Martin Simpson's Signature Slide represents his vision of the ultimate guitar slide, executed with absolutely no compromises. Our innovative tapered design balances the slide, throwing the mass towards the fingertip for unprecedented single-note sustain, tone and control. Realised in solid tungsten carbide - twice as dense as steel and nearly as hard as diamond - this heavy 195 gram slide remains compact and agile, uniquely combining the properties of metal and glass: a rock-solid fundamental with blooming, bell-like sustain and a palette of overtones infinitely controllable through technique and playing style.
The surface is hand-lapped to a microscopically-smooth mirror finish for a playing feel completely devoid of string drag and noise. The lightest touch brings out a beautiful note, making this slide eminently suitable for guitars with light strings and low action (Martin does not use a separate guitar or different setup for slide). The precisely radiused and polished ends combine function and aesthetics. As well as enhancing the beauty and feel of the slide, they are a playing surface, making sensitive interaction with the strings possible for techniques such as hammer-ons and pull-offs.
"These are literally the finest slides available, anywhere... If you're a slide player, this could change your life."
Martin Simpson
The Martin Simpson Signature Slide is crafted from an advanced high-density nickel tungsten carbide metal matrix composite, weighing nearly 30% more than lead and about twice as much as steel. This enables us to pack extreme mass, with all its tonal advantages, into a compact, comfortable and agile slide. Weighing over 190 grams, this is one of the heaviest guitar slides in the world. It is also one of the most comfortable.
Nickel tungsten carbide is so dense that a deviation of just one quarter of a millimeter could change the weight by over 10 grams. To accurately realise our balanced design and maintain consistency, we manufacture our slides to a minute tolerance of five hundredths of a millimeter.
Learn more about tungsten carbide
The Martin Simpson Artist Series Signature Slide is also available in tungsten carbide-coated steel, titanium nitride-coated steel and hand-polished marine-grade stainless steel.
"It's perfectly silent when it moves across the strings. It has a finish on it which is smoother than glass, and it's completely unmarkable."
Martin Simpson
The Martin Simpson Signature Slide is available in two sizes, medium and small. The unique tapered interior follows the shape of the finger and makes for a supremely comfortable fit on a wide range of finger sizes.
We recommend the medium size for use on the ring finger and for players who prefer a loose fit on the little finger; we recommend the small size for players who prefer a snug fit on the little finger.
The medium and small size slides are balanced to have exactly the same weight, so you lose nothing in tone between the two sizes.
Medium size |
Small size |
|
|---|---|---|
Length |
63.5mm |
62mm |
Outer diameter |
25.4mm |
24.4mm |
Inner diameter (base) |
21.8mm |
20.3mm |
Inner diameter (fingertip) |
16.9mm |
15.5mm |
"The considerable mass means that you need little pressure, especially on the top strings, to produce exquisite tone and remarkable sustain."
Ian Anderson
Editor, fRoots
| Slide model: | Wolfram Martin Simpson Signature Slide (2013) |
| Slide material: |
Nickel tungsten carbide metal matrix composite |
| Surface: | Hand-lapped mirror finish |
| Overall length: | 63.5mm |
| Outer diameter: | 25.4mm |
| Inner diameter: | Tapered 21.8mm - 16.9mm |
| Edge radius: | custom, precision compound radius |
| Mass: | 195 grams |
| Accessories: |
Exclusive 16-page illustrated technique / information booklet (written by Martin Simpson and David Browne) Velvet storage pouch British-made Selvyt™ microfibre cloth Individually signed certificate of authenticity |
Martin Simpson demonstrates his tungsten carbide Wolfram Signature Slide.
Richard Gilewitz demonstrates the Wolfram Martin Simpson Signature Slide at the London Acoustic Show 2016.
Michael Messer is an internationally-renowned blues innovator, using a wide range of slides to devastating effect. The character of a slide is determined by the interplay between density of material, wall thickness, mass and size. In Michael's Signature Slide, our aim was to capture the tonal magic of our unique tungsten carbide material in a medium-weight slide designed to be especially effective on reonator guitars.
The result, arrived at through over a year of R&D, is truly spectacular. This thin (1.3mm wall thickness) slide is incredibly acoustically active, capable of producing a stunning range of tones associated with metal and glass slides, all delicately controllable through playing style and technique. There is always a strong fundamental note, present with the lightest touch, but a halo of overtones, more commonly associated with glass slides, is there to be explored! Due to the use of tungsten carbide - twice as dense as steel and nearly as hard as diamond - this thin slide retains a medium meight of approximately 90 grams for excellent sustain characteristics.
The surface is hand-lapped to a microscopically-smooth mirror finish for a playing feel completely devoid of string drag and noise. Michael comments that the slide feels as though it has been oiled! The edges are precisely radiused and polished, ensuring that the thin-walled slide glides smoothly across the strings with no chance of snagging or catching on the strings.
"The tone and feel is unique. This is a bit like explaining what is so great about a perfect 1928 resonator cone, it is something I can feel when I play."
Michael Messer
We developed the Michael Messer Signature Slide from the ground up to fully exploit the unique acoustic properties of tungsten carbide. It's incredible degree of acoustic activity is the result of a delicate balance of material, wall thickness, mass and surface finish.
We aim to deliver nothing short of perfection, and we found that deviating from the Signature specs - developed over a year of R&D - still made a superb slide but lost the elusive magic of the Michael Messer Signature Slide.
Therefore, the Michael Messer Signature Slide is available in a single size, and only in our flagship nickel tungsten carbide material.
Learn more about tungsten carbide
"I am finding I am able to do things and create sounds that I have never achieved before."
Michael Messer
| Slide model: | Wolfram Michael Messer Signature Slide (2014) |
| Slide material: | Nickel tungsten carbide metal matrix composite |
| Overall length: | 61mm |
| Outer diameter: | 25mm |
| Inner diameter: | 22mm |
| Edge radius: | smooth, semi-circular |
| Mass: | 90 grams |
| Accessories: |
Exclusive illustrated information booklet (written by Michael Messer and David Browne) Velvet storage pouch British-made Selvyt™ microfibre cloth Individually signed certificate of authenticity |
Michael Messer delivers a stunning performance with his Wolfram Signature Slide.
