How many of you use a "dobro" style steel for your lap steel

Larry Lenhart · From: Ponca City, Oklahoma

I have been watching various videos on youtube and have noticed a few, including the great Chris Scruggs, using a "dobro" style steel...I dont know what you would call it, so I use that term. It seems to me that it might be easier to play with using one of those, altho after 40 years of playing pedal steel, I never have tried one. Just curious what you all thought were the adv and disadv of using one, and what should I buy if I were just curious...I am sure there will be vendors in Dallas when I get there that I can buy one, should I decide to give one a try. Thanks in advance for your opinions/advise.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Altho' I've never used one or even seen one up close, I personally would not like it since one would have to move a lot of arm, wrist and hand in order to make the multiple slants that I routinely use.

When I find a bar or picks that I like well, my search for other stuff is over. That is likely a limiting factor however that's just the way I am. I've never played anyone else's guitar either.......
I might end up liking theirs better than mind and so the mind would again be on a frustrating search for...

Greg Booth · From: Anchorage, AK, USA

I play dobro and steel, and my opinion is that the bullet nose round bar is better suited to lap steel, especially if that's what you are used to handling. I came to the dobro after 30+ yrs of playing psg and the dobro bar felt really odd at first. The sculpted and pointy dobro bars are handy for all the tilting, lifting, hammerons and pulloffs you might be doing to play modern dobro styles but the vast majority of lap steel music has been played with the round bar ala Jerry Byrd etc.
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Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

I prefer a round bar for a 'rolling' smooth sound on steel guitar. And I prefer a round nose on the bar for easier 3-string slants, in tune. Some players like the Stevens (dobro) bar because they say it's easier to grip. I don't actually 'grip' the bar much, mostly guide it along, push it down, slant it, etc. Shubb makes bars that have a grip on top, like a Stevens, but have a half-round on the nose.
Some excellent players, like Kayton Roberts and Bobby Koefer, use a Stevens bar, but the majority of steel guitarists use a round bar.
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Steve Branscom · From: Pacific NW

Robert Randolph plays with a Stevens bar from Shubb. Actually Shubb makes a RR1 and an RR2. It is noticeably longer than the normal Stevens bars. 3 1/8 vs 2 7/8 or something like that.
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Larry Lenhart · From: Ponca City, Oklahoma

Very interesting replies guys...thanks. I have used a red rajah bar for years and actually just got 2 more of them,,,i really like them a lot...I was just curious about other peoples preferences. Thanks for the responses !

James Hartman · From: Pennsylvania, USA

A Stevens bar facilitates "pull offs" on acoustic instruments, the sharper edge allowing you to impart more impetus to the string. I don't find any particular merit in using one on electric.

With my stubby fingers, I've found most Stevens bars difficult for executing reverse slants. I've ground an indentation in both ends of the one I use on Dobro to shorten and better shape the grip.

Overall, I definitely prefer a round bar.

Jack Aldrich · From: Washington, USA

Since the left hand rule for steel guitars is to never lift it off the strings, unless you are playing an old tune with a lot of pull-offs and hammer-ons, and block with your right hand, there is no need for a Stevens type steel, and slants are an awful lot easier, IMHO, with a bullet bar.
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Jerome Hawkes · From: Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA

Chris does a lot of high energy "bar slams" in his playing, so a good grip on the bar is essential. i'm sure that is a main reason. its probably modified with a round nose.
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Tom Wolverton · From: Carpinteria, CA

For 6-string, I use a modern Scheerhorn dobro bar. For 8-string, I use the Shubb "Peter Grant" bar (SP2). No problems with slants with my sized hands. I do some bar slamming on 8-string, so that grip comes in handy. For PSG, I use a regular bullet bar. At the end of the day, whatever gets the job done is fine. Right?
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Chase Brady · From: Ohio, USA

Here is a picture of the bar I use most often. It's one I made. The contact surface is Radel (a very hard plastic). As you can see, it's more or less a shaped "dobro style" bar. I've got a collection of bars, including a number of bullet bars, but I keep coming back to this one. I play mostly in open D, and I hammer on and pull off a fair amount. I've been working with the Don Helms book on my 8 string Valco. That approach is beginning to make sense to me, but I think I'll probably stick with open D in the long run.
That said, I have to note that the late Bob Brozman played mostly open D and low G, did a lot of hammers and used and advocated a bullet bar. I guess it's mostly a personal choice.

--Chase

Nakos Marker · From: Washington, USA

Tom Wolverton · From: Carpinteria, CA

Rules are made to be broken. : )
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Rick Barnhart · From: Arizona, USA

For lap steel, dobro, and the non-pedal neck on m Clinesmith...I use a stainless steel Scheerhorn bar that's been modified by my brother. He relieved the back edge slightly, and made the front edge into a bullet shape. Then he polished it so it looks and feels like it came that way. I also have a Jerry Byrd BJS bar, but I actually like and use the modified Scheerhorn, more.

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Webb Kline · From: Orangeville, PA

I prefer the tone of a 7/8 bar and use it on ballads, but my console steel sits on a 2nd tier of a keyboard stand above my piano, and I can't look down on it to watch my slants, and my hands block my view. So, on fast swing material, I need my Beard 20/10 dobro bar in order to keep my intonation precise. Even then, it has really forced me to stay focused on my intonation, and it took a lot of practice to get to where I can gig with it. I switch back and forth between piano and steel constantly in the same songs, have to grab my bar on my way for the keys to the steel. I cut my thumb pick down so it doesn't fly off when playing piano. I'm an old 2 fisted honky-tonker, so keeping those picks on took some work, but I'm having the time of my life. Necessity is the mother of invention. But, there is clearly a tone sacrifice between a dobro bar and a pedal steel bar.

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

I use both. If it's a bit cool where I am playing, my hands get dry so I use my old Fender Stevens style bar. If I am in where it is relatively warm, I tend to use my D10 bar. I have a Jerry Byrd bar but I cannot keep a good grip on it. For slants, I hate the damn thing.

Karl Fehrenbach · From: Pennsylvania, USA

I have been using a Dunlop Lap Dawg tone bar for the last few years when I play with the band. It is a Stevens style bar, but a has a larger and taller cross section. I am always standing and have a Deering Crossfire banjo strapped on and playing a six string steel on a stand as well. Sometimes I play both in the same song. I have found that the ease of use and secure grip of the Lap Dawg makes things easier for me in the heat of battle. The type of music the band plays requires a lot of bar movement and rockabilly ricochets. Having a firm grip on the bar is real important to me.

Jim Williams · From: Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!

I have several bars, mainly using a Pearse SP2 bar with a grip and rounded nose that Doug mentioned. I have a larger bullet bar that I got used to using on my pedal steel that I've tried on the laps but it is just a bit too big. My more appropiately sized round bar is rough and I want to get another one and try and get used to it on the lap steel. I do like the more subtle vibrato possible with the bullet bar.
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Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

Don Helms used a contoured steel.
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Peter Jacobs · From: Northern Virginia

I've only used a Dobro-style bar, because I do a lot of single string stuff in low-G or Gadd4 tuning, so I lift the bar a lot. The Shubb SP-2 works really well, although I find that the plating wears quickly. The Lap Dawg is great for resonator playing, and I'll use it on steel, too. The plating is very smooth and durable, but it isn't as heavy as the Shubb. One of these days I'll break down and try one of the new Beard bars -- those look interesting.
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Tom Wolverton · From: Carpinteria, CA

I agree about the Shub plating. Terrible. I've got a pile of used ones with dings. Bar slams tear them up fast.
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Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

I have about every type of tone bar available in my "armory", but I tend to use my Tribotone for everything nowadays.
Only yesterday I pulled out a Weissenborn and started playing with a Stephens bar since my Tribotone was in the basement and I was too lazy to go down and get it. It no longer seemed fluid, if that's the word. It felt awkward.

Nakos Marker · From: Washington, USA

My opinion on the SP-2 and plated brass bars in general:

Jim Williams · From: Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!

I just got a "Byrd" style bar recently from Dunlop, but it just seems to be a bit small for me. I still play mostly with my SP2. I don't think I could play with a pure "dobro" type stevens bar without the round nose though. I sometimes pick my SP2 up with the wrong end out and immediately have problems. I'm also going to try the next size up in the Dunlop bars...I think it will fit me a bit better.
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GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal.

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