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Topic: tone bar diameter vs scale lengths and string spacing? |
Charles ONeal
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 20 Jun 2020 8:18 am |
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I don't have much experience with different size tone bars and scale lengths.
I'm intrested in hearing people's thoughts on how different diameter tone bars respond when used for slants on various scale lengths.
Does one diameter get better slants on a 24 inch scale and another on a 22.5 inch scale?
How do various tone bars used on the same scale length but with a different string spacing effect slants?
I don't think it's this cut and dry but as an example could one bar provide an equal temperament and another be closer to just intonation for the same slant? |
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Gene Tani
From:
Pac NW
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Posted 20 Jun 2020 5:02 pm
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I never noticed a connection between diameter and slants but if I go longer than 3.25", slants are more challenging. Choosing a bars a really personal choice, might be easier to say what bars you've tried and maybe we could suggest some that aren't too expensive or you could find somebody around you that has bars to try out.
Lately i've been using a "12 string" bar on 10 string lap and pedal steel, when i tried it, it felt really secure in the heel of my hand even tho it looked kind of ridiculous. The makers are Williams and Hillman
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Glenn Wilde
From:
California, USA
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Posted 20 Jun 2020 5:06 pm
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I use the same bars for everything, six, eight, short, long scale, acoustic or electric. 7/8" x 2 3/4 to 3".
I like the familiarity. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 21 Jun 2020 10:10 am
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| A larger diameter bar would help with split slants on guitars with wider string spacing. More of the nose would be in contact with the two adjacent strings at the same fret. I don’t think it would make that much difference as far as scale length. Longer scale (24.5â€-26â€) makes slanting of any kind on the lower frets a bit more difficult, so a longer bar might provide some advantage. |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 21 Jun 2020 10:24 am
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At first I had trouble with reverse slants with a longer bar...just takes more motion to get your thumb there and pivot the whole thing, so a smaller bar was just a little easier to pivot quickly. That said, as I've progressed, I find I know prefer the slightly larger bar and don't have the trouble I once did on slants...
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Charles ONeal
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 21 Jun 2020 2:24 pm
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Frank your split slant comment makes perfect sense as do the multiple comments on shorter bars being easier to maneuver for slanting.
I realise that the bar is strait, it just seems to me that there might be a tendency to apply pressure differently as the size and weight increases. I suppose it really just comes down to comfort and technique.
I think it's time to get a shorter bar and work on my reverse slants. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 22 Jun 2020 3:03 pm
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A longer bar for slants means you can cover 4 or 5 strings over a 3-fret span, if you’re into that sort of thing. I learned a maj7 slant on C6 tuning from a Mike Neer video that covers 4 adjacent strings and 4 frets, which can’t be done with a dobro bar. Longer bars take some getting used to, just like anything else. Billy Robinson uses a huge bar and seems to get around okay with it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O2nXkL8V9P8 |
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Steffen Gunter
From:
Munich, Germany
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Posted 25 Jun 2020 5:24 am
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I play a 3/4 diameter but tried a 7/8 when I changed to my Clinesmith Frypan because of its wider spacing compared to my Stringmaster. My impression was that there's no big difference with split bars. More important was the slight pressure on the middle string. Best results perhaps with the 3/4 BJS Jerry Byrd bar with the differently shaped, more pointed, nose. But handling of my Ezeee Slide bar was so much better that I decided to stick with it. And tone separation on single tone licks was better with the 3/4 bar because the 7/8 was often touching the string above. On the other hand sustain and tone improved slightly with the fatter bar.
I'd be interested in the diameters used by Bobby Ingano and Jeff Au Hoy. It is hard to tell from the videos but it looks like they are using 7/8 diameters?
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