2-5/8" Bullet Bar

Mitch Druckman · From: Arizona, USA

When Jerry Byrd discusses bar size in his video instruction set, he recommends a 3/4" x 2-5/8" bullet bar. I always thought that he recommended 2-3/4" length. Dunlop makes a JB bar that is 2-3/4" in length and that is what I've been using. Has anyone had any experience playing with a 2-5/8" bar?

I think the shorter length may make holding the bar for slants a little easier. 2-7/8" is a bit long, 2-3/4" is good, Is 2-5/8" even better?

I'm about to order a Jim Burden bar and need to decide whether to stick with the 2-3/4" or order the 2-5/8".

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Is Jim Burden back in business? I hope he is.

Mitch Druckman · From: Arizona, USA

I just heard back from him and he said no problem making the bar, so he is back in business. Should I try the shorter 2-5/8" bar?

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

I bought a couple of 3" bars from Jim Burden just a few months ago, so unless something has happened since then he's definitely 'in business'.

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Rick Alexander · From: Florida, USA, R.I.P.

Jim's machinery gave up the ghost just a few months ago, putting him temporarily out of business.
If he's up & running again that's great!

I've tried just about every size bar there is at one time or another.
I prefer 2 7/8" by 3/4".

Stephan Miller · From: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

Mitch-- For me, anything under 2 3/4" wouldn't work. Even that size can be a little short for certain slants lower on the neck, if the guitar has a long scale +/or wide string spacing. For all I know you might find the 2 5/8" bar to your liking (as long as you're not playing 8 or more strings). This is how bar collections get built!

According to Jim Burden, though his stainless steel bars are available, the hard
chrome plating shop he's been using went out of business; until he finds another, he can't do the chrome bars. (This info is about 5 wks old...things may have turned around again.)

--Steve

[This message was edited by Stephan Miller on 28 December 2005 at 05:18 PM.]

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

I see The Moonlighters whenever I can, and always shoot the breeze with Mike during their break. He mentioned to me that he had a shorter bar made.

I won't weigh for anybody's preferences other than my own.

But, it's a free country and everyone is entitled to my opinion.

Mitch Druckman · From: Arizona, USA

The real surprise here was the JB recomendation for a 2-5/8" bar. Why the Dunlop 2-3/4" and 2-7/8" JB model bars? Did he endorse different sized bars over the years?

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

.....

shrinkage

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Jim Burden · From: Georgetown,Indiana,U.S.A.

Just to let you guys know,I am building stainless but the platers I have contacted want an arm and a leg for plating.Hard chrome is the way to go but unfortunately most platers have large industrial customers and are not interested in a small shop and I build custom sizes which complicates things since I can't do a bunch of one size.If anyone has an answer I would love to hear from you. Thanks Jim Burden Bullet Bars

Rick Alexander · From: Florida, USA, R.I.P.

Alright! I have a new stainless bar coming from Jim, and I ordered 2 hard chrome bars as soon as they're available. Can't have too many bars!

Funny how that little 1/8" can make such a huge difference. 3" seems way too long and 2 3/4" is way too short. I just gotta have 2 7/8" . . . .

[This message was edited by Rick Alexander on 29 December 2005 at 04:33 PM.]

Kris Oka · From: San Francisco, CA, USA

Mitch, I am currently studying Jerry's Hawaiian Steel Guitar Seminar. Keep in mind that these VHS seminars were made some years ago. Jerry says he uses Dunlop bars that are 2 5/8" in length and 3/4" in diameter. These are made to his specifications, i.e. custom made. He says bars that are too long make it difficult to do slants properly. He demonstrates how the left thumb must be able to slide under / into the recess at the end to the bar to initiate a reverse slant. He also adds that he mostly uses 3,4, and 5 string combinations so anything longer is "excess baggage". He is using a short scale, 8 string steel. I don't know how this would apply to those of you that have 12 string steel guitars.

Mitch Druckman · From: Arizona, USA

Kris, you must be watching the same video that I am. Jerry's in a powder blue leisure suit playing an Excel double neck console. This is the first instruction that actually shows bar holding technique. He's amazing and makes everything look so simple

I started with a Dunlop 2-3/4" bar but when I changed to a Pearse 2-7/8" I found that my tone improved because it is much heavier than the Dunlop. After a while I found that my hand was cramping and uncomfortable so I changed back to the Dunlop to help with my slanting. I removed the plastic cap from the end of the bar and discovered that the Dunlop has a large and long drilled out section down the center which must account for the weight difference in the 2 bars.

My solution is to order a 2-3/4" bar that will be heavier than the Dunlop AND the 2-5/8" bar to give it a try and see what JB is talking about. As Rick said, "you can't have too many bars!"

Jeff Strouse · From: Jacksonville, Florida, USA

I have both bars...I mostly use the 2-3/4 one. The 2-5/8 one is also a good bar. I have an 8 stringer with wide string spacing (Magnatone) which that bar works well on. I don't use the longer bar on a six string steel, or on my 8 string Remington, which has the narrower string spacing (like a Fender 8 string).

Like Jerry says, a bar that is too long is excess baggage. It's more than one needs and it makes reverse slants very difficult.

Dave Mayes · From: Oakland, Ca.

On the "Spectrum Hawaii" broadcast that featured Jerry, Barney, Alan and Merle, Jerry said he uses 3/8" diameter chromed bar.

2-5/8", 3/8",....who can keep numbers straight ?

Mitch Druckman · From: Arizona, USA

Where are some of the people that studied or had lessons from JB? Maybe they could shed some light on Jerry's bar preference.

Rick Collins · From: Claremont , CA USA

I use a 7/8" diameter bar, 2&7/8" long. Jerry can play the split-string technique perfectly with his 3/4" diameter bar. But, I can also play the split-string technique with my 7/8" bar; and it seems correct to my ear.

It could be, that whatever you get used to is right for your playing technique.

Mr. Clean

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