| Author |
Topic: Newbie Bar question |
Robby Osenton
From:
Florida, USA
|
Posted 8 Jan 2011 8:52 pm |
|
Ive been learning on a friend's borrowed steel. In the case he had an old stevens bar like this one http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Golden-Gate-Stevens-Steel-Bar-for-Resonator?sku=421090
So that is what ive been using. I like having the section cut out for my fingers to grip onto.
I just got a Fessenden SD-10, and will have to give him back his sho bud and his bar soon, so I am looking at bars. It appears that most of you guys just use a cylindrical bar. What measurements would a normal one of those be?
Am I missing anything by not playing one of those, or does it matter much? |
|
|
 |
Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
|
Posted 9 Jan 2011 12:45 am
|
|
Most seem to choose a 7/8 X 3+3/8" bar for 10 strings. I do to FWIW ... Dunlop, BJS and Zirc bars are the ones I have personal experience with, and they are all good IMO - just slightly different.
I used one of those grooved bars before taking up pedal steel. That was 30 some years ago and I haven't used one since.
Much better control with a good bullet-shaped bar, and you can roll it quite a bit for noiseless fast or slow vibrato. Takes some practice to get used to a bullet-shaped bar if you've become used to a grooved on, but shouldn't take more than a few days to sense the advantage. |
|
|
|
Ron Randall
From:
Dallas, Texas, USA
|
Posted 9 Jan 2011 6:50 pm
|
|
I use a 10 string bar as mentioned above. 7/8 by 3 and 1/4 made of Stainless Steel for my SU12 PSG and D8 console steels
FWIW I convinced myself a few years ago that a Stainless Steel bar sounded better on GHS pure nickel strings. (hey it is just what I do)
I like a bar with a dimple/cavity in the back end to control it a little better.
But, FWIW the great Don Helms used a Stevens type bar for all those wonderful sounds.
If I am playing solo dobro in a large audience, I use a Stevens type bar with a round "nose" on it. I do not want to lose control of the bar in that situation.
Hope this helps.
Ron |
|
|
|
