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Topic: A tone bar mod you might wanna try |
Rich Upright
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2015 9:11 pm |
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The other day I was practicing in my room for my first post-surgery gig on the weekend, when I dropped my tonebar on the floor. The back end cap popped off revealing that the bar was HOLLOW! I always thought it was solid.It was my first tone bar when I started playing 30 years ago. No wonder I never liked it; it was too light. I got an idea, & went out to my garage to my nuts & bolts stash & filled the bar with small steel nuts, then Crazy Glued the endcap back on...MAN; what a difference in tone, feel, & no more bar chatter! Now; I have 3 other bars, but this one was the longest & I liked the length best, just not the lightness. Really liked what it did for my tone. I can't imagine how it would sound if most of the chrome wasn't worn off!
_________________
A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag. |
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Tim Russell
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2015 10:17 pm
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I have a couple hollow Ernie Ball bars from years ago. I was always gonna melt lead and fill them up but never got around to it. 
_________________
Sierra Crown D-10 |
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Mike Wilson
From:
Mansfield, Ohio, USA
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Posted 17 Sep 2015 5:16 am
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| I have 5 or 6 of the old original Emmons bars and as far as I'm concerned, none of the new bars can even compare to the old Emmons bars. What I really need and want is a 12 string bar. Can't believe I don't have one already. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 17 Sep 2015 8:23 am
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| Sometimes you want to do just the opposite. I have a 15/16" BJS bar that is the John Hughey model. John wanted a 15/16" bar that was about the same weight at a 7/8" bar so the 15/16" bar was hollowed out. I love that bar. |
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Allan Jirik
From:
Wichita Falls TX
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Posted 17 Sep 2015 12:29 pm
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| Sometime in the 70s when I was young I heard about a hollow "speed bar." I couldn't have thought of that myself. I had my dad hollow out a Sho-Bud bar for me and I still have it though I haven't used it much on my second go-round with steel. I also had Dad make me a bar from brass with a flat edge for a sitar sound. That bar is probably at the bottom of some lake. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 18 Sep 2015 3:08 am
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If you want them heavier, SDF will drill out a stainless bar and fill it with Tungsten.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 18 Sep 2015 11:12 am
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What about lead shot? Maybe drizzle in some epoxy to keep it from moving around?
_________________
Dr. Z Surgical Steel amp, amazing!
"74 Bud S-10 3&6
'73 Bud S-10 3&5(under construction)
'63 Fingertip S-10, at James awaiting 6 knees
'57 Strat, LP Blue
'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
Dozen more guitars!
Dozens of amps, but SF Quad reverb, Rick Johnson cabs. JBL 15, '64 Vibroverb for at home.
'52 and '56 Pro Amps |
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Michael J Pfeifer
From:
New York NY 10036
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Posted 23 Sep 2015 4:54 am
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Rich,
Why not just buy a new bar? |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 23 Sep 2015 5:21 am
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John, W is 1.7 times denser than Pb. It's strikingly heavy.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 23 Sep 2015 6:02 am
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| Bob Burden made me a hollow 15/16" bar many years ago so that I could fill it with BBs to acquire the desired weight (I like the movement of the BBs inside the bad!). Use anything for a plug, wine cork, wood etc. Used it extensively until I got my zirconia bar several years ago |
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Posted 23 Sep 2015 6:45 am
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| I have an old chromed Dunlop bar with a red insert in the end to cover the hollowed out part. It produces a much more mellow tone than any of my solid bars! |
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Robert Parent
From:
Gillette, WY
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Posted 23 Sep 2015 2:34 pm
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Good tip.....
+1 on the old Emmons bars.... It is my favorite as well.
Robert |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 23 Sep 2015 2:51 pm
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I have an old MSA factory bar. Nice bar! I'd like to sell it though as I don't use it. What is something like this worth?
_________________
Dr. Z Surgical Steel amp, amazing!
"74 Bud S-10 3&6
'73 Bud S-10 3&5(under construction)
'63 Fingertip S-10, at James awaiting 6 knees
'57 Strat, LP Blue
'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
Dozen more guitars!
Dozens of amps, but SF Quad reverb, Rick Johnson cabs. JBL 15, '64 Vibroverb for at home.
'52 and '56 Pro Amps |
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John Peay
From:
Cumming, Georgia USA
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Posted 23 Sep 2015 6:23 pm
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| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
| Sometimes you want to do just the opposite. I have a 15/16" BJS bar that is the John Hughey model. John wanted a 15/16" bar that was about the same weight at a 7/8" bar so the 15/16" bar was hollowed out. I love that bar. |
Same bar I use, love it! |
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Rich Upright
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 24 Sep 2015 3:11 am
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| Michael J Pfeifer wrote: |
Rich,
Why not just buy a new bar? |
'Cause I'm CHEAP!
_________________
A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag. |
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Jeff Harbour
From:
Western Ohio, USA
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Posted 25 Sep 2015 4:25 am
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| Quote: |
Mike Wilson
PostPosted: 17 Sep 15 6:16am Post subject:
I have 5 or 6 of the old original Emmons bars and as far as I'm concerned, none of the new bars can even compare to the old Emmons bars. What I really need and want is a 12 string bar. Can't believe I don't have one already. |
Mike, are you playing a 12-string now? |
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James Taylor
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 30 Sep 2015 12:29 pm BJS for Quality and TONE
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| Well, I have three BJS bars but I use the same one as Erv and John all the time now; the bar is excellent. James Taylor |
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