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Topic: Flat Hawaiian Bars |
Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 7 Jul 2003 10:56 am |
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I am getting quite fond of my "Elton" flat Hawaiian bar.
Its sustain is poor, tone is thin and reverse stanting is out of the question ... but there is something about playin' on a thin blade that is appealing to me.
I'm goin' to make a few (440C stainless, heat treat, cryo) and would like a variety of originals to compare and contrast ...
I watch Ebay for 'em but if any of y'all have an old Oahu, Elton, etc. ... give me a "holler" ...
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www.horseshoemagnets.com |
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Peter
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Posted 7 Jul 2003 2:17 pm
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Here are some flat steels.
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Peter den Hartogh-Fender Artist S10-Remington U12-Hilton Volume Pedal-Gibson BR4 lapsteel-Guya "Stringmaster" Copy-MusicMan112RP-Peavy Rage158- - My Animation College in South Africa
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 7 Jul 2003 6:11 pm
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| Those old flat bars might be ok for the acoustic style of the 1920's, but I think you will soon give up on the "novelty" of them. I would never go back to those critters...I started playing steel in 1942 using a flat bar and as soon as I got my first round bullet bar...bye, bye flats forever! |
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George Rout
From:
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 7 Jul 2003 7:11 pm
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| As an old timer also, I agree with Keoki. I have a half dozen flat bars just to show folks how I learned to play in the late 40's, but that's as far as it goes. |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 7 Jul 2003 8:13 pm
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| I'm sure I must have at least a half dozen flat bars around here also...strictly museum pieces. I guess the strangest bar I ever encountered was a round bullet-nosed bar which had a ring attached to it on a swivel. The player would slip his index finger through the ring and in that manner, could never drop the bar. The swivel permitted him to make fast forward and reverse slants! Wierd to say the least. [This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 07 July 2003 at 09:14 PM.] |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 7 Jul 2003 8:42 pm
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Thanks for y'all's opinions ...
I have a pretty large assortment of bars and enjoy using various ones ... keeps me on my toes.
I like the speed that is available with the "flatty" ... I can play along with my Andy Iona CD's and keep up with his vibrato (which ventures into the 7 Hz range 
I love my spectrum analyzer
I also find the decay to be rapid but very musical/vocal.
I certainly am not advocating the use of these "flattys" ... but for what I'm doin' these days ... they work very well.
[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 07 July 2003 at 09:43 PM.] |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 7 Jul 2003 9:24 pm
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More power to you, Rick !  |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 8 Jul 2003 6:46 am
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| Decay is my strong point.... |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 8 Jul 2003 7:22 am
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| You realize where this is leading, Rick? Playing with a railroad spike like 11-year old Joseph Kekuku. Rick, come back to the light! |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 8 Jul 2003 8:13 am
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My wifes favotite movie is "Somewhere in Time" (Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour) ...
I figure if I clutch the "flatty" tight enough and meditate ... I'll travel back to 1935 and hang out with my heros |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 8 Jul 2003 9:08 am
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| Personally, when it comes to girls, flats are not as appealing! :0 |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 8 Jul 2003 3:36 pm
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 ...
George, you hung out with Billy Hew Len ...
I must of watched the movie "Hawaiian Rainbow" a million times and I was wondering if the glove that housed the bar "muted" behind it continuously ...
Was the leather(?) touching the strings behind his bar at all times ... or did he raise and lower it at will ?
The reason I ask ... I have been tryin' some bizzare things with a Shubb-Pearse 2 bar (watch it HowardR)... a completely different grip.
This thread may get me thrown out of the "Audubon Society"  ... but I'm just messin' around and havin' fun (not tryin' to reinvent the wheel or nothin' like that).
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Russ Young
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 8 Jul 2003 3:56 pm
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Go for it, Rick! Trying something different -- even if it's not something new -- is what keeps life interesting.
Just the same, I've got a rimshot ready if Howard responds ... [This message was edited by Russ Young on 08 July 2003 at 04:57 PM.] |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 9 Jul 2003 3:38 pm
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| You know Rick, while I did play a few sessions with Billy, (at Kapiolani Park, and private parties, etc) I was so entranced by his jazzy playing, I really didn't take too much notice of what was happening with that leather glove. I'm sure he used it to keep the strings from rattling, but equally sure he did a lot of right hand blocking. Sorry I cannot be of much help to you. Perhaps if you directed your question to Jerry, he could give you an educated answer as he was very close to Billy right up to the end of Billy's life. |
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Jeff Strouse
From:
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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Posted 9 Jul 2003 4:38 pm
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I think Bobby Koefer still uses a flat bar...
Rick - I've always been fascinated by that Hawaiian Rainbow segment, too!! Greaaat close ups! I have another tape of him at the Blue Dolphin Room with Myra English and Sonny Chillingsworth. He used his stand up pedal steel and also the frypan; but,sadly though, very poor tape quality (both video and audio)...no decent close ups either.
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 9 Jul 2003 4:41 pm
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I was just wonderin' ... thanks 
I can remember seein' "Hawaiian Rainbows" listed in the TV Guide on PBS back in the 80's. I had no idea what I was about to see ... Andy Cummings, Raymond Kane, The Hoopii Brothers ... I enjoyed seein' 'em all but started gettin' depressed that there was no steel ...
Then Billy Hew Len came on with a medley of How D'ya Do and Moana Chimes ... I was mezmorized. 
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 9 Jul 2003 7:09 pm
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Mezmorized ? How do you think I felt standing, (or sitting) beside Billy as I was playing bass, (or r/guitar) ? !!
I have a priceless pic, (priceless to me anyhow) of Billy on steel, his brother Buddy on r/guitar, Andy Cummings on ukulele and myself on bass performing on stage. Sadly, all are now in Hula Heaven except for me...I think I am still here...sometimes I wonder! |
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Jeff Strouse
From:
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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Posted 10 Jul 2003 2:52 pm
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Wow, Keoki!
My friends and I were talking over a few beers a while back, that if we had a time machine, what would each one of us do?
They said they would go back to see the signing of the Declaration of Independence, watch the Pyramids being built, etc...
Although those would be cool things to see, I would go back in time to Waikiki to see all my heros of Hawaiian music!
That picture you have is definitley priceless. There's a picture on Mike Scott's website of he, Benny Kalama, Sonny Kamahele, and Barney Isaacs...I would have loved to have been there!!!!!
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 10 Jul 2003 6:21 pm
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Jeff, I count myself so very fortunate to have met and jammed with the likes of Barney, Billy, Buddy, Chas K.L.Davis, Violet Lilikoi, Randy Oness, Merle Kekuku, Sol K. Bright, Irmgard Aluli, Jimmy Papa, and so many others from the "Golden Era" of Hawaiian music who have gone to their ultimate reward in Hula Heaven. Of course, many are still with us not the least of which are Sol "Sonny" ("Mr. Hollywood") Kamahele, and Walter Mookini, both legends IMHO.
I have a lovely 6 string Kamaka ukulele with the autographs of all the above plus about 90 others whom I have had the great pleasure to meet in our 22 trips to Hawai'i Nei since 1970. Hope to go again in 2004.
If I could go back in Hawaiian time, I'd love to go back to the era around 1936 when "Hawai'i Calls" was in its infancy...No big high rise hotels cluttering the beach, just the Royal Hawaiian and Moana...what an era that must have been. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 11 Jul 2003 11:26 am
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Jimmy Papa!, now there's a talent. George, when did Jimmy pass on?
As for flat bar playing, Roland Peachy/Piche' has got to be the best ever. And with the old Pathe' videos, his style is right there to learn. |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 11 Jul 2003 3:06 pm
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| I understand Jimmy Papa left us about 6 years ago...(perhaps less)...time seems to fly by the older we get! |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 11 Jul 2003 3:40 pm
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JB sent out letters to HSGA members years ago about a set of Jimmy Papa recordings ... One had David Keli'i on steel and the other had Al Perry (I think ???) ...
Kinda "back-porch" recordings .... They are great !![This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 11 July 2003 at 04:42 PM.] |
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George Keoki Lake
From:
Edmonton, AB., Canada
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Posted 11 Jul 2003 8:33 pm
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| Rick...you're right...they are great recordings. They are called "Na Kupuna" and came in two cassettes. Al Kealoha Perry to my understanding was not a steel guitarist. However the label does states it was "Al Kealoha" which makes me wonder if it is someone else ? No matter. Jimmy could sing 'da best' falsetto. Not only that, he made very unique leis for my wife and I which always received high compliments even from the locals. We still have them...they are the type which last with care. David Keli'i...what more can be said ? !! |
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