A BAR for player with missing thumb

Hans Penner · Post by **Hans Penner** » 8 Nov 2011 5:04 pm

As you can see, I am missing my left thumb. But, thanx to the creativeness of my instructor, Wayne Link, I can play the pedal steel. He originally made it for a fellow who'd had a stroke and had problems holding the bar. In my case, I mentioned that I was unable to lift the bar like he had just done. His response was, "I think I have something for you." A minute later I could lift the bar and I was ecstatic. I had managed without this ingenious bar but this would enable me to play like all of you blessed with two thumbs!

If someone should want one of these they should contact Wayne at http://www.mts.net/~linkon/

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 8 Nov 2011 6:10 pm

There's a guy who sells on Ebay named Stew, I've corresponded with him about arcane slide guitar matters. He does a nice bar with a slit all the way up to the tip, so you could adapt it to a few different strap arrangements.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/STEWS-Guitar-Sl ... 53e9b15b55

Fred Glave · Post by **Fred Glave** » 9 Nov 2011 11:10 am

I have a hard time lifting the bar and I have my thumbs. It alway slips out of my grip.

Ed Alves · Post by **Ed Alves** » 9 Nov 2011 2:37 pm

David Mason wrote:There's a guy who sells on Ebay named Stew, I've corresponded with him about arcane slide guitar matters. He does a nice bar with a slit all the way up to the tip, so you could adapt it to a few different strap arrangements.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/STEWS-Guitar-Sl ... 53e9b15b55

Finding this particular post is like a miracle. I'm just starting again on PSG because my left hand finally gave up after 50+ years of 6 string guitar abuse. I had yet to find a slide that I could manage and wondered if a slide such as the Stews SP1 Custom existed. I ordered one immediately. Not cheap at $75.00, but if it works it will be worth every penny to me. I'll update with a review after I receive it.
I also have a Shubb RR2 Robert Randolph slide on the way.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 9 Nov 2011 2:55 pm

He appears to be ending his business, and he only has five of the slotted ones left. I've been customer/correspondent with him for a while, I had a lovely 4 foot piece of brass pipe and I traded off with him - he cut me seven slide blanks, and got paid with the rest of the pipe. I think I remember him have some nerve damage or something? Machine shop work is not real kind to the hands. I almost feel like jumping one of those bars just in case, because I have some spine/nerve problems. Forty years of Fender basses might have something to do with it. The heavy ones are better sounding.

Hans Penner · Post by **Hans Penner** » 11 Nov 2011 10:43 am

Ed, I'll continue to check this post for your appraisal of the Shubb RR2 Robert Randolph slide. I have also order the SP1 bar from Stew. If you choose to, you can always PM me.

Ed Alves · Post by **Ed Alves** » 14 Nov 2011 2:01 pm

I just received the Stews SP1 slide and I am thrilled. Shy of somehow having my forefinger surgically implanted with a tone bar, things were not looking good at all for my journey into the world of playing pedal steel guitar. It appears that there are only 4 more of these available before they are discontinued. I realize that there is probably not a huge market for these, but for a guy like me, this was a God send. It is a very high quality piece, with a small elastic band that slips over your finger and holds the bar in place. Pure genius as far as I'm concerned.
The specs are: SIZE; 1"dia.x 3-1/2" long. Weight; 9.6 oz.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/STEWS-Guitar-Sl ... 53e9b15b55

Hans Penner · Post by **Hans Penner** » 14 Nov 2011 3:49 pm

Being that my Stews SP1 slide has to cross over to Canada, I'll just have to wish it came as fast as yours did.

Hans

Ed Alves · Post by **Ed Alves** » 18 Nov 2011 1:37 pm

I received the Shubb RR2 slide and I was able to customize it as I had hoped. Using 3/4" wide velcro, I installed strips of the hook portion on each side of the slide, and then fashioned a strap out of the loop portion. With this configuration, as seen below, I will be able to position the finger strap section wherever it works out best.

The RR2 is a 7.5 oz., 3.25 inch slide. The fit and finish are top notch, 5 star rating, and it feels great in my hand. I will have to see if the fact that it is not a bull nose design proves to be a problem for me as I get started, although that doesn't seem to bother Robert Randolph one bit. At least for now, I have 2 workable slides to experiment with as I move forward with my quest to learn and master this 12 stringed beast.

AJ Azure · Post by **AJ Azure** » 18 Nov 2011 3:17 pm

I've got a more elegant idea in mind than Velcro. on the cheap any Stevens bar with a band style ring bought on ebay for.99 cents and epoxy works but, my design would have the ring connected to the bar (it could work with a bullet too) via a rotating axis ball joint (think shoulder or hip socket) of sorts. That way you can turn the bar for slants, etc. You can even spin it in circles for flashiness

Bill Moore · Post by **Bill Moore** » 19 Nov 2011 6:23 am

Here's a thread from a couple of years ago. I had an injury to my thumb, and figured out a way to modify a bar. Fortunately, the tendon injury healed, the only lasting effect is a numb aera on the back of my hand.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... highlight=

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 19 Nov 2011 7:25 am

methinks Melobar made this one

AJ Azure · Post by **AJ Azure** » 19 Nov 2011 4:32 pm

i have a melobsr it works but, i find it bulky and limiting for slants. it is cool and i use different bars depending ob how my hand is feeling.

Ed Alves · Post by **Ed Alves** » 21 Nov 2011 8:40 am

That Melobar SureGrip, as it was called, looks like it was just the ticket for those of us in the Left Hand Impaired club. Unfortunately, they're as rare as hens teeth.

Amazon, Ebay, and Google all come up with Zero available.

I'm glad that I managed to get one of the last Stews SP1's before they also disappeared.

Hans Penner · Post by **Hans Penner** » 27 Nov 2011 6:56 pm

I take it you have a thumb Ed.
Since I don't, I'm stuck with figuring out how to make the SP1 work for me.
Vibrato is the BIG question mark at this point.

Just for the fun of it, I'm posting three pictures of my greatly modified picks.
To arrive at these modified picks has meant buying many different brands, only to realize none of them worked for me.
Many picks($$) found their way into the metal recycling bin.
In the end the readily available, and cheap, Dunlops did the trick.
About 8 were sacrificed while experimenting.

Why? you might be wondering.
Well, I had my right elbow incorrectly set when I was three years old.
It resulted in my forearm sitting at a 15 degree angle to the guitar.
Very hard to pick the strings!
The modifications adjust for the 15 degree offset.
Now one final admission:
I am really posting these pictures to, hopefully, show others that maybe they too can play a pedal steel even with a physical impairment.