Can you play slide, say with Dobro model in open G tuning?

[Indianrock2020]

I've never played slide and know it won't be a skill acquired overnight, but just wondered if the modeling with piezos can handle it?

[Palico]

I've never played slide and know it won't be a skill acquired overnight, but just wondered if the modeling with piezos can handle it?

 

Yep it can, I've done it before. Although it's not exactly ideal but that's not a problem on the modelling. Playing slide is much easier on guitar setup for it. High action and heavier strings, especially on high b and e strings. But can certainly be done.

[Indianrock2020]

Yes I sort of suspected a special setup for slide, besides the tuning.  Now that I use the JTV59 almost exclusively, I suppose I could set up my strat for slide, but it definitely looks like a significant time investment to be any good at it.

[Palico]

For just playing around, practicing. Go for it. It will require a bit of a light touch with the slide to pull it off. But that will make it easier for you when you get another guitar setup properly for it later.

[eenymason]

You don't necessarily HAVE to have one set up for slide, but I guess for the purpose of learning where the notes are (in alt tuning), and how to slide into them without having to think about other areas of technique wouldn't hurt either, initially. I learned more about playing slide when I had a load of a friend's National resonator quite a few years back, and played it on my lap with the tone bar (the solid, heavy one designed for dobro), resting on the underside of my index, and held in place by my thumb, and middle finger. It's great for learning accurate positioning, and you can also angle the tone bar for more flexible chord choices.

Maybe stick to one open tuning for a while, then you can try others like open E, C, D etc. You need to make sure the acoustic sound from the guitar itself isn't audible, so heaphones, or a reasonable level of volume from your speaker/s is best, otherwise the standard tuning clashes with the alt tuning.

Once you get comfortable with playing slide more, you can do it on a standard setup - as long as you don't have to low an action. My setup is not low at all (I bend strings a lot, and low action makes that harder), and I switch all the time between slide playing and standard, even within the one song.

Experiment with the material the slide is made from - some prefer glass, but my preference is brass. Also, you can be flexible with the finger you use - some people choose one finger, and stick with it - I find it depends on the song, i.e. whether my fingers are needed to be able to play the non-slide parts with the slide still on my finger or not. Sometimes you just gotta take a second to put the slide on. and or take it off mid-song.

 

It's a bit of effort to get started, but once you get it, it is really satisfying to be able to play in open tunings, particularly with the flexibility of being to switch in and out of open tuning on the variax itself.

[dspellman]

Yes I sort of suspected a special setup for slide, besides the tuning.  Now that I use the JTV59 almost exclusively, I suppose I could set up my strat for slide, but it definitely looks like a significant time investment to be any good at it.

 

I have two of the old Variaxeseses; one of the Acoustic 700's and one of the series 500 originals, and both will work for slide (there are different models on the Acoustic from the Electric 500 series). It does help if you crank up the action a bit.