High Tech Bars

Paul Higgins · From: United Kingdom

Nicholai
It works like a dream...
I should be able to get some practice now while waiting for the other bar's..
Thanking you again for your help it is aprecaited very much...I hope i can return the help one day..RdGs Paul

Nicholai Steindler · From: New York, USA

No problem! Glad to help. You might want to try putting the ring in the middle as you practice slants. Makes it easier to turn it sideways.

Have fun and goodluck!

Marty Smith · From: California

I can make any type of custom bar you want.
Thanks
Marty

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=148349&highlight=
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Machinist

Steve Ahola · From: Concord, California

While I have had no problem holding my Shubb GS-1 bar (which works great for blues and "frantic" lap steel LOL) to dig a little deeper into country music I prefer to use a traditional round bar. As long as it is sliding on the strings it works great but because of problems with my hands I can't lift it off the fretboard. I liked the idea of putting velcro on the bar and somehow attaching velcro to my index finger.

Looking at one of Andy's coated fingerpicks I figured that would work perfectly once I flattened it out. For my first experiment I used heavy duty velcro to secure it to a regular 7.5oz steel bar from Jim Dunlop (the 920 I believe).

I put the hooks on the flat of the fingerpick and the loops on the bar, using the Gorilla Glue Epoxy to add to the self-adhesiveness. I wrapped the fingerpick/velcro assy with tin foil and then put two mini-bar clamps on it. For the bar I wrapped it tightly with masking tape to secure it while everything cured. The Gorilla Glue held the velcro on securely but the heavy duty velcro did not feel very secure, as though the hooks and loops would unlash themselves at any time.

On to Version 2.0! I've been using the "Superlock Fasteners" from Radio Shack for many years now; it is like a super velcro and I would typically use it to fasten something like a video processor to a VCR. Very heavy duty stuff. Radio Shack still sells it in clear and black varieties, with the clear being a dollar more than the black. So I got a 4 pack of the black fasteners for $3.99 (RD# 64-2360). There are no hooks and loops- both pieces you use are the same.

For the fingerpick I used Krazy Glue to assist the adhesive and used my miniclamps to hold it together (after wrapping it with tin foil). For the bar I used the Gorilla Glue Epoxy with a different trick to secure it (since I had to shape the fastener to fit the curve- it is normally flat). I wrapped it first with heavy duty tin foil and then with masking tape and wrapped some 20GA solid wire around it to mold it to the curve of the bar followed by another wrap of masking tape to keep the wire from unwrapping.

Woohoo! That fastener is going to stay together until Kingdom Come. In fact rather than try to pull the fasteners apart with the fingerpick on my finger I just slip the whole thing off.

You can position your index finger as you want on the bar and I find that you can still play forward and reverse slants.

Now that I know that the technology does work I will probably do the same with my JD 918 "Jerry Byrd" bar that weighs 5.5oz. (My hand gets really strained using the 7.5 oz bar.)

Steve Ahola

P.S. A tip about epoxy: when you mix it up on a paper plate (I assume that you do not use the good china!) save the plate and mixing device (where I come from we call them "toothpicks"). That way you can be sure that it was properly mixed. If the epoxy on the plate doesn't cure properly you better start over from scratch. And buy gloves (or swipe some from the doctor's office while you are in the examination room waiting- it is only fair that you are reimbursed for your time! Shocked

) Epoxy can really screw up the fretboard or finish of a guitar.

P.P.S. I am amazed at how well this setup works. It gives me a lot more control than the GS-1 bar because all of my fingers are close to the strings. And it is extremely easy for me to lift up and move the bar around without worrying about it across the room by mistake. I think I will call this my Bionic Finger and the Wonder Bar... Alien

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Recordings on electric guitar:
http://www.box.net/blue-diamonds
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Michael Elzey · From: Delaware, USA

Nicholai Steindler · From: New York, USA

I also find using a glass tone bar to be easier than using a metal one. Coincidentally, I'm in a position to make them if anyone needs one and can also attach a finger strap if anyone needs one of those too!

Good luck to anyone having problems, I feel your pain.

ed packard · From: Show Low AZ

Billy uses a white Zirconia bar...it is not Plastic.
He has been using it for about a decade.
Search ZBAR, ZIRC, Zirconia and you will find info and posts re them.

There is a batch being prepared for shipment about mid MAY.

Paul Higgins · From: United Kingdom

Hello
Re my GS1 bar it's great to hold...BUT it is not a bull nose and I keep catching it on string 1

I took my 3and1/2 put it in a vice and took the disc grinder to it ( was surprised to find it was brass cromed..quite soft realy..) took it down half way and stuck with epoxy Resin my own peice of wood cramped it over night it is solid now..

What I did do wrong was I was not realy expecting it to stick I dident shape the wood first to the right shape..so had to try and do it while the steel was stuck on but it works good..

I was expecting it to be steel was dident realy know if it would grind down...

Regards Paul

John Bushouse · Posted 3 May 2010 11:23 am

Tom Doughty is a guitarist in the UK. Tom was in an auto accident in 1974, leaving him with no movement in his left hand fingers and limited movement in his right hand fingers.

Here's the slide he uses. He puts the slide on his first finger:

http://www.diamondbottlenecks.com/DB08/index.asp?n=16

http://www.tomdoughty.com/

Steve Ahola · From: Concord, California

Michael Elzey · From: Delaware, USA

Now thats having some fun! great chording and lead work from both. make ya want to grab your guitar and go out to a jam.
Excellent Cool

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