Taller saddle?

I get asked on a pretty regular basis about the best saddle height for playing slide.  My answer has always been to get a tall saddle made and sand it down to find the best height...trial and error, each player is different.

Well, I found a fantastic work around for this issue a few weeks ago, mind blowing really...at least for those of us whose minds get blown by slide guitar related tricks and tips.

So, here it is.

Use a wound string under the saddle to raise it up!  Simple.  You have 4 strings to choose from, unless your like me and use an unwound third string, so you can find your best height based on the size of the string.  Just use the ends of the strings you've cut from re-stringing.  Cut the strings the length of the saddle, place it in the saddle slot, put the saddle on top, tighten strings.

Of course you can still get a taller saddle made after you found the height you like, but I can say from heavy use that the string under the saddle works just as well with no issues.  I should note that I have not used this method with an undersaddle pickup, or any other pickup system.  I would be curious to hear how it works for those of you with an undersaddle pickup.

Tip courtesy of Mr. Stefan Grossman.

Happy sliding!

May 8, 1911

It’s Robert Johnson’s birthday today, May 8.  So, celebrate by learning one of his tunes…if you already know it, then play along.

The Guitar of Robert Johnson
taught by Tom Feldmann

In this 3 DVD set Tom Feldmann covers every aspect of Robert Johnson's playing. Each song is performed by Feldmann before he dissects the arrangement verse-by-verse and ends with a split screen segment where the song is played slowly with close up shots of both the left and right hands. This is the most expansive look into the guitar playing of Robert Johnson produced in video form.

Titles Include: STANDARD TUNING: Kind Hearted Woman, Phonograph Blues, 32-20 Blues, A Blues Variations (Dead Shrimp Blues, Little Queen of Spades, Honeymoon Blues), I'm A Steady Rolling Man, Sweet Home Chicago, Love in Vain Blues, From Four Til Late, DROP D TUNING: Malted Milk, CROSSNOTE TUNING: Hellhound on my Trail, SPANISH TUNING: Stop Breakin' Down Blues, Walking Blues, Come On In My Kitchen, Last Fair Deal Gone Down, Stones In My Passway, Cross Road Blues, Traveling Riverside Blues, If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day, VESTAPOL TUNING: Rambling on my Mind, I Believe I'll Dust My Broom, Preaching Blues, STANDARD TUNING They're Red Hot 

http://www.tomfeldmann.com/#!lessons/cfvg

The guitar I used on the lesson was made by David Flammang.  N35-H based on the mid-to-late twenties Nick Lucas guitar by Gibson.  Here are the specs for the Flammang Guitar.   

24.32" scale length 
H Braced 
Red Spruce w/burst 
Honduran Mahogany back/sides 
Brazilian Rosewood fretboard/bridge 
1 25/32" nut 
2 11/32" saddle

http://flammangguitars.com/guitars-available

Special Rider Blues

I'm currently putting together a Skip James lesson for Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop.  Though he's possibly more famous for his Crossnote tuning numbers I find his Special Rider Blues in Spanish tuning to be the most enjoyable to play.  Special Rider Blues was his only recorded song out of Spanish tuning, which seems odd.  But if you only got one than this is a darn good one to have.



According to Skip he came up with his arrangement from Little Brother Montgomery's No Special Rider blues recorded in 1930.  He was famous for his Vicksburg Blues, a great number.



I couldn't find Montgomery's 30's recording of No Special Rider on Youtube, but here's a version from later in his life.



Lastly, Son House recorded Special Rider Blues in 1942.  No real relation to Skip's or Montgomery's recordings, but what a great recording!



What's your favorite Skip James tune?

The Skip James lesson will be filmed in June.  To be notified when it is released sign up on the email list at: www.tomfeldmann.com

The Guitar of Robert Johnson

For my first post I thought I'd share the back cover description I wrote for the Robert Johnson lesson that will be available shortly through Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop.  Cover design by Frederick Carlson. 

When I started teaching lessons for SGGW in 2011 I was a bit nervous to find out that I'd be writing the lesson descriptions.  My conversation with Stefan went something like, Me: "who will be writing the back cover?", Stefan: "you", Me: "me?", Stefan: "of course!".  It has proven to be one the most enjoyable parts of the process and one more way that this whole experience has stretched me.  The challenging part is to come up with something that hasn't been said over and over, which is becoming harder and harder.  You can focus on just the history of the style or artist your covering, or you can simply focus on what's being taught in the lesson.  I like to do a little of both and always ask myself, "does this description get me excited about this lesson?"  If the answer is yes, we have a winner.


Robert Johnson is arguably the most well known figure in the history of the blues. Though the 29 songs Johnson recorded from 1936-1937 had little impact during his lifetime, a collection of his singles, entitled King of the Delta Blues Singers was released in 1961 and found wide- spread recognition. Then, 30 years later, The Complete Recordings of Robert Johnson was released selling over one million copies. the first blues recording to do so, winning a Grammy in the process.

Since that 1961 LP, players from all different musical backgrounds have sought to learn Robert Johnson's techniques and in this 3 DVD set Tom Feldmann covers every aspect of Johnson's playing. Each song is performed by Feldmann before he dissects the arrangement verse-by- verse and ends with a split screen segment where the song is played slowly with close up shots of both the left and right hands. This is the most expansive look into the guitar playing of Robert Johnson produced in video form.

DVD One: Standard Tuning: Kind Hearted Woman, Phonograph Blues, 32-20 Blues, A Blues Variations (Dead Shrimp Blues, Little Queen of Spades, Honeymoon Blues), I'm A Steady Rolling Man, Sweet Home Chicago, Love in Vain Blues, From Four Til Late, Drop D Tuning: Malted Milk, Crossnote Tuning: Hellhound on my Trail

DVD Two: Spanish Tuning: Stop Breakin' Down Blues, Walking Blues, Come On In My Kitchen, Last Fair Deal Gone Down, Stones In My Passway, Cross Road Blues, Traveling Riverside Blues

DVD Three: Spanish Tuning: If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day, Vestapol Tuning: Rambling on my Mind, I Believe I'll Dust My Broom, Preaching Blues, Standard Tuning: They're Red Hot