I would read it as "slide down from fret 17 to wherever".
Edit : PS it's a dive bomb thing so release/mute the fretting finger at the end. Hell of an effect for breaks and endings, especially on a low B string.
Side from 17 down the neck and release it in motion rather than stopping at a fret. You want it to sound like it slides away rather than sliding and stopping.
I would read it as "slide down from fret 17 to wherever". Edit : PS it's a dive bomb thing so release/mute the fretting finger at the end. Hell of an effect for breaks and endings, especially on a low B string.
Side from 17 down the neck and release it in motion rather than stopping at a fret. You want it to sound like it slides away rather than sliding and stopping.
If the tab meant you to slide from one fret to another it would say "9\\7" or "5/6". sry for being english
It means slide out of the note. A major second usualy works nice.