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Topic: Ceramic tone bar review |
Robert W Wilson
From:
Palisade, Western Colorado
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Posted 28 Jan 2022 1:57 pm |
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I recently acquired 2 ceramic bars from Rocky Mountain Slides. I am impressed with the workmanship, artistry and physiology of the bars. I am super impressed regarding the speed and tone of these bars!
I had been suffering for many weeks from left hand pain in the index and 3rd finger when I received these bars. They position your hand a bit differently (no learning curve) and my finger pain began to subside right way. I quit playing all my steel bars for a month and the pain has not returned even when using steel.
I pulled out my bars for a photo comparison and was surprised how many I have acquired in 3-4 years of steel study (lap and pedal).
The Rocket ceramic bars are asymmetrical on top and fit my medium large hand to perfection. I immediately could hear a tonal difference, not as bright. I boosted the highs on the amp and was rewarded with warm golden tone. Super comfy from the first day these bars felt like an old friend.
Notice the weight, there is none. Yes sustain is reduced but try some real fast phrases. More speed than I have ever had and the cleanest string separation.
The bass strings on my U12 sound awesome. I rarely played them until receiving these bars. The problem was setting eq to favor low or high strings as I was never happy with the whole range on 1 setting. The ceramic allows a boost in the highs which sweetens the low strings without the ice picking pain from the high ones.
A very strange and pleasant sensation is you can feel each string resonating through the bar at the position of the string. I suppose this is where the loss of sustain occurs, but it feels cool and you are more connected to the guitar (playing blind would be easier).
This is the double cut which I thought would be my favorite.
This is the single cut which turned out to be my favorite.
My conclusion:
1. I’d buy these again in a heartbeat and think everyone should at least try a ceramic bar. I have tried many different tools but this is one you clearly hear a difference.
2. Will it replace my steel bars? No, but I will always have these around. After a session with ceramic, the steel bars feel cold, impersonal and really slow. But there is nothing like a big fat heavy bar for slow songs.
3. Hand pain? These very affordable bars are a must buy, unless you dig pain. I was limiting my practice sessions before this. The pain left and didn’t return. Anecdotal advice, I’m no doc.
4. These bars can be utilized without fingers. I played them quite satisfactory cupped in my palm do to the pain. Gripping these bars is 4 times easier than a shubb and 100 times easier than a bullet bar. Even with oily hands you won’t drop them.
I would like to approach this guy and see if a hybrid is possible that would increase sustain, just a little. My thoughts are to insert a tungsten (or other metal) rod into the ceramic if possible.
Hand made by an artisan, cheaper than a medical co-payment and adds interest to your playing.
I rarely do reviews but made time for this one because it's an excellent little known product. And I am home in bed with #$%&*@# covid!
Cheers all!
https://rockymountainslides.com/
slideman74.2me@gmail.com |
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Gene Tani
From:
Pac NW
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Posted 28 Jan 2022 10:05 pm
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Thanks for that. I actually have a couple of their slides but have no memory of ever having used them, probably cause I can't find them! So i'm on it. Also been experimenting with Black Mountain slide ring https://blackmountainpicks.com/pages/black-mountain-slide-ring
There's also these glass bullets from Elderly I've been meaning to try, but kind of disuaded by you drop it, it shatters
_________________
- keyless Sonny Jenkins laps stay in tune forever!; Carter PSG
- The secret sauce: polyester sweatpants to buff your picks, cheapo Presonus channel strip for preamp/EQ/compress/limiter, Diet Mountain Dew |
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Mark Evans
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 29 Jan 2022 4:39 pm
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Cool tone bars!
Years ago I got a Paloma blue ceramic bar. Quick, fun to play, but lost a little oomph from my steel bars … of course played mostly on my Weissenborns - mostly played unamplified.
Questions… the silly one first:
The difference between double and single cut…
And have you tested it on any acoustic instruments for tone/volume?
I’m close to pulling the trigger…
Tanks!
Mark E
_________________
Larry Pogreba Baritone 'Weissenheimer
Late 30’s Oahu Tonemaster
Early 40’s Rickenbacker Ace
Asher Electro Hawaiian
Hermann Guitars style 1 Weissenborn
2017 Richard Wilson Style 1 Weissenborn |
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Steve Lipsey
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2022 11:51 am
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I tried these and couldn't live with the reduced tone and sustain...and you have to press down, can't let the bar's weight do it for you. Speed was surely nice, if that is your thing....
There also is the Shubb GS-1, a sort of blend of a standard metal bar with a nicely shaped lighter wood handle...I like this for Weissenborn, where a lighter touch is good...but still want all metal for dobro and lap steel, where sustain and tone are key....
And of course, if you do slants, the bullet bar reigns supreme....
_________________
https://www.lostsailorspdx.com
Williams S10s, Milkman Pedal Steel Mini & "The Amp"
Ben Bonham Resos, 1954 Oahu Diana, 1936 Oahu Parlor |
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Robert W Wilson
From:
Palisade, Western Colorado
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Posted 30 Jan 2022 11:56 am
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I had to email him to find out, doesn’t say on the web. No cut would be flat across the the top like shubbs. Single cut clips both ends a little (blue speckled white), double is more clipped to arch the index finger. I heard arched top bars alleviated pain issues and steel versions no longer manufactured so I found these.
Unfortunately I don’t have any acoustic instruments (yet). I would expect a different tone character. Overall they sound less “refined” more “bluegrassy”. I would post some samples but due to my rookynesswhen the record light comes on I suck more, ha ha! |
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Steve Lipsey
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2022 12:01 pm
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Hmmm...there are lots of arched top steel bars, if I'm understanding you...the Scheerhorn bar is lovely, the Dunlop Lap Dog for a cheaper version...Beard bars...etc. many different lengths and slightly different shapes....
_________________
https://www.lostsailorspdx.com
Williams S10s, Milkman Pedal Steel Mini & "The Amp"
Ben Bonham Resos, 1954 Oahu Diana, 1936 Oahu Parlor |
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Robert W Wilson
From:
Palisade, Western Colorado
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Posted 30 Jan 2022 3:03 pm
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Scheerhorn is what I wanted ($100) but my experimental budget is 50 bucks (less shipping  )
“You have to press down” I am heavy handed with a habit of flattening the lower strings. Practicing with ceramic has helped train my ears, ringing and all, to stop doing that.
Of course steel bars are supreme, not trying to change anyones mind just sharing a tool I found useful. Musicians (IMHO) who stay in a box and refuse to experiment produce boring material, those who experiment too much produce annoying material. |
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Steve Lipsey
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 30 Jan 2022 3:37 pm
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And I wasn't trying to criticize...OF COURSE we ALL have been through the "Hmmm...that looks interesting...I think I'll try another bar" phase...multiple times...and everyone wants something different.
_________________
https://www.lostsailorspdx.com
Williams S10s, Milkman Pedal Steel Mini & "The Amp"
Ben Bonham Resos, 1954 Oahu Diana, 1936 Oahu Parlor |
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Terry VunCannon
From:
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 31 Jan 2022 9:57 am
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I love my ceramic bars from RMSC. I use them all the time recording in the studio.
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Glenn Wilde
From:
California, USA
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Posted 31 Jan 2022 4:51 pm
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| Those look cool, I'll have to get me one. I just got a nice glass bullet bar from Silica Sound i really like, its alot easier to hold than steel and sounds great, yeah, i worry about dropping it😛 |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Posted 31 Jan 2022 8:32 pm
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Rocky Mountain Slides makes stone bullet-nose bars in both shorter and longer lengths... I prefer the longer lengths for my huge hands. And... the agate etc he uses is gorgeous. I've used Paloma Stone ceramic bars... still have a couple... they don't survive a trip to the concrete well, seems they break on the *second* bounce for me. I have yet to break an RMS stone bar... and they seem to have more tone than the Paloma. Besides... Paloma is no longer available to my knowledge. About 45$ ea.
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Too much junk to list... always getting more. |
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