Ever Forget Your Tone Bar ?

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

So you've arrived at a gig, you set up your steel, and then, horrors, horrors, you left your tone bars at home, and no-one else around has one to lend you. Whoa!

What do you use instead ? Oh Well

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

When I was just a kid, Doud Seymour was in a band that was hosted on our local TV station. On one show, Doug had apparently forgotten his bar and appeared to be using a table knife. The results were pretty hilarious but maybe I should let Doug relate the details.

I have used a beer bottle with excellent results.

Greg

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

Bobbe did once, and it lead to a real nice piece of music.

George McLellan · From: Duluth, MN USA

I've never forgotten my bar (yet), but I did once forget my picks and had to drive 40 miles round trip to get them. Made it back in time but just barely. I thought I had a spare set but at the time I had sent them to get coated by the fellow that does that.

Now I keep a spare set in my gig bag as well as my Steelers Choice.

Geo

Dick Wood · From: Springtown Texas, USA

I did once and tried to use a spark plug socket which was not the answer. Ultimately had to drive 90 miles round trip to get it.
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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.

Ben Lawson · From: Brooksville Florida

I forgot my bar & picks once but a friend brought his for me. He got there after the first set so I used a small glass and my fingers. I have left the tone home on frequent occassions.

Jerry Roller · From: Van Buren, Arkansas USA

I spent a night using a Pledge furniture polish bottle. It was a fun novelty for about 20 mnutes then it wasn't at all funny the rest of the night. This was in the 70's but still very vivid in my mind.
Jerry

Roger Crawford · From: Griffin, GA USA

Not yet, but in case I do, I keep an extra bar and set of picks in the center console of the SUV.

John Ummel · From: Arlington, WA.

pocket knife, beer bottle, shot glass, lipstick tube have all worked in a pinch! Smile

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Have done worse than forget my bar,I carry my guitar in two cases because of the weight, got to a studio one night to do a session,had left the pedal bar,rods,and legs at home. Shocked

YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

The bits from a socket set are not too bad.

Ransom Beers · Posted 30 Apr 2010 5:07 pm

I have a friend that forgot the back legs to his guitar,he nailed some 2x4's on it.We still razz him about that!!

Dave Pearlman · From: California, USA

I used a shot glass on a gig all night one time and had a blast. Also in a pinch: spark plug socket!
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Dave Pearlman
www.pearlmanmicrophones.com

Sho-Bud Pro 1 (4&4)
ETS S-10 4 floor 5 knee
(3, yes really) Fender Twin Reverbs
Fender Deluxe Reverb
Peavey Nashville 112
Fishman Loudbox 100 (awesome steel amp for small gigs)

Mike Cass · Posted 30 Apr 2010 8:35 pm

1975, rural Wisconsin, drove 50 miles r/t like Geo. McC, bar AND picks tho..last time that ever happened.
Headed out for a 4 month tour in '73 and I left my volume pedal home that time, played 3 weeks w/o it till I could get to Sonny Curtis' shop in Columbus Ohio to buy a new one, thanks again for the sweet deal Big C!

David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

My bar and picks remain in my gig bag as I have an extra set for home use. But to be on the safe side and as Roger stated, I also keep a spare set of picks and an inexpensive bar in the console of both of my vehicles. (An Ernie Ball or Dunlop bar costs around $20.00, which I am guessing must be more cost effective than one lengthy trip home and back.)

Stephen Silver · From: Asheville, NC

Chris Bauer · From: Nashville, TN USA

Forget my tone bar? No - way worse. I forgot my tone!

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

Yes, with horrible memories.

While with the Merl Lindsay Ozark Jubilee Band in the 1960's, we played the Tinker Air Force Base NCO Club in Oklahoma City one night, and then the Altus Air Force Base the following night. When setting up my rig I found that I was missing my bar and picks.

They were later found on the bandstand in Oklahoma City where I had left them, but it was too late for the current job. I subsequently borrowed a knife to use as a bar from an Air Force Sergeant, and in effect played what sounded like a dobro with a western-swing band. I expected to be fired and catch a bus home.

Merl didn't fire me as I expected, but kept me onboard and I had the priviledge of playing the final jobs that Merl had booked before he died of his cancer.
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"FROM THEN TIL' NOW"

Jack Ritter · From: Enid, Oklahoma, USA

A plated deep well mechanic socket will work great in a pinch, and it doesn't have to be a metric size, either. AS a matter of fact, there were no metrics around back when I used one. Jack
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Zum D10 8x5,rev pre-amp, TC M300, Split 12, n-112, IZZY, Hilton vp, Geo L, BJS Hughey, Live Steel

Jack Ritter · From: Enid, Oklahoma, USA

A plated deep well mechanic socket will work great in a pinch, and it doesn't have to be a metric size, either. AS a matter of fact, there were no metrics around back when I used one. This was back in the early 50's. Jack
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Zum D10 8x5,rev pre-amp, TC M300, Split 12, n-112, IZZY, Hilton vp, Geo L, BJS Hughey, Live Steel

Jack Ritter · From: Enid, Oklahoma, USA

Sorry for the double post---my finger must have stuttered!! Jack
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Zum D10 8x5,rev pre-amp, TC M300, Split 12, n-112, IZZY, Hilton vp, Geo L, BJS Hughey, Live Steel

Charley Wilder · From: Dover, New Hampshire, USA

Yes! And luckily I was playing lead guitar also and had a brass "bottleneck" slide in my case. It worked ok. I was standing up playing my D8 once and dropped the bar on a dark stage as I was changing mid-solo from steel to lead and finished the song with my trusty Zippo.

Dave Harmonson · From: Seattle, Wa

Forgot my dobro bar playing a festival. I was playing acoustic guitar, too so stayed on the acoustic.
I've gone to the gig without my steel. Had the pac-a-seat and all the accessories. It's kinda hard to find a substititute steel guitar in a hurry.
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www.facebook.com/countrydaveharmonson

Barry Hyman · From: upstate New York, USA

I had a solo guitar gig a few years ago. Brought the car around, loaded in my bags, drove the 20 miles to the gig, got there 20 minutes before I was supposed to start. Turned around, looked in the back seat, and NO GUITAR NO AMP! Just my bags with cords and tools and a mic!

Luckily I had a student in that town; I called him up and he let me borrow his guitar and amp. I made the bartender PROMISE never to tell anybody, which made him laugh so hard he almost got sick...
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I give music lessons on several different instruments in Cambridge, NY (between Bennington, VT and Albany, NY). But my true love is pedal steel. I've been obsessed with steel since 1972; don't know anything I'd rather talk about... www.barryhyman.com

Sam Lewis · From: Conway, Arkansas, USA

Several years ago, (more than I care to remember) my band was doing a show for the American Embassy in Chaing Mai, Thailand. Had four shows scheduled, the last one was at the Chaing Mai University. I played all four using a table knife. Needless to say, they were not my best pickin' but we got through it. Had about 6,000 students at the Ubiversity show and their favorite tune was "Cheeky Heart", Hankie Williams"
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SL D-10, SL U-12,SL SD-10, Custom Tele w/B bender, Steel King, TC300 Effects, Goodrich H-10K pedal, Fender V/T Pedal, Hilton Pedal Elite seat.

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