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Topic: Part I -Some History of Hawaiian Steel Guitar – Jerry Byrd |
Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 1:34 pm |
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If you are into the history, Jerry gives some history of the Hawaiian steel guitar, along with development of bars.
He gives some of his personal history as well.
Hawaiian Steel Guitar History from Master
Aloha, 
Don |
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Mark Roeder
From:
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 1:57 pm
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Nice video. Thanks for the post. I love hearing the pros talk about their craft.
mark |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 3:47 pm Wonderful historical video.............
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THANKS DON..............
A great new insight into the MASTER............
THANKS for sharing with us. |
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 4:18 pm
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Hey Don, thanks for posting that my friend.
It doesn't get much cooler than that! 
_________________
BIG STEEL |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 4:48 pm Thanx, Don!
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Man, that's when Jerry was LARGE.
Whoever HalfMoonSteel is, he's got some of the very best steel clips on youtube. There is also a 3 or 4 part series on Ralph Kolsiana, and a bunch of other worthwhile steel vids by this poster.
Overall, YT now has a nifty selection of rarities of JB and other top steelers.
Who sez you can never go back? |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 5:31 pm
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I have one of those exact bars that Jerry pulls out of the tubing, the one with the indented end. I never knew what that indentation was all about.
Great oral history (not to mention the great playing)! Jerry must have had countless great conversations about steel guitar.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Ron Simpson
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 5:35 pm
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Aloha Don,
I started reading this post two hours ago. One video lead to another, and all I can say is Mahalo Nui Loa.
Take care,
Ron |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 5:56 pm
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| Mike Neer wrote: |
| I have one of those exact bars that Jerry pulls out of the tubing, the one with the indented end. I never knew what that indentation was all about. |
I think that indentations at both ends would help you to grab and slant the bar. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 6:11 pm
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| Earnest Bovine wrote: |
| Mike Neer wrote: |
| I have one of those exact bars that Jerry pulls out of the tubing, the one with the indented end. I never knew what that indentation was all about. |
I think that indentations at both ends would help you to grab and slant the bar. |
Right, but having that indent in the nose of the bar is very strange. When Jerry said it was because of the lathe used, it made sense. BTW, the bar was made by Dobro USA.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Harry Dietrich
From:
Robesonia, Pennsylvania, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 9:28 pm
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Didn't anybody notice that he said his bar is 3/8 dia...when he meant 3/4???
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I almost had a psychic girlfriend, but she left me before we met. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 4:30 am
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Harry, that bar that he's using (the one he takes out of the packaging) actually is about 3/8". I'll have to check it out later--it's definitely 1/2" or less.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Harry Dietrich
From:
Robesonia, Pennsylvania, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 7:38 am
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Not that bar, Mike...the one he says he uses now, or I should say then, when he was alive. 3/8 is only an eighth inch bigger then 1/4 in., and that bar is bigger then that.
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I almost had a psychic girlfriend, but she left me before we met. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 9:00 am
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Right, he switches to the Dunlop bar. That Dobro USA bar is 1/2"--it is very slim. That's the one that was lathed with the indents on both sides.
I tried playing with my picks like that for a while, but it just didn't work for me.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Mark Roeder
From:
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 10:15 am
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It seems back "in the day" players were using smaller and lighter bars. The picture of Herb Remington in Andy Volks book seems to show him with a 1/2" bar. I just guessing. But I have gotten a few vintage bars that came with old steels I bought and I was surprised how small they were.
Mark |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 5:27 pm
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| Doug Beaumier wrote: |
| I'm amazed to see how Jerry wore his picks... way bent, way back, flat against his fingertips. |
And he always had them right on the very end of his fingers and nearly equal on his thumb, seemingly ready to fall off without even touching the strings. I asked him about it and he said they were comfortable there and his touch was light enuf to not move them but rarely.
My picks are bent like his to almost the same degree, but his are radical, and I have them wrapped much farther up.
Just another of the many head shaking things about Jerry, the best there ever was. |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 27 Feb 2009 6:50 pm
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The bar I used in my younger days was a 1/2" diameter bullet type. When I got back into steel guitar a few years ago, I could no longer hold onto it, so I gave it to Jeff Au Hoy when I saw that he used a small bar.
I've been using the JB 3/4 X 2 3/4 for the last few years, and some times drop it  |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 27 Feb 2009 8:47 pm
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Bill says,
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| I've been using the JB 3/4 X 2 3/4 for the last few years, and some times drop it |
Are you saying you need a larger bar, Bill? 
Hope to see you in Hawaii or Winchester!
Aloha,
Don |
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