Basically you really only need two things to get started on slide: a guitar and something to use as a slide.

Firstly, there are a ton of different slides out there in tons of materials and thicknesses. try a few out and see what works for you. I actually started out with a metal socket when I was a kid and then went to glass a year or two later as my tastes changed.

Now on to the guitar: you can play on pretty much any guitar. Most of the time bigger string gauge and action adjustments aren't really needed. However if you are using a tuning that tunes some strings down and you use very light strings you may need to get a thicker gauge. As for action, if you can rest the slide on the first position and the weight of the slide doesn't cause the string to fret then your action is ok. Some people want to raise the action to get more play with the slide but if you practice you balance and touch you can keep your action lower. This helps when fretting notes and doing fretted runs. It does take longer because when learning you will likely accidentally fret out sometimes, just keep at it and eventually you will be able to know what pressure to apply in any position.

There are a lot of different tunings to play around in, including standard, so try a few out and see what you feel best with. Each tuning has it's own strengths and weaknesses too. Open E can be very beautiful and melodic but you can also end up sounding like a T Bone Walker rip off. Open G has great options for chord work but was used so much by the Rolling Stones that there is that vibe inherent in a lot of the chord shapes. Open A minor works great for sounding like an old lap steel but can be tricky to get comfortable with being a minor tuning.

Once you've found your tuning and your slide it is time for basic technique... and I mean basic! First, what finger is your slide going on? Some people use the middle finger (Billy Gibbons, Joe Walsh), some use the ring finger (Duane Allman, Derek Trucks, me), some use the pinky (Sonny Landreth, Alan Wilson). It is what feels best to you. I would suggest the ring or the pinky over the middle finger simply because on the middle finger you have less behind the slide support and muting with only your index finger.

Now what about your picking hand? Can you use a pick? Well you can but you will lose a lot of muting ability and finesse. Almost every slide player plays fingerstyle or with thumb picks. Why? Picking hand muting!!!! this is essential for clean slide playing. You simply rest your picking hand lightly across the bridge to deaden any unwanted strings from ringing out sympathetically while you play. This is one of those practice make perfect techniques so practice practice practice... did I say PRACTICE?

One sure fire way to get comfortable in any tuning is to transcribe licks from standard into the new tuning. Take your favorite solo and figure out how to play it in the new tuning. then learn how to do it with your slide. Also, do the same for vocal lines and other instrument parts. This will deepen your knowledge of the tuning and start burning the intervals into your head.

And remember you aren't going to sound like Duane Allman the first time you try to play slide, in fact you will probably sound more like a cat with it's tail in a blender, but keep at it and it will fall into place.

*note the 1000 character limit is annoying as hell when making a post like this.

I hope you guys find this useful!!!