Bar/Steel Replacement?

[Rick Langdon]

Should a bar/steel last indefinitely? If not, any tips on when to replace it? About how long should a good steel/bar last? How often have you changed out yours due to wear?

[Brad Bechtel]

Should a bar/steel last indefinitely?

Probably not, but I haven't reached that point yet myself. Metal bars don't wear out in the same way as plastic or glass bars, but they do become worn.

If not, any tips on when to replace it?

If you don't like the sound you're getting, try a different bar. If you have scratches or dents that affect your ability to play, that would be a sign.

About how long should a good steel/bar last?

I still see bars from the 1930s that are usable.

How often have you changed out yours due to wear?

I usually change bars to get a different sound, or to switch between a Stevens type and a bullet type bar.

[Rick Langdon]

Thanks Brad ... I've been at Reso for just over a year ... I finally decided on the bar shape/weight I like and now I'm just playing, learning and enjoying ... so it sounds like as long as I take care of a good quality bar, they should last a really long time ...

[Robert Allen]

I've been playing for 65 years and I've worn out several bars. At first I used the round plastic bars and they quickly had string grooves in them. Then I went to the Stevens nickel plated brass bars which ended up with string grooves after a couple of years. Ten years ago I bought a stainless steel bar. It hasn't shown any sign of wear and I play a lot on both dobro and lap steel.

[L. Bogue Sandberg]

Robert Allen's right. As long as you keep it clean and don't nick it badly by dropping it on a concrete floor, a good stainless bar should last a lifetime.

I maintain mine by regularly washing them with dish detergent and occasionally polishing with a quality automotive chrome and stainless polish.

Small nicks or pits can be sanded out with progressively finer grits and then polished.

[Jouni Karvonen]

Started just my hybrid bar prototype project from a split Dunlop 921, takes a lot of polishing.

[Paul DiMaggio]

You do need to be careful with them especially the non stainless ones. I have an SP2 that has kinda gone south on me, not from being dropped, but by being forgotten about in a baggie with some steel picks and a couple of suspect pots. the baggie was in a travel case I use for my cords, volume pedal, batteries etc. I took that case on a couple of road trips this year and just rattling around in that bag has scarred up the chrome finish.
Jouni, how are you going to attach the wood to the bar?

[Robert Allen]

Jouni, your design looks somewhat similar to the GS Steels now made by Shubb. I bought my slide directly from Gary Swallows. It has a stainless bottom and a custom wood top.

[Robert Allen]

Here's the link to Gary's website which also has a link to Shubb. http://gssteels.com/ And a photo from Gary's site.

[Jouni Karvonen]

Thanx, Robert, but I want a long fat half round nose and had too many of Dunlops. See also:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 94#2156394

[George Rout]

I've been playing a heck of a long time also and I've never had a bar go bad, mind you, I have a lot of them so it's not like one only is getting all the use.

I will say however, that I've seen many recent Stevens bars chip and deteriorate. Not the early models.

Geo

[Ian McLatchie]

In general, bars are something with which you get what you pay for. When I first started playing I used Dunlop bullet bars and would wear one out in a year or two. I switched to BJS and twenty years later still have the same bar, with virtually no sign of wear (to the bar, that is, not the player).

[George Rout]

How are you Ian? Haven't spoken with you for a couple or more years.

Geo

[Jouni Karvonen]

F Y I :

My first silicone cast grip Dunlop 920 is awful looking but sweet to slant and hammer on/pull off tool.

[Stefan Robertson]

My favourite over the years. Heavy but comfy for fast playing and handles well if my hands become sweaty from excitement.

http://www.shubb.com/randolph/