Hillman Powder Coated Tone Bars

[Michael Hillman]

Thanks Dick, always good to hear from you- I was sorely tempted by some of your bass equipment- hope you are well, we are enjoying our travels in Arizona. Michael

[Jeff Au Hoy]

I cannot say enough good things about these bars! I got two: 3/4" x 2-3/4" and 3/4" x 2-7/8"... the longer one has a bit more mass and gives more sustain, but the shorter is my favorite. For me, it's the missing piece of the puzzle in the quest for old-school tone. I had been using a Dunlop stainless since I began playing steel guitar and always struggled with the treble whine. That harsh bite is now gone. Thank you, Michael Hillman!

[Michael Hillman]

Thanks Jeff, appreciate the kind words - out of the shop for a few days, headed to the Dallas Show, inviting all Forum Members to stop by our booth in the corner of the Main Ballroom and say hello. Looking forward to seeing Paul Franklin and Sarah Jory, and a lot of other fine players and friends, promises to be a great show as always!!

[Pete Burak]

I am enjoying my new black-powder tapered David Wright Bar very much!
It works great on both Pedal and Non-Pedal steels so far.
Thanks!

[Michael Hillman]

Thanks Pete, great to meet you at the Dallas Show- let me know if you need anything else in powder coated bars, Best, Michael

[Michael Hillman]

A couple of players at the Texas Show were discussing original Red Rajah bar designs, and one had brought in his bar, wanting me to recoat it, which I’ll gladly do for $10, to give new life to an old powder coated bar. His bar was 7/8” x 3 3/16”. Said he used it for lap steel and pedal steel. The next day, another Texas player brought in a standard 7/8” x 3 3/8”, AND - both of these bars had the grooves down each side, to provide just a bit more stability in the left hand. I’ve looked at doing bars with the sides grooved, and have done a couple of special requests, but the cost of the extra machining has kept us from running an entire batch. We will test the market by doing both of these sizes, likely red and black will be the first colors, will announce prices in about 3 weeks, along with anticipated completion time.

[Michael Hillman]

Need to take a week away from usual day to day activities-will be checking email when in cell signal range. Thanks to all who support our powder coated bars project. We do have the first bars with side grooves in Red completed, 7/8” x 3 1/4” and 7/8” x 3 3/8”, either size $56.95, includes priority shipping.

[Gene Tani]

2 for the price of 1.2 or something like that. Amazing deal, great bars, lots of funky colors now. I just ordered my 2nd and 3rd.

[Dick Chapple Sr]

Hi Michael:
This sounds very interesting to me.
When you have a chance could you post a picture of one?
Is the bar still round with groovy grips on each side or are the sides concave?
I am interested in a red 7/8" by 3 3/8"
happy travels.
Dick

[Brett Hansen]

I'd be interested in seeing the grooved ones as well. I'm just starting out and having a really hard time maintaining a grip on the stainless steel John Pearse slide I have started with. These might really help!

[Michael Hillman]

Thanks guys, the photo below should give you a good idea of what these bars look like. The old Red Rajah line featured this style bar in 7/8” diameter, in 3 1/4” and 3 3/8” inch lengths. We’ve copied those and our next batch will be black. Either size, $56.95, add a standard size round powder coated bar for $15 more. PayPal to vmhillman66@gmail.com Thanks!!

[Dick Chapple Sr]

Well that was sure fast. Thanks Michael. I will get one then.

Brett you will be super happy you buy one of Michael's powder coated bars. Easier to hang on to than non coated bars and will warm nicely to your hand and slide quietly on the strings.


Dick

[Michael Hillman]

Thanks Dick, I’ll hold one for you in the three and three eights inch length - complete pricing and a list of our current sizes is found on page 22, the second post on that page on this thread. Heading for a week in Las Vegas in an hour, back in the shop 6/17- Best to All, Michael

[Dick Chapple Sr]

Paid for one Michael. If I am too late for you to get to it, that is okay. have a great week.
Dick

[Michael Hillman]

With your name on it- I’ll mail it from somewhere in the wide open spaces of Nevada. I guess they deliver mail to Eastern Montana 😉 thanks Dick! Michael

[Brett Hansen]

Is the grooved bar available in the 3 1/2" length and 15/16" diameter?

[Michael Hillman]

Hello Brett, at the moment we are just doing two sizes of the bars with the grooves down the sides - both are 7/8” diameter. In time we may do a run of 15/16”, but due to the additional machining cost, no firm plans to do so at present, thanks! Michael

[Peter Leavenworth]

I’d be interested in 7/8” x 3” bars, or something close to that, for lapsteel and dobro
Peter

[Michael Hillman]

Hello Peter, we are making 7/8” x 3 1/4” with the grooves down each side, if you feel that size would work for you, $56.95 PayPal to vmhillman66@gmail.com - includes shipping.

[Michael Stephens]

Just want to give a shout out to Michael Hillman -- I purchased 2 of his bars a while back, and one of them got a little scratched. He generously replaced it w/o charge and threw in another one to boot. Only paid shipping. I love these bars - great sound and a little lighter on the hand

Thanks, Michael!

[Gene Tani]

what? all tonebars look the same?

[Matt Berg]

Would it make sense to groove a small tapered bar? I think it would have some appeal to me.

[Michael Hillman]

Hey Matt, might make sense to make a grooved, tapered bar- what length would appeal to you? It seems that a number of Forum members really do favour a tapered bar. Some players used them early on in the 50’s and 60’s- when a number of tapered bars were available, others have happened to run across one more recently and find it difficult to go back to a straight bar. The most popular tapered bar we’ve made is the David Wright bar, which is 7/8” tapering to 3/4”— 3 1/4” in length. The next tapered bar we made is a 3”, we just took 1/4” off the back side of the 3 1/4” bar. I could discuss this with my machinist- the additional cost of putting the taper on a straight bar pushes the cost up considerably, cutting the grooves into the tapered bar will add another cost component, compared to the ease of making straight bars, but I think we should take a look at it.

[Michael Hillman]

Just in, black bars with grooved sides, 7/8” x 3 1/4”, and standard 7/8” x 3 3/8”, and a few red in 7/8” x 3 1/4”. These are $56.95, add any straight bar for an additional $15. Refer to page 22 for pricing and ordering information. Thanks to all who support our powder coated bar project- hope summer is treating everyone well! Photo of grooved bars below:

[Nelson Wood]

I've been using these bars for several years and I just had 3 more come in the mail today. Not only are the bars excellent, Michael is a great guy to deal with!