Getting into slide

[flatback8]

It's not REALLY an e-mando question, as the brute is only acoustic so far: I've got an old german-made 8-string mando that's got a sweet, brittle almost-resonatory sort of tone – bluesy - but it’s no good for fretted work, so I've thought of electrifying it and playing slide.

I am really comfortable with standard mandolin tunings, don’t get on with guitar, and don’t want to give myself the headache of learning another scale – but I DO fancy the idea of getting into some slide playing.

Anyone got any suggestions about tunings, string gauges and/or pick-up types? The mandolin looks fabulous, but is worth nothing, so I’m happy to stick pick-ups all over it if necessary!

[flatback8]

Forgot the photo ...

[mandroid]

Imagine dropping a few strings to get your thumb in there,
and some fingerpicks , perhaps.

and as offered before ,
repeat 2 note 5th pairs in 2 octaves GDgd, DAda, or AEae,
BbF , FC etc,

or an open chord example: GDB is 1 5 3, F the 7th or another g,
for 1 5 3 1 [thats the same as the open string g chord]


and no specifics to offer, a bit of common sense on string gages

if you are going to tune lower and want the tension similar , go up in size,
if you are going to tune higher , try a thinner string.


might be kind of tight to fit a new nut and respace the bridge too,
but
then there are tunings for 8 string lap steel guitars you could look into.

any one else got .02 from bottle neck mando land?

[flatback8]

Thanks Mandroid.

I play at sessions, Irish, country or bluegrass, and never use a capo on my other mandolin unless I'm going for a specific sound.

When I go "open" on the Hoyer mandolin, is there any tuning which is more 'universal' than others ... so I don't have to use a capo to play along with other people ... or does the tuning (and therefore to some extent the string gauges) limit me to one key?

[mandroid]

It seems to be more common, from my small sample,

(others on the list that have more, different,jams to go to,
than I, hopefully would offer their input)

guitar players love E #### , cause they have 2 E strings to ring, maybe?

A ### is popular, D ##, G/Em # Am ( ).

Your particular jam, taking notes would be in order, take a survey.