Hillman Powder Coated Tone Bars

[Michael Hillman]

Thanks, George, appreciate you taking the time to post your thoughts about the yellow bars, and other powder coated bars - always great to hear from you!

I will be out of the shop March 21st thru Friday, March 25th, but will be checking emails. Restocking all sizes after the Dallas Show, and looking at a couple of new sizes and colors, stay tuned! -Michael

[Michael Hillman]

These are current prices:

All sizes lap steel bars, 3/4" x 2 3/4", 3/4" x 3", 7/8" x 3" $36.95

"Standard" 8-10 string bars, 7/8" x 3 3/8" $49.95

15/16" x 3 3/8" $56.95

1" x 3 1/2" $59.95 (black and red only)

Purchase any bar, and get an additional bar for $15. Priority shipping free to US Zip Codes, add $5 per bar to Canada, add $25 for International Priority. Prefer PayPal to vmhillman66@gmail.com. Most bars available in gloss red, gloss black, gloss white, gloss dark blue, and gloss yellow. Next size to be available is a lap steel bar in 3/4" x 3 1/4" size. Next color to be a burnt orange, to match a couple of Forum member's instruments. I'll have photos of these bars as they become available, thanks to all who support our powder coated bar project, and allow us to keep it expanding!

[Michael Hillman]

to the top

[Dick Chapple Sr]

Hi Michael:
You have probably received many color requests from others as well as myself. Each color demands extra inventory to be on hand too I would imagine.

I do have another color thought though.
I have a Derby finished in a beautiful brown, and a Sho-Bud in a darker brown.

If there is any interest at all for some browns, I could email you some pictures of the Derby and Sho-Bud.
And a great Springtime to you.
Dick

[Michael Hillman]

Hello, Dick, always good to hear from you, send me pictures of the guitars, I'll send you some chips from our powder coaters charts; we'll see how close we can come to something that matches nicely. And, if any other Forum members have an interest in brown tones, let me know - also let me know sizes, Thanks, Michael

[Dick Chapple Sr]

Thanks Michael, I trust that all is going okay on your end, doing fine here, doctors are making sure of that. I am happy to report that I have been playing pedal steel in church now for approx 8 months.
Tomorrow I will take pictures in the daylight and email and also put them on here.
My interest would be the 7/8 x 3 3/8 and the 15/16 x 3 3/8 sizes.
Dick

[Jeremy Threlfall]

PM'd

[Carl Kilmer]

I have 3 of Michael's bars and my friends also have them.
I must say that out of the 15 bars I have, they are the only
ones I use now. Great sound and sustain and very easy to
hang on to. Even in Hughey land they hold the tone & sustain.

[Dick Chapple Sr]

I took pixs of the Derby, the Sho-Bud, the Remington, Fender T-8, and the Hudson SD-8 tiger maple.
The favorites are the Derby, Sho-Bud, and Fender T-8 Custom.









My favorite colors would be the Derby, Sho-Bud, and Fender.
sizes would be the 7/8 by 3 3/8, 15/16 by 3 3/8, and 3/4 by 3 for the T-8.

[Michael Hillman]

Thanks, Dick, I'll be out of the shop May 6 thru May 17th, returning on May 18th. I'll be working on your color suggestions as soon as I return, I'm certain that we will do a couple of your favorites. Thanks for all your past support, and for your ideas ! - Michael

[Dick Chapple Sr]

Hi Michael:
Thanks much. If your doing a little bit of travel have fun and be safe.
Dick

[Michael Hillman]

Thanks, Dick, indeed we are traveling, spending 11 days touring Italy, wife and I celebrating our 50th this year, back in the shop on May 18th. Thanks to all who support our powder coated bar project, looking to do at least two new colors when I return. Michael

[Dick Chapple Sr]

Oh that's fantastic. We just had our 30th anniversary May 2nd. We will be traveling June 2nd on my 75th birthday to Colorado and ride the Silverton & Durango Railroad.
Be well and safe.

[Michael Hillman]

Back from our trip, and just picked up an assortment of burnt orange colored bars from my powder coater, in various sizes. This batch includes a new size in lap steel bars, 3/4" x 3 1/4", as well as a few bars with one or two flat sides, usually called sitar bars, inquire if you have any interest in that type bar. Current pricing is:

Lap steel bars, 3/4" x 2 3/4", 3/4" x 3", 3/4" x 3 1/4" and 7/8" x 3" $36.95
"Standard" 7/8" x 3 3/8" - our most popular bar 49.95
15/16" x 3 3/8" 56.95
1" x 3 1/2" 59.95

Until further notice, add $15 to your order to purchase a second bar of the same or lesser price. All orders include Priority shipping, add $10 per bar for Canadian orders, add $25 per order for International Priority shipping. Prefer PayPal to vmhillman66@gmail.com, but will furnish my mailing address if you'd rather send a check. Always happy to talk bars and music, my phone is (208) 867-5062. Thanks to everyone who supports our project, Michael

[Dick Chapple Sr]

Hi Michael:
Welcome back and I hope you had a nice trip.
I am anxious to see what your color magicians come up with now to go along with the various browns.
Have a great weekend.
Dick

[Michael Hillman]

Thanks, Dick, concentrating on making a 1" inch stainless steel sitar bar at the moment, after this project, will be looking at some of the colors that you suggested. I'd expect this burnt orange might be a match for one of your instruments, what do you think?

[Dick Chapple Sr]

Good morning Michael.
I had looked at the burnt orange sitar bar. to me it looks like the butterscotch bars I bought. Your guitar in the background with the two sitar bars has a top color that looks like my Derby, much darker looking than the burnt orange in the picture.
Does the burnt orange bar look more like the top of your guitar in person?
Dick

[Michael Hillman]

You're right, Dick, the burnt orange is very close to the butterscotch color we did awhile back. I'll look for something a little closer (to my Beard Model E) and the other colors that you suggested previously when I see my powder coater later this week. Meanwhile, I'll post pictures of a new bar we are working on, a stainless steel sitar bar, I've had several players tell me that they like these bars for the ease of gripping, with the flat grind up, not necessarily for any sitar effect. We have just a few of these in 1" x 3 1/2" for $49.95.

[Michael Hillman]

Thanks to Dick for his suggestions for a couple of new colors; we will do a run of bars in various sizes in a brown tone, 8023, and follow that with a second brown tone, 1001, in an attempt to match certain tiger maple finishes. I'll post pictures when these bars are ready.

[Michael Hillman]

We are just about a week away from the two brown colors mentioned in previous posts--also working with my machinists on a couple styles and sizes of sitar bars in grade 316 stainless steel--will posts the results of both of these efforts soon. Meanwhile, I've accumulated a few demo bars that would be difficult to distinguish from new bars, in various colors and sizes, anyone that's interested, let me know what you are looking for, these are half of new price, add $6.80 for shipping, Thanks, Michael

[George Macdonald]

Michael, PM sent.

[Michael Hillman]

We have a few bars in various sizes in tan and darker brown, inquire if you are interested, usual pricing, $36.95 lap steels, $49.95 standard bars, $56.95 for 15/16", and $59.95 for 1", an additional $15 for a second bar of equal or lesser value, includes Priority shipping to US Zip Codes, Thanks!!

[Dick Chapple Sr]

Thanks again Michael:
Got my new bars, and I like all the colors.
The light tan goes very well with the tiger maple top on by Derby, and the dark goes well with the darker color on the Derby.
I do like the burnt orange as well.
these three look real good in person, better than what pictures can do even.
I am pretty close to having 2 bars for each guitar I own.
for those wondering and haven't tried these bars, they are wonderful, and a very decent price.
I have a box of other bars I will never use now.
Michael's powder coated bars is all I will ever need.
They are ultra smooth, no scratchy scratchy, quiet, and easy to hang on to. I have rheumatoid arthritis in my hands and I can use these without problems. Prior to these bars the only other bar I could use were the Paloma stone bars.
Thank you Michael for your top notch bars.
Dick

[George Macdonald]

Michael, PM sent re: brown bars

[Michael Hillman]

Thanks, Dick, appreciate your kind words, and supporting our powder coated bars from the very beginning - you definitely hold the record for owning the most powder coated bars from Idaho.

George, let me check my inventory of brown bars, I'll get back to you as soon as I can take a look, I know I have plenty in standard size, I'll check for the lap steel, thanks for the inquiry, hope all is well with both of you good steel pickers!! - Michael