How much do you weight the bar?

Joseph Lazo · From: Wisconsin, USA

In general terms, do you push the strings down much with the tone bar, or does it just sit atop the strings? If it just sits lightly on top of the strings, do you get "bar chatter" from the strings?

Pat Chong · From: New Mexico, USA

Hi Joseph,
Not all Psg's have strings at equal height, so "Yes", sometimes you do have to push down on the bar to compensate, especially when the bar is close to the nut.
And yes, you could hear some "bar chatter" (depending on the circumstances) without pressing the bar down. If I understand you right, the "weight" you need is pressing down hard enough to get rid of the "bar chatter"....... Pay attention, because you don't need the same pressure in all places.

......Pat

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

Down Pressure on the bar depends on 2 things to consider. One is the weight of the bar. 2nd is how even the strings coming off the nut rollers, So you have no buzz at first fret.
Let your ear be the judge, If you need to apply down pressure.

When I bought my first 12 string, A 3 3/4" X 1" 11.5 oz bar came with the guitar. No extra down force was needed for good sound. My left wrist got tired. I drilled a 31/64" hole 3.25" deep in the bar, Weight 9.6 oz. Still enough weight, No down pressure required. But a lot easier on wrist up and down the neck.

Good Luck finding a combination of bar weight and Down pressure required for a good sound.

John Larson · From: Pennsyltucky, USA

Tom Keller · From: Greeneville, TN, USA

IMHO you should not need any downward pressure behind the bar. The fingers of the left hand should simply follow the bar.

Joseph Lazo · From: Wisconsin, USA

I purchased a pedal steel (new), and I'm getting a really bad "sitar sound" with the bar on the strings. Just using normal light pressure on the bar, it sitars like crazy--especially on the 3rd and 4th strings. I sent a video clip to the builder and he claims to not be able to clearly hear anything on it. The guitar came with .011 gauge string set, and when I suggested going to a heavier gauge set I was told that wouldn't work with the E9 tuning. (It's a 6-string). Now the builder says I can go with any string gauge and just retune. I'm going to try heavier strings, but don't know if a string will snap when I use the pedals to bend up. I'm pretty disappointed with the whole experience, and I'm not even mentioning some other things that have transpired.

If I can post a video directly to the site, it would really help. I'm not on any video sharing platform, though. If anyone out there wants to see/hear what I'm talking about and weigh in, let me know. I can send my video directly to you via text.

Joseph Lazo · From: Wisconsin, USA

Additional info: I'm using a Dunlop 920 bar (7.5oz). I don't have this sitar-ing issue with any of my lap steels, and those I play with a lighter, shorter bar. I'm not a total beginner just learning how to hold the bar, and how much pressure to put on it. Shouldn't a 7.5oz bar be enough to not get the sitar sound?

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Did you try the Dunlop bar on the lap steel? Does applying a little pressure to the top of the bar help? I use a lighter weight bar because I like to lift it and play single strings on the bullet nose, so I’m used to applying downward pressure on it.

Joseph Lazo · From: Wisconsin, USA

Fred, yes, I've used both the Dunlop 920 and the shorter, lighter bar on my lap steels. I do the same thing you do with angling it to hit single string notes. For that reason, I pretty much only use the shorter, lighter bar on the lap steel.

Now, I'm in the middle of changing the .011 set that came on the pedal steel to a set of .012 Ernie Ball Not Even Slinky strings ( 12 - 16 - 24P - 32 - 44 - 56 ) I've got the first four strings on and notice an immediate improvement. Much less string chatter/sitar-ing. I think it just might be usable with these strings, although the high E string is a little noisy. Much improved, but not quite there. I've not tuned the pedals yet. Just wanted to see if the higher tension strings make any difference, and they definitely do.

I had this same issue with a lap steel that came with .011s. When I changed to .015s, problem solved.

So, fingers crossed...

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

A huge amount of the creation of tone is in the bar hand. I won't say you have to use a lot of pressure or a little pressure but I will say that how much pressure you use and how you use it will have a major effect on your tone.

An very visible example of what I would consider common down-pressure is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa_oF3YYQMU

Watching Paul Franklin videos is another view of this.

Joseph Lazo · From: Wisconsin, USA

I put a set of .012 guitar strings on it and this resolved the metallic chatter I was getting with the .011s it came with. Had to retune at the tuning nuts, which required a walk-thru over the phone from the builder. Finally got all strings properly tuned and am working those pedals and knee levers!

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