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Post new topic Slide Bar --- Bullet vs Finger Grooved
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Author Topic:  Slide Bar --- Bullet vs Finger Grooved
Douglas Bryant

 

From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 5 Apr 2014 11:32 am    
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I am new to the world of steel guitars and want to start off with the right stuff to learn with. I have an 8-string lap steel and want to practice bar slants. Have seen a lot of recommendations for lap steel players to use a finger grooved bar. Seems to me that this would hinder the ability to control slants correctly. Would a bullet bar be better?
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Ron Whitfield

 

From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
Post  Posted 5 Apr 2014 11:55 am     Re: Slide Bar --- Bullet vs Finger Grooved
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Douglas Bryant wrote:
I want to start off with the right stuff to learn with. I have an 8-string lap steel and want to practice bar slants. Have seen a lot of recommendations for lap steel players to use a finger grooved bar. Seems to me that this would hinder the ability to control slants correctly. Would a bullet bar be better?
That's the world we live in today, Douglas, but you are quite correct in choosing the bullet style. It won't hinder your playing or add hurdles, instead it'll allow you to get the most out of your abilities and instrument. The small Dunlop Byrd bar may be the best to start off with, you can try bigger bars later. Slant away!
BTW, the bar was made generally of steel, hence the term steel guitar.
http://scottysmusic.com/byrd.htm this will start you off best.
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier


From:
Quebec, Canada
Post  Posted 5 Apr 2014 12:24 pm    
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http://www.steelguitarshopper.com/D-918-tone-bar/

http://www.steelguitarshopper.com/JP-B2/
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Paul Arntson


From:
Washington, USA
Post  Posted 5 Apr 2014 2:59 pm    
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Definitely bullet.
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Greg Booth


From:
Anchorage, AK, USA
Post  Posted 5 Apr 2014 9:56 pm    
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I play steel and dobro and I agree you should go with the round bullet nose bar on lap steel. The grooved pointy bar is more suited for dobro playing where it's common to tilt and lift the bar and execute hammers and pull offs.
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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 6 Apr 2014 5:21 am    
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Douglas, bullet bars are the way to go. As Ron said, you can start with a smaller bar, and later try larger bars until you find the size that works best for you. I prefer the 7/8 X 3 1/4, but occasionally use 7/8 and 3/4 shorter bars.
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Adam Nero


From:
Wisconsin
Post  Posted 6 Apr 2014 8:07 am    
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With a smaller bullet bar you're still perfectly able to tilt the bar and lift it off the strings. Many come with an indentation on the back end to aid in reverse slants and tilting and so on. I'm real glad I made the switch from the Shubb sp1, but would still recommend that to someone playing in don helms's style where there are very few slants happening... if that person is already comfortable with a grooved style bar.
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