| Author |
Topic: The Bar |
Russell Adkins
From:
Louisiana, USA
|
Posted 2 Oct 2021 11:36 am |
|
| Im guessing that the subject of which bar is best has been talked about before , what is the best bar for using with your steel , does it really matter and why , is it going to make you a better player and why ? stainless, chrome , brass or glass ? 5/8 , 7/8 etc etc What do you use and why ? |
|
|
 |
Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
|
Posted 2 Oct 2021 3:58 pm
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Barry Coker
From:
Bagley Alabama, USA
|
Posted 2 Oct 2021 5:49 pm
|
|
BJS Best cleanest sounding bar I've ever used.
_________________
Zum-D-10, Webb 614-E, 65 Pro Reverb, Evans RE200, 69 Gibson Birdland, 89 Telecaster EAD Bad!! |
|
|
|
Benjamin Davidson
|
Posted 2 Oct 2021 6:11 pm
|
|
The best bar is going to be the one that fits your hand in length, its width fits your vibrato motion, and weight allows you to control and lift the bar when required.
I still have no need to pursue anything beyond the basic Dunlop 920. Economical, functional, available just about anywhere should you lose it.
3.25"in, 7/8 dia., 7.5oz I believe.
In the PFM, Mr. Franklin goes into great detail that the bar has to fit your hand in order for you to be able to control it.
You asked about materials, the glass and ceramic bars are for specific tones or effects, or combined with specific effects stomp-box pedals for emulating other instruments.
_________________
Justice Pro-Lite (9p9k) 10 String D13th Universal Tuning |
|
|
|
Michael Hill
From:
Arizona, USA
|
Posted 2 Oct 2021 6:23 pm
|
|
| BJs Bars web site has a section to help you choose the right bar. |
|
|
|
Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
|
Posted 2 Oct 2021 6:56 pm
|
|
Heavier bars may give a little more sustain and smooth out your movements. Lighter bars let you move a lot faster. My preferred sizes are 3/4" x 3 3/8", or 7/8" x 3 3/8".
Many players have trouble with sustain, but I never had problems in that area. (I still use a 3/4" Sho~Bud bar I bought over 50 years ago.) |
|
|
|
Andrew Frost
From:
Toronto, Ontario
|
Posted 2 Oct 2021 10:59 pm
|
|
| I use a pretty standard 7/8" bar for pedal steel. But, that said, a few years back I bought a 1" Dunlop bar. That thing is substantially heavier and bigger. And the tone is great. But more than anything, I use it as a 'weighted bat'. If I play for half an hour with that thing, then switch to to the 7/8", the smaller, 'standard' bar feels really light and agile. Makes a 7/8" bar feel like a little Hawaiian bullet bar. Also, accurate intonation and slants with a bigger bar can be a little trickier, so it's good practice using a 1" or perhaps 1.25" bar on a regular basis in my opinion. Something to think about! |
|
|
|
Henry Matthews
From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
|
Posted 4 Oct 2021 1:10 pm
|
|
BJS are great bars but I prefer the old Emmons bars. Just like their feel on the strings a little better.
_________________
Henry Matthews
D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes. |
|
|
|
David Ball
From:
North Carolina High Country
|
Posted 4 Oct 2021 1:40 pm
|
|
BJS is certainly hard to beat, but I like the zirc bars that Ed Packard used to make and the ones that Zirctone is making now. They're not quite as bright sounding as the BJS but are very quiet and feel really good in the hand.
For non pedal playing and C6 on pedal, I like the plastic bars like Todd Clinesmith and Basil make.
Dave |
|
|
|
George Macdonald
From:
Vancouver Island BC Canada
|
Posted 4 Oct 2021 2:01 pm Bars
|
|
| After using 15/16" bars for years, I have found that 7/8 by 3 3/8 are the most comfortable for me on 12 string pedal steel. For 8 string lap steel I use 7/8 by 3". I have BJS, Clinesmith, and Zirctone bars, and Michael Hillmans powder coated bars are great too. They are available in a variety of sizes and colors at affordable prices. |
|
|
|
Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
|
Posted 4 Oct 2021 8:29 pm
|
|
The Ezzee~slide Tone Bars made by Basil Henriques are absolutely outstanding. They are not "plastic" - they are made from a synthetic polymer (that is very, very difficult to even scratch) with a copper core.
I play the prototype of my "Jim Sliff/Sneaky Pete" Ezzee-Slide bar - tapered from 1 3/16 - 1 3/32" It's just slightly smaller than Sneaky Pete's originals (two were made in the 50's - one I own) and a fraction of that bar's 1 pound weight!
I've played it for years, since Baz first started production. It's been dropped on concrete, asphalt, tile floors, pedal and lap steel guitars - and looks brand new except for a slight dulling of the exposed copper back end.
The tone is indistinguishable from the original steel bar. Other players who have tried it on my Fenders and Push-Pull often say "oh, come on - a plastic bar?" - and then are shocked that it sounds the same, seems to feel more "slick" on the strings yet feels less slippery in the hand than a metal bar.
And no, I did not get it for free (or cheaply), don't make any money from sales and am not paid for "promotion". I just think it's the best darned pedal steel bar made!
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
|
|
|
Larry Dering
From:
Missouri, USA
|
Posted 6 Oct 2021 6:06 am
|
|
| I'm with Jim on the Basil or Clinesmith bars. I have 2 of Basil's tone bars and a Tribo tone bar and I love the feel and tone. I also use BJS and a Hillman powder coated bar. My main go to is the Basil poly bars. |
|
|
|
Lee Rider
From:
Fort Bragg, California, USA
|
Posted 9 Dec 2022 12:19 pm
|
|
My friend made this one for me, 1" stainless steel. Great tone! Had him flatten out the top a bit.
_________________
Bowman SD10 push pull 3x5, Modified Hudson PedalBro, Sarno Tonic preamp, Evans FET 500. with Altec 418B, Standel Custom 15, '67 Showman with D-130F in cabinet, Ganz Straight Ahead, custom Wolfe 6 string dobro, '52 Gibson Century 6. |
|
|
|
Matty McDermott
From:
New York, USA
|
Posted 30 Jan 2023 3:29 pm best tone bar magic!
|
|
| howdy y'all, seeking a ceramic, stone or any non-metal (non-plastic) tone bar. what's out there, what's good & what do y'all love? many thanks! |
|
|
|
Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
|
Posted 30 Jan 2023 5:02 pm Re: best tone bar magic!
|
|
| Matty McDermott wrote: |
| howdy y'all, seeking a ceramic, stone or any non-metal (non-plastic) tone bar. what's out there, what's good & what do y'all love? many thanks! |
http://www.clayrabbit.com/Paloma%20Stone%20Guitar%20Slides.htm
There are other ceramic tone bars. I have the Paloma 7/8”x3-1/4. It’s light weight, which makes it great for stuff where you are moving up and down and around the fretboard a lot and don’t want or need a lot of sustain, like for imitating slide guitar on lap steel.
I think the guy moved his business to Arizona, and you can only order through his facebook page.
I also have a Basil Henriques Ezzee Slide 7/8”x3-1/2” tone bar, which is great, but does not produce quite the sustain that my Dunlop 7/8” steel bar does. It got a little nick on it when I dropped it on a Boss GT10, but the damage is big enough to see and feel so I just make sure it’s not facing the strings when I play.
Last edited by Fred Treece on 30 Jan 2023 6:58 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
|
|
|
|
Damir Besic
From:
Nashville,TN.
|
Posted 30 Jan 2023 7:21 pm
|
|
I’ve been using Dunlop 921 forever , love the feel , size and weight … and like someone already said , you can get them anywhere … I get mine on eBay
_________________
www.steelguitarsonline.com |
|
|
|
Dave Meis
From:
Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA
|
Posted 31 Jan 2023 9:54 am
|
|
| I like the Hillman powder coated bars. |
|
|
|
Marco Schouten
From:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
|
Posted 31 Jan 2023 2:02 pm
|
|
Lately, I've been using my old Emmons bar a lot. It's rounded edge makes it fit in my hand very comfortable.
_________________
----------------------------------
JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo |
|
|
|
Lee Rider
From:
Fort Bragg, California, USA
|
Posted 17 Feb 2023 2:44 pm Bar Hand
|
|
Anyone have a hard time holding on to the bar? I sure do. My left hand has been through the ringer, broken pinky, dislocated the fifth metacarpal on BOTH ENDS falling off a ladder, dislocating my middle finger playing water polo against guys 30 years younger (see picture of that one).
Anyone else have an issue holding the bar? Dobro bar is fine but a 15/16" round bar is tough.
Thanks!
_________________
Bowman SD10 push pull 3x5, Modified Hudson PedalBro, Sarno Tonic preamp, Evans FET 500. with Altec 418B, Standel Custom 15, '67 Showman with D-130F in cabinet, Ganz Straight Ahead, custom Wolfe 6 string dobro, '52 Gibson Century 6. |
|
|
|
Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
|
Posted 17 Feb 2023 7:38 pm
|
|
| Get that finger fixed. |
|
|
|
Brett Day
From:
Pickens, SC
|
Posted 17 Feb 2023 8:27 pm
|
|
| I'm now using a Sacred Steel bar that I got at the ISGC in '03, but will soon be switching to a Clinesmith coated bar. The reason is so my left hand will be able to handle a coated bar better because since I've got cerebral palsy, I have to try different bars. I tried out an Emmons D-10 at Emmons Guitar Co. recently with an Eezzee bar, and it worked pretty well. I'm really looking forward to trying out the Clinesmith, as it will soon be my main bar for pedal steel. |
|
|
|
