One inch bar vs 7/8"

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

I have always used a standard 7/8" bar but a student brought his 1" bar to his lesson recently and I gave it a quick try. It seemed to make a more solid connection to the string (due to the heavier weight) and, as a result, less hand pressure was needed on the bar (allowing for a more relaxed hand).

So I bought one (a chrome BJS bar), and it arrived today.

Wow! I'm really surprised at how much of a difference it's making in my tone! It's bringing out overtones from the instrument that were hiding and which really enrich the sound, at least to my ears (on my Franklin; haven't tried it yet on the Millennium but I will soon.) And using less hand pressure on the bar means less fatigue and increased agility (since downward pressure inhibits sideways movement).

Wish I'd made the switch years ago, but better late than never!

Signed,
A Happy Camper
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Per Berner · From: Skovde, Sweden

I made the same transition a few years ago, but eventually found the 1" bar a little too big and heavy. 15/16" turned out to be a perfect compromise for me.

Skip Edwards · From: LA,CA

Good move, Jim. Been using a one inch bar for almost 40 years. Couldn't think of using anything else.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

Like you Jim, I went from 7/8" to 1". The only downside is the slight adjustment that has to be made from a viewpoint perspective. Tonally the 1" gives slightly more sustain IMHO. After starting with a stainless 1", I am now using a Basil Henrique's 1" poly bar, and it's a great compromise with less weight, improved maneuverability, superb tone and incredible 'stickability' in the hand.
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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I tried a 1" bar and didn't like it. Weight probably was the main issue for me. I only used it twice and sold it.

Dan Robinson · From: Colorado, USA

Jim, I made the switch to a 1" bar and noticed the same benefits.

I had a long standing problem applying too much downward pressure on the bar. Tense muscles in my neck and shoulders pressed on nerves. It only took about 10 minutes of playing before I lost sensation in my bar hand.

I got a 1" Dunlop 921, a so called "12 string bar" (I know, there is no such thing). I believe it weighs 11 oz. The weight helped me improve my bar technique and develop more relaxed posture. Now I can play comfortably with 7/8" or 1" bar, but I prefer the larger bar. Better tone, more sustain, and it really lends itself to deep vibrato using a rolling motion.

On the down side, I was never good at lifting the bar, and the 1" bar is no help.

Larry Behm · From: Mt Angel, Or 97362

At a Buddy and Jeff seminar in Calif many players were using 1" at the time. We asked Buddy why he used the 7/8 bar, he said "more dirt and crowl". We all tossed out 1's to the back of the room and bought 7/8 bars from Jeff.

I find the 1" to be cleaner, easy to hang on to, and great if you are into bar fights a lot. Hee Hee.
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Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I have used both and find that a 7/8 works better for me. There is no need for excess downward pressure on either bar so I found no benefit with the one inch. I found the 7/8 is more easy to control for hammer ons and slants. I usually only have the bar contacting the strings I am playing so the one inch felt a little more cumbersome. Also a little harder to control on the subtle levels that I need while attempting to play in tune.

I see students showing up over the years with these massive Dunlop one inch 12 string bars. They must have made a gazilion of them and dumped them on major guitar stores. They are difficult to control and new players tend to use them like huge capos they lug around the fret board. Those bars are a big mistake on a basic level in my opinion plus the chrome plating is pretty shabby.
A BJS one inch is another thing. They are great for what they are.
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Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I really like a 15/16" bar. Very Happy

Erv

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

I use two bars that taper from 1 1/4 - 1 1/8". One was one of Sneaky Pete's two bars (and weighs a full pound!); the other, which I now use 90% of the time, is an Ezee-Slide Baz made as a lighter duplicate.

The original idea Pete had was that a large, heavy bar would provide more sustain - and the original ones did compared to a usual 5/8 bar or even one a bit larger.

But (and this isn't a disguised ad, just reality) The Ezee-Slide bar does exactly the same thing while being far easier to handle and control. It was funny watching some pro players try Pete's bar and overshoot a slide by a couple frets because of the weight!
Laughing

All larger bars take adjustment because the parallax view of the string contact area changes. The taper was included by Pete to adjust for this. With his "day job" in special effects Pete understood viewing angles and designed the large bars to appear "visually straight". There are always small variations/adjustments based on seating position and height but it still seems far easier to "hit spots" with a large tapered bar than a simple "big bar" (and I have several).
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Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

On my D10, I use both a 15/16" and a 1". The 1" was just to try it out. I like it, but I can get more control over speed with the 15/16" bar. The 1" does give a slightly better tone.I don't really know why though.

My 12 string bar is 15/16".
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Tim Heidner · From: Groves, TX

I like the tone of the bigger bars, but I seem to have more intonation problems with them. Probably just a personal problem, though.

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

What Erv said!
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Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

It's kind of like the three bears story.
One is too small, one is too big and one is JUST right! Very Happy

Erv

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

I hereby decree that from now on everybody MUST use a 1 inch bar. It works for me, therefore it must work for you.

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Fred Treece · From: California, USA

What Mike said. Except heâ€™s wrong about the...oh, never mind.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Seriously, everybody is different and had different preferences, not just in bars, but in copedants, choice of S-10, SD-10, D-10, S-12, etc.

So, the thing to do is try our different bars ans see what YOU like. It doesn't matter what anybody else prefers.
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Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Absolutely.

Two steel players walk into a bar. I think it was a 7/8ths....

Or

Two steel players would have walked into a bar, but they couldnâ€™t decide which one...

I know I know. I wonâ€™t quit my day job.

Jim Fogarty · From: Phila, Pa, USA

The last couple weeks I've been using a 1" BJS bar I bought a while ago and hadn't messed with much, instead of a BJS 7/8" bar I usually use.

Boy, as mentioned, the TONE is great, and I loved the feel. I find it far easier to grip and lift, too.

But I had a steel rehearsal on Sunday, and while I'm not a great player, my intonation is usually relatively decent, from years of playing slide.

Not Sunday. I was crazy flat, all over the place! Very embarrassing.

I realized the extra size of the bar was messing with my placement and vision. So, I switched back to the 7/8" and was practicing tonight for my gig on Saturday.

Of course......now I was SHARP a good while, until I adjusted again!!!

Embarassed

I think I'm gonna try and get through the gig the this weekend with the 7/8", to be more comfortable........then try playing the 1" exclusively after that, so I'm good with it. The tone and feel really IS better......especially on the unwound strings.

Bill L. Wilson · From: Oklahoma, USA

First of all, Iâ€™ve been using 7/8â€ bars since I started playing Pedal Steel in 1973. In 2014 Butch Gardner talked me into buying a 7/8â€ BJS bar at the Dallas Show. He said, â€œtake it home try it out on your steel and if you donâ€™t like it Iâ€™ll buy it backâ€. Well, needless to say, I was hooked from the get go. So, 2yrs. later I decide I want to try a 15/16â€ bar, so I buy another one from Butch. At first I did have pitch issues, and would swap back to the smaller bar, and now I still like the smaller bar even though my tuning is ok. Just personal preference.

Skip Ellis · From: Bradenton, Fl USA

I tried a 1" bar made out of some kind of plastic that Danny Hammers had and liked it but never got around to buying one. I've been using a 7/8" Emmons bar for so long, I'm not sure I could change but I might give it a try.
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Kevin Fix · From: Michigan, USA

I have been using a BJS, 1" bar for about 20 years. I had some surface issues with my original bar. I sent it back to BJS and they replaced it. Never seen one wear out! I own a extra one just in case someone walks off with it. I did play with a 7/8" bar for probably 10 or 15 years. I do like the tone from the 1" bar better. The weight was the difference.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Kevin,
I had a BJS bar at one time where the chroming got thin on the butt end. I contacted BJS and they said that they had some chroming done and it wasn't up to par. They sent me a new bar, great people! Very Happy

Erv

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

I use a 7/8 bar on a 12 string guitar. I gave a 15/16 Huey bar that is slightly bored out at the rear. I like that also. I ha one inch bar that I will pull out and give it a try. I have a bunch of bars that are stored in cigar boxes.ðŸ‘

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