings up; to make a greater "gap" between fingerboard and strings.
Is it a "gapo"?
?

A capo really just shortens the string length. It doesn't have to effect the action - though it can. You get capos for use with dobros and the like that just shorten the scale length but do not have any impact on the action.

Sean

Wizard wrote: Is it a "gapo"?
?

Does not have the same ring as "MacSlidulator" ... ?

FatBoy

Lekker, keep us posted!