Round Steel Bar

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

I'm rather curious. Having been at the steel guitar since 1942, all the old books I have show players using the flat bar. Yet, some claim Joseph Kekuku, (whom I feel DID invent the "Hawaiian" guitar), made a round bar in a machine shop back in 1889 thereabouts. If this is true, why were many of the early professionals back in the '20's and 30's still using and endorsing the flat bar ? Even olde "Keoki" started out with the flat bar and used it for 4 years!

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Interesting question. I can only make a few guesses.

The flat bar was probably easier to handle as well as easier and cheaper to make. I know it took me some time to get used to a bullet bar. If JK's bar (and other early round bars) did not have a bullet nose, a flat bar might have been the best choice at the time. A round bar with square-cut ends does not offer much advantage over a flat bar and is harder to hold on to. Acoustic players tend to lift and tip the bar more than electric steel guitarists. A flat bar (or Stevens type) is easier to handle for those moves--at least in the beginning.

It seems like bullet bars became popular about the time electric steels appeared, or am I mistaken? Compared to acoustic guitars, the increased ability of electric steel guitars to sustain notes and the increased volume dictated a need to keep the bar "on the strings" more and to develop blocking technique, thus the advent of the bullet bar.

In summary, JK's round bar offered no perceived advantage at the time. A flat bar was easier/cheaper to make, easier to hold on to and suited the playing style for acoustic instruments. The introduction of electrics in the mid-1930s changed all that. Just my opinion.

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Hawaiian music and Hawaiian style steel guitar playing hit the world like gangbusters in the 1920's. Everyone wanted to hear and play the music and the music industry jumped on the opportunity to make quick money.

It's much easier to hold and manipulate a flat bar as opposed to a round bar (let's not talk slants or vibrato here). A novice player can produce pleasant musical sounds more quickly with a flat bar than with a round bar, resulting in a fast learning curve with less student frustration. Faster positive results translate into more sales of instruments, sheet music, instruction, accessories etc.

Let's thank the music industry for jumping on this 'fad'. Their business sense back then provided all the vintage instruments we covet today.

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Gerald Ross
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 28 June 2001 at 01:16 PM.]

Jody Carver · From: KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED

George,,
I have tried e mailing you...but receive not deliverable,,,,I received your e mail and replied to you but the reply was returned to me....try e mailing me again,,,,,Jody

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

The above comments do make sense especially when you take into consideration the style which was played back in the old days...The old acoustic Hawaiian players, (before electrics) depended upon speed, many repititious notes, open string tricks, etc., whereas many of those same songs today are played at a slower tempo and the notes sustain. I still question if Joseph really did make a round bar or did he actually fashion a flat bar in that machine shop ? After all, one story has it that he played some of his first notes with an open jacknife...and that sure isn't round.

Jody, my friend...I can be reached at this e-mail address: keoki@beer.com [and no, I am not a beer drinker...just on hot days].(ha!) I wish I had your name on my driver's license....man, what a fine guitarist you are!

Sage · From: Boulder, Colorado

Thanks for this thread, all. I was wondering the same things after finding my J. Kalani Peterson method book from 1916. All bars shown are flat. What you all say makes sense.
Does anyone know what the earliest instructionals published for the Hawaiian guitar are, and how many were done in the early years? Thanks, T. Sage Harmos
p.s. I will be away from the computer for the upcoming week.

Jody Carver · From: KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED

George,,,Iam really not as good as you think believe me,,,I have tried e mailing you,,I will try the "beer" ad now,,,,as for your license,,,I only have a "permit" I cant pass the drivers test,,& I drink "milk shakes only" get in touch with me please....oops you dont have my e mail address.

I removed it some guys (2) didnt like chocolate or strawberry shakes and they "shook" me up I'll try the "beer" mail address....Gene Jones has my e mail address as well as my license....he's a better player than Iam anyhow,,,,,

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

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[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 06 May 2002 at 08:51 AM.]

Tim Rowley · From: Pinconning, MI, USA

I dunno George. Pete "Oswald" Kirby has used a round bar on his Dobro for most of his career, and that's a long time.

Tim R.

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

Tim, I'm talking about the era from approximately 1888 through to the 1920's and possibly later. I honestly doubt the round bar was used or had even been invented in those early years, and further question if Joseph Kekuku, the acknowledged inventor of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar ever fashioned a round bar in the Kamehameha School Shop as some sources claim he did. My bet is, he made an ordinary plain old flat bar which was the style in use until the mid thirties, thereabouts. I have an old pic of Keoki Awai which was taken in the early-twenties, and he is shown using a flat bar...(he was one of Hawai'i's foremost steel guitarist of that era). Oh, Gene, the problem you were having with your "Aloha" tune might have been in the title...it's "Aloha O'e"(ha!).
Keep pickin'

[This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 03 July 2001 at 09:21 PM.]

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

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[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 06 May 2002 at 08:51 AM.]

Chuckie Acevedo · From: Fresno Ca

George:It never ceases to amaze me how little I know about this instrument that I love so much. Thanks for these threads!!
I started on a flat bar in'48 but switched to round when I started electric as most did then. Eddie Bush was my idol at he time, great guitarist and even better singer in falsetto. Thanks again, I really enjoy your input and comments (and topics)

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Chuckieboy

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

Thanks Chuckie... Yes, Eddie Bush was one of the greatest in my estimation. As I recall, it was Eddie who took over the "Harmony Hawaiians" when Dick McIntire passed away. I am sure many of the younger generation who might be reading this have no idea who Eddie or Dick were. If so, you owe it to yourself to listen to these great steel guitarists of yesteryear. You will soon discover their greatness playing a 6 string guitar, no gimmicks, no pedals just plain genius..

Gary Slabaugh · From: Scottsdale, AZ

I have picked up several pieces of old sheet music and steel instruction books (teens to 1930's) and they all tend to show the flat bars. In the late 50s I took lessons as a kid and had a round bar. It was plastic (a high tech back then) that was filled with lead. When I started playing again this year I ended up with a couple of Stevens bars which are a nice compromise, easy to hold but still some roundness of shape. One of my other hobbies is restoring old cars and you can always see the impact of what tools are available and how a car is built. Can you imagine the labor to build a Stevens bar without today's computer operated milling machines. Or for that matter even some of the guitars, take a visit to the Sierra Instruments factory some time, lots of CNC machinery there. Sorry for the rambling, all that was to say that the tools might in fact have been dictating the development of the "steel". Who knows what is next?

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