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Topic: Tapered Bars |
Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 14 Jun 2008 7:32 pm |
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What is a tapered bar? Is the diameter larger on one end than it is on the other end? If so, what is the reason or advantage?
Inquiring minds want to know...
Lee, from South Texas |
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Blake Hawkins
From:
Florida
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Posted 14 Jun 2008 7:44 pm
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My tapered bar goes from 3/4" on the bass end to 5/8"
on the treble.
It just allows you to have a little additional
pressure on the bass strings without having to think about it.
Don't know that there is any particular advantage,
it's just different and like many steel guitar
items it is a matter of taste. |
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John Bushouse
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Posted 14 Jun 2008 8:35 pm
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"Here's another Gryphon exclusive! Suggested by Al Dodge (of R. Crumb's Cheap Suit Serenaders), it's a reenactment of the classic tapered Hawaiian guitar steel popular in the 1930s. This one is made of solid stainless steel, polished to a mirror shine, and it has exactly the same taper and dimensions as the original, with a round nose and a dimple on the wide end for easy thumb control as you do the "slant bar" maneuver."
http://store01.prostores.com/servlet/gryphonstrings/Detail?no=74
I like mine; it's probably my favorite bar. I also have a lighter one - I can't recall the brand name, but it's one of the popular bar makers in the past Maybe Elton? |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 15 Jun 2008 7:10 am I had a cheaper version and.................
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I had a cheaper version of this tapered bar and used it for years and enjoyed its playability until....
one day I was playing on the TV Show and the bar HOOKED on a string and nearly came out of my hand. I couldn't believe it until I took time to examine it up close.
It appatently was one of those chrome plated models.
I had 20 or 30 groves worn/cut into the surface.
It was an easy playing bar and even more so for slants. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2008 8:36 am
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| I have a few tapered bars, and one as a conversation piece that is short and virtually conical in shape, rather hard to use, especially since I prefer a longer and straight bar. |
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Stephan Miller
From:
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2008 10:02 am
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Chuck Brattain used to offer tapered bars in two sizes, but I don't think they're available now. I believe the bar pictured above, made by Frank Ford for Gryphon Music in Palo Alto, is the only tapered bar being made these days. I own the Ford bar and like it a lot...but I wish there were more choices than that and the used vintage bars on eBay.
Here's a thread from a couple years back-- it also contains a link to a 2001 thread authored by Rick Aiello. Lots of discussion there... http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/009642.html |
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AJ Azure
From:
Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 15 Jun 2008 11:01 am
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| how long is the gryphon bar? |
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Stephan Miller
From:
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2008 11:28 am
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| Length is 3.1". Info about the dimensions and weight of the bar, and some players' impressions of it, can be seen by using the link I posted. |
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John Bushouse
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Posted 15 Jun 2008 1:10 pm
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| About the same length and weight as a Broz-O-Phonic, but 3/4" tapered to 5/8". |
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