For about 2 weeks now I have been using a home made slide, created from a length of very tough hard acrylic clear plastic tubing about 1 1/4 inch diameter. Initially, before I used it I thought it probably wouldnt hold up well and would get eaten up quickly by the strings. But to my surprise it holds up better than the glass dunlop one I have. It has a far smoother feel, smoother even than the piece of buffalo horn i also use sometimes. It glides with much less string noise and doesnt pinch or bite like the glass one does. After 2 weeks of daily (2 hours +) use there are no scratches on it, just a slight dulled appearance in the centre area that touches the strings. Its working well. I bought an 18 inch piece of the tubing off ebay, so will get probably 3 or 4 slides out of one piece.
Just thought I'd mention it, might interest somebody!
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I've tried plastic for slides before, just picking up random items around the house and trying to play slide with them. My impression was that plastic was a tone sucker, just like I would rather use a wood, metal or even cardboard resonator for a box instead of plastic. However, there are many types of plastic, so your mileage may vary.
The stuff I used is VERY tough, nowhere near as soft as pvc plumbers pipes would be. I was amazed how well it glided down onto the strings, much less grabby than the dunlop glass, a nice smooth feel. And the sustain isnt too bad . Interestingly it cut neat with a hack saw, it didnt crack or splinter as some sheet plastics such as genotherm can do
Since the original post I have used only that slide and it is now showing one or 2 scratches, but on occasion I was really welting that thing (LOL on drums I am definately a light hitter, only 7a sticks, never cracked a cymbal in 30 + years of playing) But on the diddley bow I seem to be the exact opposite. I like to bounce into notes and do flam hammerons and stuff, very percussive sometimes. My glass slide has grooves, now the acrylic one has a few as well, but hey, about 1/10th the price of a dunlop glass (kinda nervous to keep it in my pocket...)
Listen to it here, same slide used on 2 string bass diddley and 2 string lead diddley
https://youtu.be/Gx_jGLM6ClQ
I have some teak which I may use to make a slide or a tone bar. What woods are good for that? In europe hornbeam is pretty tough, dense and oily, might be worth a try. Lignum vitae? Ebony?
Great idea. Like Bama H, I dropped a bottle neck--only mine was on a concrete stage floor. Beaucoups dangereux! Looks like pricing is decent in modest quantities. I'll give it a try. Many thanks.
I made a couple outta pvc pipe were OK kinda mellow,not as noisy as metal ones.
I guarantee it would get more mileage than an any glass one on my tile floor, given as I am afflicted with "fumblitis". That is going to get a try out. P.S. With a 1 1/4" diameter, I hope you are not a proctologist , I use an 11/16" socket. (;-0)
Cool!