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Playing slide guitar is a great way to add more sounds to your musical toolkit, but what if you only own a guitar that has really low action? Fret not, there are ways to play slide guitar even if your guitar’s strings are close to the fretboard.
Slide guitar techniques are certainly easier if your guitar’s action isn’t set too low, however there can be some benefits to having it lower. It is likely that you’ll still be able to use a slide, but you may have to focus a lot more on sustaining notes without making the slide and strings touch the fretboard.
Here are some tips for playing slide guitar with low action…
How To Keep From Bottoming Out: The Fretboard
The main obstacle to playing slide guitar with low action is making sure the slide and strings don’t touch the fretboard as you use the slide. Because the slide is used to sustain notes, instead of your fingers that fret notes on a regular guitar, the slide usually shouldn’t touch the fretboard when you apply downward pressure on the strings.
Also, when you apply pressure to sustain notes, the strings themselves usually shouldn’t touch the fretboard. There should be enough pressure of the slide against the strings for them to resonate clearly (and sustain for a duration).
If too much pressure is applied to the strings and slide, they will likely scrape the fretboard and make a cacophonous “buzzing” sound. When this happens, the notes that you play will be interrupted and you won’t be able to continually sustain them to create vibrato.
The best way to play slide guitar with low action is to use just enough pressure with the slide that you can sustain notes cleanly, while making sure that there isn’t so much pressure that the slide and strings touch the fretboard. Also, it is very helpful to keep the slide even and balanced against the strings (flat and parallel to the frets of the guitar) so that the slide doesn’t make contact with the neck of the guitar.
Is It Possible That My Action Is Too Low?
Some guitars have an action that is low enough to make using a slide on them nearly impossible. The best way to determine this is to see if it is even possible to sustain a note with the slide, and not make the string or slide touch the fretboard as mentioned above.
If it is possible to do this, then you’ll likely be able to use the slide. However, you’ll have to really maintain good playing techniques as you move the slide along the fretboard.
On the other hand, if your guitar’s action is set so low that sustaining a note anywhere on the fretboard isn’t possible, then you’ll likely have to get it professionally setup (or use another guitar).
Also, you can buy an extension nut (link to Amazon) that raises the strings away from the fretboard. However, keep in mind that this part isn’t designed for a specific type of guitar and you’ll have to be careful not to damage your guitar while installing it or using it (especially acoustics). Because of the string tension, extended nut, and the physical properties of guitars you should get this professionally installed if you are going to use it for any guitar to avoid damaging your guitar in any way.
Benefits of Low Action
There are some advantages to having a lower action on your guitar for slide playing. For instance, you’ll still have the ability to easily fret notes with your fingers, allowing you to play regular guitar and use the slide as well.
This will enable you to use your guitar as you normally would, instead of having to alter it specifically for slide guitar. Although it can be nice to have a dedicated guitar for using a slide on (that is setup for slide playing techniques), you’ll have the option to do both types of playing on one guitar if the action isn’t too high.
Also, some slide players will use the slide and fret notes with their fingers at the same time. If your action is low enough, then you’ll likely be able to take advantage of this playing technique.
The Drawbacks: Why Slide Playing Is Easier With Higher Action
Ultimately, if you decide to play slide guitar with low action then it will be more challenging from a technique standpoint. If you’re new to slide guitar, or developing your technique, then having a guitar with higher action makes it easier to avoid hitting the fretboard with either your slide or the strings.
However, using a slide on a guitar with lower action can be a good indicator of how strong your technique is. If you can play slide on a guitar with low action, and not have it bottom out, then you likely are sustaining notes fluidly and using the slide functionally.
It can be a good idea to begin learning slide on a guitar with high action, so that you have more room for error with your slide, and then begin testing out your playing techniques on guitars with lower action. If your technique is developed enough, it can be nice to be able to play slide on any guitar that physically allows it, even ones where the action is low.
Trying Different Slides
If your guitar’s action is low, then it may be helpful to experiment with different slide types to make playing easier and more effective. The heavier the slide, the easier it can be to create too much pressure against the strings and bottom out on the fretboard.
Also, if this is occurring, you can try using a slide that has a thinner wall size. This can sometimes make it easier to sustain notes by giving you more sensitivity in the amount of pressure you can apply.
The slide material can affect these factors too, and oftentimes metal slides are heavier than glass slides. I wrote an in-depth article about the various types of guitar slides, which can be helpful for checking out the different sizes, materials, and options of slides for playing.
Furthermore, using a glass slide can be beneficial for playing a guitar with low action, as it can be more reactive to the amounts of pressure you apply against the strings.
However, keep in mind that the sensitivity of a glass slide can be both challenging and rewarding from a technique standpoint. You’ll likely have to find a nice balance between the pressure of the glass against the strings, the sustain of the notes, and the control of the slide as you play.
Conclusion
Although playing slide guitar with low action isn’t usually encouraged, this doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. You may be able to utilize more guitars for slide playing if you can develop good playing techniques, which will give you more tonal options.
If you decide to play slide on a guitar with low action, try not to get discouraged if the slide or strings end up touching the fretboard. Remember that this is a common difficulty of using a slide on a guitar that is set up this way, and that you can always get your guitars professionally setup in a way that is tailored to playing slide guitar.
Check out the page below for more slide guitar playing tips…
Slide Guitar: 5 BEST Ways to Improve Your Playing (Practice Tips)