Best Guitar Slides In 2020 – The Ultimate Guide for Slide-Curious Players

Do you know what precisely a Guitar Slide is? It is a glass, metal, or ceramic made thing in cylinder shape used by guitarists. They place over it on the finger to glide up and down the fretboard. The guitar slides create a smooth and slippery sound, especially in blue music. They are used for a long time due to its benefit of producing a distinctive sound. They are relatively cheap to buy and easy to use

Guitar slides make what determines the tone of a guitar. Most of the guitarists use metal or glass slides. Other than weight and comfort, its main difference lies between the slides materials that create tone.

Top 5 Picks! At a Glance… 

Last update on 2020-11-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

1. Dunlop 272 Blues Guitar Slide with Regular Wall Thickness, Clear, Medium, Bottle Glass

The Dunlop 272 Blues Guitar Slide resembles the medicine bottle slides used by Blue Masters to make a way to the modern-day blues. This blue bottle slide is hand-blown made of durable and seamless Pyrex glass. The heavy weighing near end slides the best balance. Dunlop slides are said to be the most popular slides today we have.

The glass bottle slide is a crisp and bright tone with regular wall thickness in a medium diameter. This excellent quality guitar slide sounds excellent. The slide fits on a ring size of 10.5. The guitar slide is made in regular wall thickness with clear glass.

Last update on 2020-11-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Features Specifications:

• Medicine Bottle
• Medium Size
• Regular glass wall thickness

Why we choose this product? 

Below are the reasons why you should be choosing this product:

• Shapes us medicine bottle
• The internal diameter is 0.77” (19.7mm)
• Medium size 
• Comes in a ring size of 10
• 272 Blue Guitar slide feature clear with a regular glass wall thickness
• Weigh more, but its close ends give optimum balance to the figure
• Right balance offers a classic tone
• Matches any play style

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2. Fender Guitar Slide with Standard Thickness, Steel, Medium (FCSS1)

Fender is another famous instrument manufacture. FCSS1 guitar slide is one of the best guitar slides you can find. Even though it does not have that celebrity look, but it has its perks. One of the reasons behind its popularity is the metal made feature. This is a steel guitar slide that makes it a better choice than glass. It enhances the sound without causing an annoy ring sound. 

At the same time, it creates the high-end steely tone and right treble tone too. The standard version comes in medium size. If your hand is not large, then this slide is perfect for you and matches your finger.

Last update on 2020-11-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Features Specifications:

• Chrome steel
• Brilliant tone
• Good for gigs

Why we choose this product? 

Below are the reasons why you should be choosing this product:

• FCSS1 chrome steel bottleneck  guitar slide
• Standard size is medium
• 60mm long
• 1.5mm thickness
• 19mm inner diameter perfect for large hands
• Brilliant tone with a considerable amount of sustainability
• Good quality and value
• Excellent durability, tone, and feel
• Works well for gigs
• Portability
• Recommended for electric guitars mainly to get a brilliant and bright tone

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3. Mr.Power Guitar Slide with Regular Thickness, High-Quality Glass 

Mr. Power Guitar Slide is a remarkable product made of good quality glass. It makes the guitar slide beautiful and provides a crisp sound. Mr. Power has a lot of instrument parts and accessories for guitar. You can choose this inexpensive, high-quality glass slide from an online store. 

The medium size slide is a perfect accessory for electric and acoustic guitars. It comes with a moderate wall thickness and diameter to fit perfectly into your finger. The sound and tone are refreshing and different for every user. This product is an excellent value for the money. This guitar slide is an excellent choice for those who need to look good.

Last update on 2020-11-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Features Specifications:

• High-quality glass
• Remarkable price
• For electric and acoustic guitars

Why we choose this product? 

Below are the reasons why you should be choosing this product:

• One of the most recommended guitar accessory of Mr. Power guitar slide made of high-quality glass
• The 79-inch glass slide is a perfect choice for electric or acoustic guitar
• Provides a great look at a remarkable price
• The internal diameter is 20mm is for all those who want to look great
• 60mm length

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4. Star Singer Slides Guitar Slide, Jet Black, Ceramic

Guitar slides come in different varieties of materials, and most common are glass, metal, and ceramic. But as per reviews, you are never going to see such a ceramic guitar slide anywhere else. Star Singer Slides is basically from Glastonbury UK. It made with a secret crackle glazing technique. It gives not only a hand-made ceramic unique look but also improver the tone. 

The high gloss finish gives a smooth and quiet glide around the strings. The ceramic construction offers a warm and brighter tone than metal or glass. Dolffin Ruby the Star Singer builds the slide with optimum weight and thickness ratio for an improved resonance to retain agility.

Last update on 2020-11-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Features Specifications:

• Hand-made unique ceramic
• Optimum weight plus thickness
• Strong and durable

Why we choose this product? 

Below are the reasons why you should be choosing this product:

• Every single slide is made unique with organic patterns of crackle
• Slides are designed in a proper ratio for better resonance and to maintain agility
• Fired on 1200c, they are hand made stones to make them strong and durable
• The tone it provides is warm and bright compared to glass or metal slides

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5. Taylor Wood Guitar Slide with Medium Thickness, Ebony

Are you looking for a unique tone, then Taylor made the African Ebony guitar slide can be the one. It comes directly from the Taylor owner African Ebony mill located in Cameroon. This is an exotic slide comfortable to wear. It brings a warm and subtle tone from the strings. This is the ideal choice for work music ambient style while also fit into traditional form too like blues. 

The guitarist of Sweetwater is fallen over this unique style Taylor Wood Guitar slide. It comes in four sizes, small ¾”, medium 7/8”, and large 11/6” and X large 13/16”. It is different from typical glass or metal guitar slides.

Last update on 2020-11-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Features Specifications:

• Western African Ebony
• Comfortable coaxes
• Taylor owned

Why we choose this product? 

Below are the reasons why you should be choosing this product:

• Genuine Western African Ebony
• Offer perfect warm and expressive slide tone
• Sourced and processed at Cameroon
• Exotic and comfortable slide coaxes that is produced from the strings
• Available in four sizes, small, medium, large and X large
• Standard bottle shape with a medium wall thickness 
• Taylor owned guitar slide with a unique tone

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How to choose the Right Guitar Slide for Yourself? 

Are you planning your next purchase for a guitar slide? If yes, then you should consider the following factors and aspects before making your purchase. It will help you in categorizing your purchase and aid your purchase by making it a budget-friendly venture; let’s have a look:

1. If you start with the material, you may discover that each slide has its qualities. Generally, the harder a material is better, it’s sustain but with a harsh sound. It means softer the material means shorter the sustaining power, warmer the sound. 
2. The thickness of a slide also matters in the overall feeling and sound a slide provides. If thicker the wall of a slide is usually makes warmer tone but too hard to control. While thin wall slide gives little more feel but not durable.
3. If you want a slide to use on any electric guitar, then you must aim at using a lighter version of guitar slides as the guitar and amp will be already working to intensify the signal. When you use something substantial in size may result in touching the fret by moving the slide.
4. When it is about the length, slides usually cover your entire finger. The longer is your slide better covering at the strings. You can slide across all the six strings quickly at one time with a long slide.
5. You must consider for slide fits on your finger comfortably. Not to be too tight to put on or too loose for applying pressure on the strings.

Frequently Asked Questions! 

Q1. What can you use instead of a guitar slide? 

Answer: A guitar slide is used by players to replicate the solo or to create a unique lead. There are certain handy items that you can use instead of a guitar slide; these include items such as beer bottles, mic stand, lighter, and more. 

Q2. Which finger is the best for a guitar slide? 

Answer: It is the musician’s personal choice when it comes to wearing the guitar slide. The majority of guitarists prefer using their pinky finger as it provides high flexibility and stability; however, there may be a few guitarists who may prefer to use their middle finger. Middle-finger proves best when playing a regular guitar; for instance, “Bonnie Raitt” loves to use his middle-finger when using a guitar slide. 

Q3.  How can you make a guitar slide for a beer bottle? 

Answer: Empty beer bottle without a label you can use as a slide. You need to face that out from the strings so that it touches your neck. 

Q4. Which is the best material for a guitar slide? 

Answer: Metal is more popular than ceramic and glass slides; it is because ceramic and glass guitar slides provide a similar kind of sound. The best sound from a ceramic guitar slide can be attained only when you customize them.

Q5. How can you take care of a guitar slide for it to last longer?

Answer: It is vital to take proper care of your guitar slides as they are fragile. Glass or ceramic slide can crack or break; brass ones can pit or dent; also, most of them can get scratched too. The best way to care for your slide is to store them properly and keep them protected in a large plastic bottle.

Q6. Which size guitar slide is the best for you?  

Answer: Your guitar slide should have adequate weight, height, and gauge as per your guitar string; for instance, you would need a more substantial slide for a big-string guitar to provide high action; whereas, you would require a lighter slide for the light-string guitar to provide low action.

Final Verdict! 

Overall, if you see, Dunlop 272 Blues Guitar Slide with Regular Wall Thickness is an excellent option. It is made of high-quality resistant glass. It comes in different size variations and adds an extra touch and crisp sound in your performance. With a highly affordable nature, it is worthy of giving a try.