What's your favorite tone bar and size?

Brian Tong · From: California, USA

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the many bars out there? And do you have a favorite?

Is there such a thing as a 'desert island' tone bar?

Paul Norman · From: Washington, North Carolina, USA

I had a 7/8 X 3 3/8 Dunlop and it was light and
danced on the strings.
I bought a 7/8 X 3 3/8 BJS and it is enough heavier
that it does not dance on the strings, but yet
It is not too heavy like a much larger bar would be.

Louis Vallee · From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

I use a BJS 7/8" X 3 5/16" and John Hughey Lite 15/16" X 3 5/16"

Advantages of BJS:

Hard Chrome Finish (no scratch or chip)
No String Noise
Bright Sound
High Sustain

Brian Tong · From: California, USA

Thanks, Guys. Clearly you need mass for clean tone. Just wondering if the $50-80 is the way to go if a BJS is all I'll ever need.

As you can tell I'm new to this.

Micky Byrne · From: United Kingdom (deceased)

BJS 15/16 .....best there is!! Wink

Micky Byrne United Kingdom

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

I have a John Pearse and a BJS and to me they are equal. I actually use the Pearse more probably because it is 7/8" and the BJS is 15/16". Both are great folks to do business with and when I lost the set out of my BJS, Bill sent me two sets to replace it.
Jerry

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

BJS 15/16 John Hughey light !! perfect for me.

Frank Parish · From: Nashville,Tn. USA

I use a 15/16 x 3" made by Jim Burton. These are as good or better than the more expensive bars out there and you can get them tailor made for you! I like the 3" (just a tad shorter) because it cuts down the weight just a little and is easier to use for slants being shorter and having the bored out rear end for a better grip. I have two standard BJS 7/8 bars and haven't used them in more than two years.

Ron Randall · From: Dallas, Texas, USA

John Pearse 7/8 10 string. I have never had the need to try anything else. I remove the sticker on the end, and it gives me good control when slanting.

R2

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

BJS 15/16" x 3 3/8 for most uses. If I want to get a more muted or mellow tone like for Mooney riffs, I use a Dunlop hollow out 7/8 x 3 3/8.

Greg

Don Sulesky · From: Citrus County, FL, Orig. from MA & NH

I use a 15/16 X 3 5/16 Bullet bar made by Jim Burden.
I like it better than my two BJS bars for weight and tone.
Don

Ulf Edlund · From: Umeå, Sweden

I use stainless Bullet Bars and love'em. I have one 7/8 and one 15/16 diameter. If i'd only have one i think i would go for the 7/8. Jim Burden is a pleasure to deal with and runs a first class business.
_________________
1983 Emmons D10 SKH, Carter SD10, Nashville 112, Session 500, ProfexII, Lapsteels, GT-Beard reso, guitars of all kinds...
http://www.myspace.com/ulfedlund

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

I love my Sacred Steel grooved bar.

Brett

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

One of Sneaky's two bars that was given to me -

1 1/4" tapering to 1 1/8"

3 5/8" long

A special aerospace-alloy steel made at General Dynamics/Convair in San Diego, nickle plated, then hard chromed with a mil-spec process. Neither bar officially exists as far as manufacturing records would show from the late 50's/

It weighs one pound even, and after 50+ years of use looks nearly new. Sneaky used to throw his (he kept the slightly larger one the two) down onto concrete and show people the lack of dents, scratches, etc.

It changes your playing - you have to "sneak" (pun irrelevant) up on notes or you can overshoot easily because of the weight. It is a blast to play with.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional

Ernie Pollock · From: Mt Savage, Md USA

My favortie bar is just down the street from me, the sell Budwiser & all kinds of beer, no just kidding, my favorite bar is a John Pearse 1"

Ernie Very Happy

Morton Kellas · From: Chazy, NY, USA 1

BJS bars are great, I own a few. I do prefer the tone and weight of the Bullet bar. The tone preference may be due to the combination of gear I am using. I don't think you can go wrong with any top quality bar.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

My favorite bar, at present, is the BJS 15/16" John Hughey bar.

I have a 15/16" zirconium bar coming and we'll have to see if that will take precedence.

Mike Shefrin · Posted 3 Mar 2008 9:44 am

I like the BJS 7/8 stainless steel chrome bar.
I tried the BJS 15/16 bar and I also toyed around with a fat 1 and 1/4 inch bored out chrome bar that Jim Burden made for me but in the end I went back to the BJS 7/8. It just feels the most comfortable for me, and it also produces a great tone.

John Sluszny · From: Brussels, Belgium

BJS (regular) !

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Normally, I use a solid 7/8" 10-string chromed bar. I also have an assortment of stainless and chromed bars from 9/16" to 1 1/4" in diameter, and also several wood, plastic, and bakelite bars.

Don Brown, Sr. · From: New Jersey

Folks, I think I'll skip this topic. Got in hot water asking questions pertaining to why anyone would ever pay such high prices for any make of bar.

But I'll still say this. I'm not one for buying anything and paying for endorsements.

I find my original industrial chrome plated 1" X 3.25" after 40 years using it off and on to give me hand a change, is still as good as it was when it was made. Along with Ernie Balls's 7/8 X 3.25, and a chrome plated Dunlop, both of which were well under twenty bucks, back then, and not much differene now in price as well, were all I ever needed.

Anyway, that's what makes us all different individuals. What some like, others don't and vice versa.

Now I wonder just how many might use them if the endorsers playing ability came along for the price as a bonus.

"A player might make a bar sound like a good one, but the bar won't ever make the player sound any different that his/her capability to play in the first place. (naturally, my opinion only, and your mileage may vary). Very Happy

Don

Bernard Beck · From: Paris France

I've been using a twister symetric tone bar (available at Scotty's) which I had cobalt plated by Bil Perry (look for cobaltBP). I really like this combination.
As far as BJS, I just tried to contact them, it didn't work. If any knows about a possible problem, let us know.
Bernard

Tucker Jackson · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

I'm going to push back on that earlier Ernie Ball recommendation. The chrome started coming off mine after only 2 years.

Sorry, all bars are not created equal in terms of quality and durability.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Bernard,
Try www.bjsbars.com

Brian Tong · From: California, USA

Clear choices it seems. BJS, Pearse, Hughey, Burden.

Thanks all...I'm going with a 7/8...on size.

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