Training Wheels

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

My 3.5 yr old daughter is fascinated with the steel guitar. But she has had trouble with the bar ... and the Shubb/Stevens didn't seem to help (center of gravity was too high).

So I built her "Training Wheels" ..

Just a rubber garden hose washer cut flat on top and placed on with 100% silicon (bathroom adhesive) ...

WOW ... it really works real well. She now can hold it properly and move up and down the neck ... she even has alittle vibrato goin'

I did my big Twister bar too and to tell y'all the truth ... I haven't put it down yet.

She will be the next "Andy Iona"

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www.horseshoemagnets.com

Ron Bednar · From: Rancho Cordova, California, USA

Thats a great idea Rick!!

I have nerve damage to my left hand and use a steel with a wood handle and leather finger strap made for me by Gary Swallows. It works pretty good but it's hard doing slants and its not a real round nose. I been trying to figure out a way to fix up a regular round bar so I could hold onto it. Something like this might be the way to go.
Thanks for posting that!

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

If you cut it so there is very little rubber between the bar and your finger ... it "feels" like you are right on top of the bar.

The wings can be cut to any length you feel comfortable with.

Ellie's is one of my standard 2 3/4" x 3/4" JB Dunlops ... and I can do forward and reverse slants as if they were not even there.

The silicon holds it real tight and it feels sturdy yet natural (watch it HowardR

)...

It will peal off with no harm to the bar ... so experiment with different lengths and positions.

Now if I could just get her to start wearin' finger picks

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www.horseshoemagnets.com

Tom Althoff · From: Greenwood Lake, New York, USA

I'd post a picture of my bar with a "back brace" attached but not sure how to do it without uploading the pic to a website and linking to the URL. Is there another way? I sent some pics to Ron via e-mail to check out.

Tom Althoff · From: Greenwood Lake, New York, USA

Let's see if this works...

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