Really Big Bar

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 27 Jul 2002 4:23 pm

I remember watching Sneaky Pete play with a HUGE bar, a long time ago. I've never been able to find anything wider than one inch. Does anyone make them bigger, like an inch and a quarter, or inch and a half? I wonder if the bigger mass affects the sound in any way, perhaps less bar-chatter?

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 27 Jul 2002 4:49 pm

Barney Horn had one as big as his arm.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 27 Jul 2002 5:01 pm

Oh. I thought this had to do with a really large establishment that sold alcoholic beverages.

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Lee, from South Texas

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 27 Jul 2002 5:01 pm

How big was his arm?

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 27 Jul 2002 5:04 pm

It's not how big it is that counts; it's how you use it.

Doug Seymour · Post by **Doug Seymour** » 27 Jul 2002 5:51 pm

Right on, Jim!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 27 Jul 2002 6:32 pm

I have a pretty big one which is 3 3/8 X 1 1/8, and seldom use it. I can't imagine any reason to use anything bigger.

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 27 Jul 2002 6:34 pm

Use your imagination. I guess none of us are working tonight.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 27 Jul 2002 7:26 pm

Jim, what are you talking about, and Donny, what are you talking about?

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Lee, from South Texas

Fred Jack · Post by **Fred Jack** » 28 Jul 2002 4:06 am

Lee, I know not of what they speak, however, size is not nearly as important as the methods used in getting on and off! ( so I've been told) regards, fred

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 28 Jul 2002 5:20 am

I was talking about "Bud's Bounce". I have no idea what Donny was talking about.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 28 Jul 2002 5:29 am

I'll be glad when all this cheap humor peters out.

Fred Jack · Post by **Fred Jack** » 28 Jul 2002 5:38 am

Yes Donny, without a doubt ... peter in or peter out!

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 28 Jul 2002 5:56 am

Once, when I was showing off my bar I heard a request for "Is That All There Is?"

At least I thought it was a request.

Here's one of many such big bar pictures--

Photo Gallery

4th one down, "Buddy Emmons, Jimmy Day"

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 28 Jul 2002 7:40 am

Jeese... ask a simple question...

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 28 Jul 2002 7:43 am

You're welcome. Anytime.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 28 Jul 2002 7:54 am

I see that my bandwidth limit has been exceeded so that's all for that.

I've never seen a larger bar than 1". And even though I changed to a 1" bar a couple of years ago and did notice a fatter tone, I also found the weight to be a bit of a liability. At the moment I have found 15/16" to be the ideal compromise.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 28 Jul 2002 12:41 pm

I'll answer your question Rich. I saw Pete play with the bar you're talking about back in about 1978 at the Palamino and I asked him about it.He told me it was custom made for him by an aerospace machinist he knew.He said it was made of monell which is a molybdenum/steel alloy and told me it was virtually indestructable.I don't know the exact dimensions of the bar in question but it was over 1". Although I'm a fan of big heavy bars and I use a 1"x4" George L on my 12 string,I don't think I need to go any bigger.Among other reasons,anything bigger would start to affect your view of the fretboard especially in the high registers. -MJ-

Joerg Hennig · Post by **Joerg Hennig** » 28 Jul 2002 12:51 pm

You know what, I started with a small bar, then decided that wasn´t cool because every player I knew used a bigger one... got me a big (1" x 3 3/4") bar because I thought that the mass would make it sound better, and had nothing but trouble with it. Intonation became more difficult, especially in the higher register. Slants and hammer-ons were much harder. It felt clumsy. I was more out-of-tune than before. Last but not least, I lost the grip on it a couple of times and it put some ugly dings in the finish between the necks

(fortunately I succeeded in repairing those).
Now I´ve found the perfect bar for me - EMMONS stainless steel, 7/8" x 3 1/4". Band members made jokes about how small it is, but I don´t care. It´s a marvel. It feels just right to me and everything, including intonation, has become a lot easier. It slides so much better. No loss in sound at all. I guess it´s just - different bars for different folks

Regards, Joe H.

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 28 Jul 2002 4:51 pm

Joe-Right on. 7/8 is fine for me too. 14/16. They get to big then they are too heavy to move around for one thing, and another as mentioned, harder to get on the frets.

I once had a bar very large and heavy. Thought I would get more sustain, it did seem like more sustain, but I couldn't even pick it up, hardly, so could only use it for slow songs, with no movement. I got it too, from a machine ship, flat on the ends.

Jerry Byrd has a smaller bar than any of us, and he doesn't have any trouble with tone or sustain.....al

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Al Marcus on 28 July 2002 at 05:56 PM.]</p></FONT>

Dennis Boyd · Post by **Dennis Boyd** » 28 Jul 2002 6:49 pm

Hi everybody,

I like the fatter bars too (1" dia.) but found out that if you get much larger than that you may start getting the sitar bar sound. This is because the outer surface of the bar is almost flat on the string so you may get a buzzing effect. This is probably not desirable.

Dennis

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 28 Jul 2002 9:43 pm

I had one back about 20 years ago that was 1 1/4", that was drilled out, I don't know what happened to it. I saw Jimmy Day play with a beer bottle.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 28 Jul 2002 10:10 pm

Barney's bar was solid metal, about 2.5" or 3" diameter. He said he was trying to get more sustain.