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Topic: REVIEW: Boyett Glass Bars |
Ray Langley
From:
Northern California, USA
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Posted 6 Jan 2009 5:44 am |
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REVIEW: Boyett's Glass Bars
You can see some photos, see some video/hear some sounds, or order here:
http://glassbars.com/
Price: $38 USD, including free shipping (within the U.S. only)
Sizes: Standard for the above price is 3/4" or 7/8". A standard length is not mentioned on the order form, but custom lengths are available from 2-1/2" to 4" (or more) in 1/8" increments.
Colors: Several colors are available.
Packaging: Hey, these guys are shipping lead-filled glass! I have shipped guitars across the country on airplanes with less foam padding. Packaging is excellent.
You may be wondering, "What is all the hoopla about? EVERYBODY knows that glass tonebars/bars/steels SUCK! Right? Well, yes and no.....
On a steel guitar:
Glass bars produce inferior sustain than do steel or stainless steel bars. Anyone disagree?
Glass bars generate MUCH less string noise than steel.....
Steel bars have better sustain partly because the weight helps to make a better/firmer contact with the string.
How can we marry the smoothness of glass with the heaviness of steel? I suppose we could cram a bullet-nose steel inside a glass lipstick holder. Stranger things have happened in the quest for the one "PERFECT" steel.
Gary and Jeff Boyett went the other way. They blow glass into the shapes of lipstick tubes and fill the hollow space with molten lead. The lead has a higher specific gravity than steel. This means that lead weighs more than steel. The end result is that we wind up with great sustain and very low string noise.
Recently, I started to learn the first few bars of "Red Sails In The Sunset" from Scotty's 20 Solos book. The notes for the words "sun-set" are on strings 2 and 3 at the 14th fret. The notes in the double-stop are B and D. This combination sounded so thin, washed-out, tinny, even piercing that I decided to put this song on the back shelf until I determined the reason. I blamed it on the 6-string Morrell, which in my opinion is a "toy" instrument. I blamed it on the thin gauge of the strings. I even blamed it on my poor technique as a beginner. Then, I tried it this evening with the Boyett Glass Bar. I swear to God, the difference is night and day! The other bar was a Dunlop 919, Jerry Byrd sized, Stainless Steel Bar. Anyone can prove this, for themselves, play the first 2 bars of Red Sails.... in the key of G, in C6 tuning.
My wife has an inner-ear disorder called "Meiniere's Disease". In a nutshell, it means she is allergic to noise. She can hear a VERY noticible difference between the Boyett Glass Bar and the Dunlop Stainless Steel, and the Chrome (Plated over Brass)... Lap Dawg Bar.
Drat! I just now read this over and it sounds like I must be Gary and Jeff's dad or something like that. Hi kids! ...only joking! I am merely a satisfied customer who is half-deaf, yet I can hear a highly discernable difference in tonal quality, and reduced string noise.
Now, lest we let these two "magic bar makers" skate off unscathed, I really do my very best to post a fair, but detailed, review. I wish there were more reviews on this forum. What could possibly be wrong with these Wonderbars?
In order to mask the appearance of lead, some of the available colors are (how shall we say?) ... somewhat effeminant? But, a clear-glass, with plain-lead model is shown on the web site. How about a camo model for the deer hunters? Only kidding....
The only real downside is that glass breaks! Yep, it does. But, steel gets dinged up too, when it is dropped on unfriendly sufaces. If the ding in the steel is big enough to cause string noise, then it is also unusable. For those with "Butterfingers" as a middle name, you will need to keep an inventory of these. For the rest of us, a single backup should be enough. I plan to play over a trampoline.
If you put the glass bar and a steel bar in a cold room, the glass bar will be playable first! Glass is a good insulator.
To Gary and Jeff: I hope you guys make a million with your idea. But, if you use MY idea to make them glow-in-the-dark, I want a beta copy...
I am ordering my second 7/8" x 3" bar today! |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 6 Jan 2009 4:44 pm
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Thanks for that fine review Ray!
The Boyett Bar is definitely the best glass bar around.
They are smooth and noise-free.
The lead filling is a wonderful innovation, giving it plenty of sustain.
Testimonials from some of the top Steel Players in the world can be found on the Glass Bars site.
For your convenience, they are now set up to take Paypal and all major credit cards.
_________________
BIG STEEL |
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Ray Langley
From:
Northern California, USA
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Posted 6 Jan 2009 5:50 pm
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Thank you sirs, Tom and Rick!
I figure that if my old ears can tell a huge difference, even on a cheap instrument, then others should be aware that something like this is available, at a fair price.
Our very own moderator of this forum section, Brad B. also endorses the Boyett bar, as do many others.
It's good to see testimonials from both neophytes and experts.
Rick, you have a collection of about a zillion bars on your site. I am hoping this is the last one I will ever need. |
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Gary Boyett
From:
Colorado
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Posted 9 Jan 2009 4:33 am
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Thank you Ray. Jeff and I are glad that you like the bar. I agree with everything you said. Everyone in music chases that elusive "tone".
I have to really thank two people: Chris Kennison (seldomfed) and Rick Alexander for helping us come up with this idea. Without their input and testing we would not have done as well as we have.
As for the breakage. Bobbe said you can solve that very easily, just don't drop it... If you do we offer $5.00 off on your replacement order.
Thanks again everyone. Happy New Year |
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Ray Langley
From:
Northern California, USA
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Posted 9 Jan 2009 7:20 am
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Gary, here's a quote, from me, for your site:
"It gave me an "Ear-Gasm!!!" 
I think you and Jeff are modern day alchemists. You have truly turned lead (and glass) into gold....
Your bar is a boon to those who suffer from poor circulation. I can't even play standard guitar when my fingers are cold. The glass bar is warm compared to a metal bar, in a cold room. I would stress this feature as a selling point.
If you ever incorporate the powder/paint from www.glowinc.com, I'd like to hear about it. This stuff is long-lasting and BRIGHT. Here is a glow in the dark glass marble:
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seldomfed
From:
Colorado
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Posted 9 Jan 2009 12:34 pm
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Hi Gary,
Thanks! Was fun to see you guys persist until you had a great product. It's a good tool to have in the old pak-a-seat.
aloha,
chris
_________________
Chris Kennison
Rhythm Cats - steel, guitar, banjo, dobro
Gold Canyon, AZ
www.rhythmcatsshow.com
www.seldomfed.com |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 14 Jan 2009 8:44 am
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I still use one and love it, this and a Cobra Coil bar serve my needs.
Bobbe |
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Danny James
From:
Summerfield Florida USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2009 9:28 am
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I have been using Boyett glass bars for well over a year now exclusively. (I have several)I'm 71 and my hands are dry. The Boyett bars are much easier to hold on to for me than the steel ones. I am well pleased with the sound and sustain I get from mine.
For what it is worth I have dropped my bar on concrete several times and so far it has not broken. If it ever does you can bet I will give Jeff and Gary a call and order another one right away. I like them that well, and won't be without one as long as I can get one.
They are great people to do business with. |
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