Bullet Bar to try

Ken Koellner · From: Massachusetts, USA

I play mostly reso but have a low-end 6-string lap steel and am starting a project of building an 8-string to have something to work on over the holiday break. I have a couple bars with the concave sides typically used with acoustics. I'd like to try a bullet bar. But I see they aren't inexpensive and come in many sizes, both length and diameter. I don't want to invest in a whole bunch to see which size works best. I'm hoping someone can recommend a middle-of-the-road model and size I could start with. My hands fit a typical size Large gloves and again, I'll be playing 6 and 8 string lap steel.

I was looking at the Hillman bars on https://tonebars.com/ and the price point looks okay. Wonder what's the best diameter and length for lap steel with large but not XL hands. And would power-coated be a good place to start?

-Ken

Roland Sturm · From: Santa Monica, CA

I like the 3/4 diameter and maybe 3 inches long for 8-string, both lap steel and dobro. I tried thicker and longer bars and own the whole size/material/manufacturer range, plus the more typical dobro bars. After the expense and experimenting that you seem to want to avoid, I use bullet bars 3/4 thick and about 3 long. Differences between makers or even material (coated) are subtle and only noticeable in a direct comparison when trying to detect differences. For all practical purposes, the cheapest (Dunlop 918) works as well for me as those for which I paid 3 or 4 times the price and I actually have no strong preference other than size (and not having dings in the bar, those accumulate with use, you drop those round bars more often).

Nathan Laudenbach · From: Montana

I would recommend the Dunlop 920. It’s big enough for a 6 or 8 string, and if you hands fit large size gloves I think that would be a good size. It’s quite a bit bigger than a 919, the next size down. In my opinion you can get a more comfortable “confident grip on a larger round bar when it’s a bit larger, especially when you practice bar hand techniques like lifting the bar up on its nose.

Tim Whitlock · From: Colorado, USA

My preference is a 3" x 7/8" bar. Good for both 6 and 8 string. A little extra size over a 3/4" bar makes it easier for me to handle. I highly recommend the polymer bars made by Todd Clinesmith. They reduce string noise and friction considerably and stick to your hand nicely. I will never go back to a metal bar. They are a bit pricy at around $100, but so worth it!

https://www.clinesmithinstruments.com/clinesmith-bars-and-accessories

Joe Cook · From: Lake Osoyoos, WA

I like Michael Hillman's powder coated bars. Easy to grip and they are so smooth on the strings. Michael is on top of customer service and if your bar gets damaged, he will swap your old bar for a new one at a very low price. I use the 3" x 3/4".

Nathan Golub · From: Durham, NC

Another vote here for a 7/8, 3" long bar. Seems to be the sweet spot for ease of handling for slants and such but heavy enough to get a decent amount of sustain. I use the Dunlop 920 & a BJS bar of the same size.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

For lap steel, I like a tapered bar.

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

I personally favor the 3/4" x 3" Latch Lake (formerly Broz-O-Phonic) bar:

https://latchlakemusic.com/slides/hawaiian-bar/

Roland Sturm · From: Santa Monica, CA

So you'll have to experiment with the width, but at least it looks like there is some consensus that 3 inches is a good length. I am in the 3/4 camp because I found 7/8 too much work, slower and heavier. Either is fine. Regarding a response above: I would say the Dunlop 918 is the size down from the 920. The 919 (Jerry Byrd) is even smaller (shorter than the 918).

Lloyd Graves · From: New York, USA

I initially bought a latch lake bar, but I had a really hard time doing reverse slants with that bar. So I bought a Dunlop 918, which is just a bit shorter, and that made reverse slants a lot easier for my thumb to maneuver the bar into the right position without dropping it. However, now that I've used the 918 for a while, I can do reverse Lance with the latch lake bar, so maybe I just needed to practice with it more.

I still primarily use the Dunlop 918 though.

For what it's worth, I wear large gloves, and a large thumb pick. So it's not like my hands are small or anything like that.

Travis Brown · From: Florida, USA

FWIW I went thru a phase where I bought a bunch to try, and I'm a fan of the Dunlop 919, which is 0.75 x 2.75.

I wear large gloves.

I find it generally easier to control and specifically easier to perform reverse slants.

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