Bar for 8 strings

Aaron Schiff · From: Cedaredge, CO, USA

My Gibson D8 is on the way. Now what do I need for a bar? I have 2 old Stevens, an SP-3 (too light even for dobro)and an SP-2 that I use on the reso most of the time because of the weight, bullet end for slants and other end for pull offs. Is there a bullet end bar that is a little longer than the SP-2, but not 10 string size? How much difficulty is there going from a grooved dobro style bar to a steel with no grooves? After all, it took me several months to learn to hold onto the Stevens when I started.

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

I have been using my favorite 6-string Dobro bars -- a Scheerhorn and a Dunlop "Lap Dawg" -- on a Supro 8-string I bought about a month ago, and they are working out fine for me. Both are grooved bars like a Stevens, but with a very large radius on the bottom and tapered "noses" on both ends for single-note and pull-off work. The Scheerhorn is an ergonomic marvel! It heavier and slightly smoother than the Lap Dawg -- which is a cheaper knock-off of the Scheerhorn.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I'm wondering if BJS makes a shorter bar for 8 string? You won't be disappointed with one of Bill's bars! They are the smoothest bars there are. I have played 8 string steel for years and always used a straight bar with no grooves or anything, just a rounded nose and a slight recess at the tail to put your thumb in when you want to make those Jerry Byrd reverse slants. To be an adequate player on straight steel, you need to be able to slant your bar IMHO. I guess Don Helms never had to, but then I'm not Don Helms, Buddy Emmons, Lloyd Green, or etc. Boo-Hoo

Uff-Da!

[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 24 April 2002 at 07:56 AM.]

[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 24 April 2002 at 07:57 AM.]

[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 24 April 2002 at 08:00 AM.]

Dave Mayes · From: Oakland, Ca.

Aaron,
I'm pretty sure Dunlop makes the least expensive bullet nose bar. They're also light, which I think would help a bit if you're new to that kind of bar. If you later decide it's not working for you - you'll only be out about $18 (?).

Aaron Schiff · From: Cedaredge, CO, USA

Ok, I'll look into these.

Gee Erv, you would think after 48 years of fingerpickin' 6 strings I'd sound like Merle Travis by now, but it hasn't happened yet. Maybe I'll have better luck with Jerry Byrd and Don Helms.

Another question: Do I need to get a volume pedal right now, or can that wait a few months? Obviously the music I like is from the 40's & 50's and I don't remember many guys using pedals then, but my memory could be foggy.

Tim Rowley · From: Pinconning, MI, USA

Aaron,

I would advise you to go with a BJS bar if you can get one (not the jeweled-nose model because you will need to be able to tip the bar up on its nose). Or, Jim Burden Bullet Bars can make you the exact bar you want and they are fine bars but not expensive. Also the Broz-O-Phonic round bar might fill the bill for you. It's 8-string length, bullet nose, and recessed at the back end for easy slants. I started using a Broz-O-Phonic on my dobro last year and it works great for me. I don't mess around with pull-offs but if I wanted to do them I would just turn the bar end-for-end. Hammer-ons are no problem.

You asked how difficult it would be to switch to a round bar, questioning if would be hard to hold on to. For me at least, it's a LOT easier to hold on to a round bar than a grooved one! And I can't slant well at all with a grooved bar. It's true that I mainly play pedal steel, so perhaps I'm just more accustomed to handling a round bar.

Some reso players don't like the Broz-O-Phonic bar for some reason. I think it would work OK on a Gibson D8 though. Your mileage may vary...

Tim R.

David Biagini · From: San Jose, CA, USA

BJS makes an excellent bar for 8 string steel guitars. It's smaller and easier to handle than the 10-string bar. I got mine from Malcolm at Cody's Discount String Warehouse (strings@apex.net).

Ally · From: Edinburgh, UK

The SP1 is long enough for an 8 string. Nice bar.

Pete Grant · From: Auburn, CA, USA

Beware of the tip of the SP-1, though. It will often dig _under_ the string. The SP-1 is also narrower, much like a Stevens. I think, if you really like your SP-2, you might not be comfortable with the SP-1.

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Aaron; do not use a stevens type bar for steel pal.....get a good round bar and be done with it.
I'm parital to BJS......a good 8-string bar you can get from Malcolm..... strings@apex.net like David suggested> from Discount String Warehouse.
The style and techniques that you are wanted to accomplish on your new Gibson Steel; cannot be done with a flat bar(stevens).....and otherwise you could form some bad habbits that you will regret in the longrun.
I have some bar hand techiques that will help you get comfortable with the round bar in no time at all; at.....MightyFineMusic.com
So toss the flat steven's type bars aside(way aside)and become a steel player.

------------------
Ricky Davis

My Homepage
Rebel™ and Ricky's Audio Clips
www.mightyfinemusic.com
Email Ricky: sshawaiian@aol.com

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

By all means get a foot volume control!
If for no other reason than to kill the sound when you make a boo-boo. I've misqued on many a harmonic and didn't want anyone to hear it.
Also, it can be used for effect, increase sustain, etc. On your Fender D8, you can also curl your pinky finger around the tone control and get some nice effects. Jerry Byrd used it in playing Steeling the Blues.

Uff-Da!

[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 25 April 2002 at 07:53 AM.]

[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 25 April 2002 at 07:55 AM.]

Aaron Schiff · From: Cedaredge, CO, USA

Thanks for all the help guys. Pete Grant mentioned in an email that he uses the John Pearse Thermocryonic (?). A friend has one in his shop that I tried on a National D he has on his wall. Wow. It took me a year to learn to hold onto a dobro bar with the grooves and I could really use this round steel. It began to slip out of my hand a little toward the end of "Cherokee Shuffle" with all the hammerons and pulloffs, but overall I loved it. And the sustain was amazing. I'm the only guy interested in dobro or steel in the county so he is selling it to me at his cost and giving me an old Sho Bud volume pedal he has in the back room. Now if someone would only give the old Deluxe Reverb they have laying around in a back room;-)

Thanks again

Del Rangel · From: Clayton, NC

Try www.bulletbars.com for a good round stainless steel bar.

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

My favorite bar also is the John Pierce thermocryonic. I find its size, weight and durability to fit my needs perfectly.
http://www.jpstrings.com/braccess.htm#TCBar

Red Rajah bars are also popular but I find mine drags ever-so-slightly on the wound strings.
You can do a whole lot more with a bullet bar than a Stevens-style bar with the one exception of super fast hammer/pull-off runs.
Many Dobro players swear by the Sheerhorn bar.

[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 25 April 2002 at 09:52 AM.]

Pete Grant · From: Auburn, CA, USA

I use all three sizes of the ThermoCryonic bar. My experience is that it gives you better tone than other bars of the same dimensions. Usually I use the big bar like a batter uses a weight on a bat, but it does get the best tone, so sometimes I use it in the studio.

Andy's right. Reverse slants are much easier, and using the nose of the bar for two strings is far more forgiving than the SP-2. If you flip it around and use the flat end, you can get some awesome pull-offs if you just keep your thumb tucked under the bar.

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