| Author |
Topic: My Experience With TriboTone Bars |
Rick Abbott
From:
Indiana, USA
|
Posted 12 Jul 2012 6:11 pm |
|
A few years ago I bought a bakelite bar along with a D-8 steel from a guy in my hometown. The bar was an E.R. Watson tapered 15/16 to 3/4. I fell in love! The tone is really unique: fat, but not dark; creamy AND sizzling on the high end. You know what bakelite sounds like! And, it feels really good to hold; it stays put in your grip!
Well, my bar wouldn't take the abuse of modern nickle strings, or my style of playing; it chipped and took on grooves. I quit using it, but never forgot its magic.
I discovered that Lee Jeffriess uses a Tribo-Tone bar, and decided to try one. Lee is one of my favorite players, and his style requires a lot of movement, so does mine. How could I lose?
I just bought a perfect chrome bar from BJS. AND IT IS THE BEST chrome bar ever. I see the difference in chrome and stainless bars of differing price and makers.But:
This is the perfect bar for me! I played dobro 5 years before I even thought about pedal guitar, and my natural style includes picking the bar up off the strings. Most teachers of PSG tell us not to do this, but to "slide, or roll," the bar. Good advice generally! But, there is a sound generated by the action of moving on, or off the strings. A heavy chrome bar is not easy to "play dobro" with. I kept looking for something to bridge the gap. I really thought it was the E.R. Watson bar.
The K-Bar I bought from Eric at Tribotone is exactly what I have been looking for! I like it's true bakelite tone (dead-on), The weight is half of a chrome bar; tone is really clear on bass notes above the 12th fret; bakelite grip-feel and warmth. As I use vibrato--the bar excites the strings, creating sustain. To my ear, better sounding sustain (more mids...less highs).
If you use distortion...you MUST try this bar!
I am totally sold on this bar! Have you tried one??
JMHO 
_________________
RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Sehy #112
1975 Peavey Pacer 1963 Gibson Falcon |
|
|
 |
Ken Metcalf
From:
San Antonio Texas USA
|
Posted 13 Jul 2012 11:08 am
|
|
I love Tribo Tone Bars from Austin Texas USA.
They come in different weights also.
http://www.tribotone.com/
_________________
MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes |
|
|
|
Geoff Cline
From:
Southwest France
|
Posted 13 Jul 2012 11:32 am
|
|
| Agreed. Eric is a great gut, making great products. In addition to bars, he makes EXCELLENT slides for playing bottleneck guitar (steel core/tube with his "Tribo-material" on the outside). Great tone, feel and weight. |
|
|
|
Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
|
Posted 13 Jul 2012 6:36 pm
|
|
Another satisfied Tribotone user, I have a red one, a white one, and a blue one, to match my various steels.
Here's the one that matches my Studio Pro.
_________________
Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
|
|
|
Wayne Franco
From:
silverdale, WA. USA
|
Posted 16 Jul 2012 8:33 am I've used one for about 2 years
|
|
| I don't use any other bar. I like the smaller size bar as well. Sounds really great. |
|
|
|
Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
|
Posted 16 Jul 2012 9:44 am
|
|
Ditto to the above posts!
I use a Tribo-tone very frequently myself, especially when I play non-pedal steel with Alvin Crow. It's very reminiscent of the now-vintage Black Rajah bakelite bars I used when I was a kid, only at a larger size more suitable for my playing style of today.
And Eric is one fine man and a supporter of the steel community. So we should support him in return.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
|
|
|
Rose Sinclair
From:
Austin, TX, USA
|
Posted 16 Jul 2012 9:46 am Tribotone
|
|
| I love my Tribotone bar! |
|
|
|
David Nugent
From:
Gum Spring, Va.
|
Posted 18 Jul 2012 8:49 am
|
|
| Are they closed for vacation or no longer in business? Have sent two e-mails requesting an order and as yet have received no responses. |
|
|
|
Rick Abbott
From:
Indiana, USA
|
Posted 18 Jul 2012 10:27 am
|
|
Must be vacation? I just got an email from Eric a week and a half ago.
_________________
RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Sehy #112
1975 Peavey Pacer 1963 Gibson Falcon |
|
|
|
Bud Angelotti
From:
Larryville, NJ, USA
|
Posted 18 Jul 2012 10:34 am
|
|
| How would this compare to an Emmons bar? I don't know if it's stainless or nickle. Do use nickle strings. |
|
|
|
Rick Abbott
From:
Indiana, USA
|
Posted 18 Jul 2012 11:47 am
|
|
Bud,
Have you ever used a bakelite tone bar from the 40's or 50's? There is a real diference in the feel and tone of bakelite to any stainless or chrome bar no matter the brand. The Tribo-tone has the same qualities (but better) than bakelite.
_________________
RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Sehy #112
1975 Peavey Pacer 1963 Gibson Falcon |
|
|
|
Bud Angelotti
From:
Larryville, NJ, USA
|
Posted 18 Jul 2012 1:36 pm
|
|
| No Rick I never did. I've always used this emmons bar that came used with the used emmons guitar. I'm looking for a birthday present, for ME! I've looked at the site http://www.tribotone.com/ and I know this kinda stuff is hard to put to words. I'm just thinking to get a better sound, might be my technique, before I get somebody else to plunk down the $$$ for MY present. It's all about ME! |
|
|
|
Christopher Woitach
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
|
Posted 18 Jul 2012 4:39 pm
|
|
Tribotone bars sound great, and the one I use, a K-bar, is very light and agile. Well worth the price.
_________________
Christopher Woitach
cw@affmusic.com
www.affmusic.com |
|
|
|
Rick Abbott
From:
Indiana, USA
|
Posted 19 Jul 2012 5:16 am
|
|
The normal rattle, or bar noises, are just gone. I also like the clarity of the wound strings above the 12th fret, much clearer.
Theres no doubt I'll have to get one of the heavier bars too. But the K-bar is perfectly good for country styles. I've been bouncing between my D-8 and Uni-12 with this new bar...works for anything I'm doing. When I play with distortion this bar has a nice tone too. Less shrill and just sweet! YMMV
_________________
RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Sehy #112
1975 Peavey Pacer 1963 Gibson Falcon |
|
|
|
Jana Lockaby
From:
Kaufman, TX
|
Posted 22 Jul 2012 5:04 pm
|
|
| I sent Eric an email last week, and haven't eard back either. Is he on vacation? I love my bar, wouldn't trade it for anything, but it's getting some worn spots. It's a couple of years old. Can it be buffed and polished back to it's original state? |
|
|
|
Anthony Minstein
From:
Kentucky, USA
|
Posted 7 Aug 2012 4:06 pm
|
|
I use two: A manoloff bar on my 8 string lap and a "standard" 7/8s on the steel...great bars.
_________________
Carter S10 Professional
JazzKat Solid State Amp |
|
|
|
David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
|
Posted 8 Aug 2012 12:05 pm
|
|
They're moving to a different building! Or at least I think they are based on this:
| Quote: |
We lost our lease space and will be moving the Tribotone shop very soon. We are unable to fill orders at this time. Our plan is to work hard and build a large batch of stock before we move. We plan to start shipping from that stock beginning October 31st. No custom orders will be taken for the remainder of the year until we're back on our feet. Thank you for your understanding and support!!! This is temporary.
Eric Ebner |
It was, ummm, sorta at the top of their website? Moving a whole business to a new location - NOT my idea of how to use vacation time.  |
|
|
|
Roger Francis
From:
kokomo,Indiana, USA
|
Posted 8 Aug 2012 12:18 pm
|
|
| Jana, Eric told me they start sounding better when they get some wear on them, as long as there is no grooves you should be fine |
|
|
|
Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
|
Posted 8 Aug 2012 4:14 pm
|
|
I use mine for everything, nowadays.  |
|
|
|
Bob Watson
From:
Champaign, Illinois, U.S.
|
Posted 8 Aug 2012 9:04 pm
|
|
| I bought one to use with my 8 string Dobro. I love it and Eric is a stand up guy! |
|
|
|
Chris Reesor
From:
British Columbia, Canada
|
Posted 31 Aug 2012 4:06 pm Tribotone rocks...
|
|
I just picked up a used M size (7/8 x 3 3/8, 7 oz. )to use on my U12.
I was using a 7/8" double bullet Twister, which is highly polished stainless, about 8 3/8 oz, and roughly the same length.
The TT is so much easier to hang on to for bar tip playing! That alone would close the deal, for me.
Tone wise, there's not much missing on the top end; mostly the stuff you don't want, like the little zzt you can get when playing hammers and pulls. Twangy low string riffs sound really fine.
I have been messing with an SP2 for this style of playing, but I believe the Tribotone will handle both jobs better.
Spendy? Maybe, but well worth the $ in my opinion.
Chris
_________________
Excel Superb U12, MIJ Squier tele, modified Deluxe Reverb RI, Cube 80XL, self built acoustics & mandolins |
|
|
|
