There are a few things on your guitar that you want to adjust differently when you’re playing slide, so in this lesson we’re going to look at how to setup a slide guitar.
When you’re playing slide guitar, you definitely want to have the strings a little higher than you would on a normal guitar. Too high, and it becomes too difficult to fret and you’ll likely be out of tune when fretting. Too low, and you don’t get a nice smooth slide sound and you’ll also get string buzz when fretting. Somewhere in the middle there’s a happy spot that will give you great tone as well as good playability.
Watch the Full Setup Video
Understanding Action Height for Slide
The height from the frets to the string is called the action, and you’ll need to adjust your saddle in order to increase it.
Here’s how to measure it: the action is the distance from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string when it’s pressed down (or in slide’s case, when it’s resting). You can use the edge of the fingerboard as your straight edge reference to see how much higher your strings are sitting.
On the guitar I use in the video (a Danelectro), I raised the strings noticeably higher than standard. You want it high enough that the slide glides smoothly without rattling, but not so high that fretting becomes awkward. If you’re combining slide parts with fretted parts — which a lot of players do — finding that sweet spot is critical.
Hopefully the bridge and saddle have enough adjustment available, and you don’t need to do any serious modifications (like filing or building it up with other material). The other spot to look at is the nut, near the headstock. If the strings need to be really high, you may need to increase the thickness/height of the nut to compensate. On my Danelectro, the nut height was fine as is — I just had to readjust the saddle.
String Gauge and Type
Heavier strings are another way to get better tone with your slide. The guitar in this video is set up with .11 gauge strings (standard 11s), and they work great for slide.
Some players really like using flat-wound strings — they’re a little smoother under the slide and give you less finger noise. These are just standard nickel-wound roundwounds. I personally like to use SIT strings or GHS Boomers. I’ve used those for years and they’ve never let me down.
The heavier gauge gives you more tension, which helps with that smooth slide tone. Lighter strings can sound thin and rattly when you’re sliding. But again, this really does come down to personal preference — some players use 10s, some go all the way up to 12s or 13s.
Tunings for Slide Guitar
While you can certainly play slide in standard tuning, most slide players use open tunings because they allow you to play full chords with the slide barred across all the strings.
The guitar in this video is tuned to D major open (also called Open D), which is one of the most popular slide tunings. Other common open tunings include:
- Open G (D-G-D-G-B-D) — used by Keith Richards, George Thorogood
- Open D (D-A-D-F#-A-D) — great for blues in D
- Open E (E-B-E-G#-B-E) — Duane Allman’s favorite, though harder on the guitar
Each tuning has its own feel and key center, so experiment to find what works for the songs you want to play. We’ll dig deeper into open tunings in another lesson, but for now, just know that raising your action works for slide whether you’re in standard or open tuning.
If you’re just getting started with slide, I’ve put together a free video series that walks you through the essentials—including the best tuning to start with and why it makes everything easier. Grab the free slide guitar lessons here and I’ll send them straight to your inbox.
Choosing Your Slide Material and Finger Positioning
The next thing is your slide itself. There are lots of materials out there — glass, metal, brass, ceramic, even old medicine bottles or wine bottles cut with a glass cutter.
I like to use a big, fat glass slide — specifically a Jim Dunlop glass slide, which is about the biggest, thickest slide you can get. I don’t like the metal slides as much, though a lot of guys swear by brass. Some players even use brass rings or pocket knives. I’ve never gotten a really good tone out of any of that stuff. The best tone I get is out of glass, but that’s a personal thing.
Which finger should you use?
I use mine on my second finger (the “bad finger,” the big one). The reason I do that is because I use my first finger to mute the strings behind the slide.
Without the mute, you get a buzzy, ringy sound — all those strings rattling and vibrating. With the mute, it’s smooth and controlled. That first finger damps everything behind the slide so only the notes you’re playing ring out clearly.
Using the second finger also leaves my third finger and pinky free for little shuffle patterns, partial chords, and interval moves. Some famous slide players like Sonny Landreth use the third finger and actually fret behind the slide with their other fingers. I don’t play that style — I usually just play straight slide — but it gives you an idea of the different approaches out there.
The width of your slide matters too. Depending on how wide it is, you might be able to reach all six strings, or you might want a narrower “pinky slide” for more selective string work. Again, it depends on your style and what you’re comfortable with.
Ready to Go Deeper?
Setting up your guitar is just the first step. If you want to start playing slide right away, grab my free slide guitar video series—I’ll walk you through everything you need to get that smooth, singing slide tone.
Already comfortable with the basics and want the full deep-dive? Essentials of Slide Guitar covers techniques, licks, and songs in complete detail.
Want to Play Slide Guitar? Start Here (Free)
Most people grab a slide and get frustrated within five minutes. There's a reason for that, and it's easy to correct once you know the secret!
I've put together a short series of free video lessons that will get you playing slide the right way. You'll learn the best tuning to start with (hint: it's not standard!), how to lay down a mean rhythm with your slide, and why slide guitar can actually be easier than normal guitar once you know the trick.
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yer col this is col ewer australia,im about to embark on a slide guitar adventue,ive never played guitar before,and really only want to play slide,ive being blowin blues harp for twenty years,but the slide sound is pulling me in just like the harp first did!i hopeing it will be easyer for me to learn as i havnt played gutar before..keep up the good work dude..thanx..