BJS bars

Instruments, mechanical issues, copedents, techniques, etc.

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Bo Borland
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BJS bars

Post by Bo Borland »

I have a BJS that appears to be starting to bubble from the inside out near the nose bevel ..it's starting to snag the strings. Anyone have any ideas? Can I polish the bubbles out or will that ruin the finish?

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Bo Borland
Once, only my equipment was considered vintage... now I find that I am too!



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Mike Ester
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Location: New Braunfels, Texas, USA
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Post by Mike Ester »

Contact BJS Bars. Bill will take care of you. He is insistent that all his customers are happy with his product.
Bill Stroud
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Post by Bill Stroud »

I sent you an email, you are covered my friend.
Thanks for using the BJS Bar.
Bill
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Chuck McGill
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Joined: 30 Apr 2002 12:01 am
Location: An hour from Memphis and 2 from Nashville, R.I.P.

Post by Chuck McGill »

Bill means it. He will take care of you.
Great to do business with.
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Chris LeDrew
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Joined: 27 May 2005 12:01 am
Location: Canada

Post by Chris LeDrew »

BJS is the king of the bars.
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Bob Knight
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Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Bowling Green KY

Post by Bob Knight »

Bill Stroud and BJS bars are at the top.I've used Bill's bars since the early 1970s.

Bob Image Image Image
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Erv Niehaus
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Location: Litchfield, MN, USA

Post by Erv Niehaus »

I love Bill's 15/16" diameter bar. Image
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Bo Borland
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Post by Bo Borland »

WOW... Bill sent me an email straight away... I told him in my email I FLAT LOVE THESE BARS!! I bought mine from Herby a while back after attending his seminar outside of Philly.
Bill is the best !!! Thanks for a great product and unbelievable service. I will never use anything else.

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Bo Borland
Once, only my equipment was considered vintage... now I find that I am too!



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Jerry Roller
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Location: Van Buren, Arkansas USA
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Post by Jerry Roller »

My 15/16 BJS was a gift from the Springtown Church in Gentry, Ar where I have played their Cowboy Campmeeting for 6 or 7 years. Bob Dell was instrumental in getting the bar for me. It is so nice. It is special to me for more reasons than one.
Jerry<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Jerry Roller on 17 December 2005 at 11:18 AM.]</p></FONT>
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Jon Light
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Post by Jon Light »

I've been using my BJS bars pretty hard with absolutely zero flaws. I use them with confidence. But in addition to being super great bars, considering that stuff happens with materials and manufacturing---hey, it's a fact of life--I so totally love the fact that any time you read about any sort of problem with a BJS bar, you also read about a guy (Mr. Stroud) who is nothing but eager to get ahold of the problem bar and get a good one into the hands of the player. Talk about standing behind your product and your reputation!
Reece Anderson
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Joined: 21 Jun 1999 12:01 am
Location: Keller Texas USA, R.I.P.

Post by Reece Anderson »

The exceptional quality of the BJS bar is only exceeded by the character of Bill Stroud.
Kevin Hatton
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Post by Kevin Hatton »

Bill Stroud makes the best bars on the planet. He stands behind everything he makes. They are just a superior steel guitar bar.
Lavelle Pierce
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Location: huntsvile,ar 72740

Post by Lavelle Pierce »

i have been using mybjs 15/16 far about 2 yrs i love it has no trouble .
Tom Diemer
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Joined: 26 Nov 2000 1:01 am
Location: Defiance, Ohio USA

Post by Tom Diemer »

I find it amazing how many great companies there are supporting the steel guitar community. BJS, Hilton, Carter, Jagwire, etc, just to name a few that I personally have dealings with. Even a big company like Peavey has Mike Brown here to offer support and answer questions. I can't think of anyone else that has such a group of ethical and honest businesses supporting them. Never ceases to amaze and impress me. It's a real pleasure to use products from people such as these.

I have 7/8 and 15/16 BJS bars, both smooth as glass on the strings.
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Marco Schouten
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Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Post by Marco Schouten »

Although I don't use a BJS-bar, I want to say: Bill Stroud, you make me proud!
It's just great to see there are some people who give outstanding service to their customers.

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Steelin' Greetings
Marco Schouten
Sho-Bud LLG; Guyatone 6 string lap steel; John Pearse bar; Emmons bar; Evans SE200 amp


Joey Gaskins
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Joined: 16 Apr 2002 12:01 am
Location: New Bern, North Carolina, USA

Post by Joey Gaskins »

I lost the birthstone from my bar a couple of years ago and Bill sent me a replacement and instructions on putting it in correctly. Great service!!!!
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Lee Baucum
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Location: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Post by Lee Baucum »

Marco - It's time you joined the club! I'm sure your Pearse bar is getting lonely.

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Lee, from South Texas
Down On The Rio Grande

Mullen U-12, Evans FET-500, Fender Steel King

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Tommy R. Butler
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Joined: 19 Dec 2005 1:01 am
Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Post by Tommy R. Butler »

I got a BJS bar from my good friend about 8 years ago. I slung the stone out of it the other night while playing a club. I shot Bill and email and man he's sending me a stone. W0W thanks Bill.
Carter York
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Joined: 30 Jan 2002 1:01 am
Location: Austin, TX [Windsor Park]

Post by Carter York »

What kind of differences might I notice between a BJS bar and a Black Rajah? I got a Black Rajah about a year ago, and like the tone and "gription" on it.

Also, I notice on the website that there is a "sitar bar" that is available by custom order. Is that a specific size, or does it have some quality that the other bars don't?

Thanks
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Craig A Davidson
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Post by Craig A Davidson »

Since I got mine 4 years ago that is all I use. They are great bars.
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Bo Borland
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Post by Bo Borland »

I started with a pair of Ernie Balls.. no jokes please ! Image 2 different weights, I went right to the heavier one, I went thru 3 in a little over a year.. the plating wore off. I bought a BJS from Herby a long time ago & never looked back. They are slicker than crap thru a goose and seem to last almost forever. I also bought an Emmons sitar bar that has lasted a long time but is starting to drag a little now.

For Carter York ..the sitar bar has a flat spot about a 1/8-1/4" wide that runs the length of the bar, makes a sound a little like an electric sitar (without the sympathetic strings...mostly makes your steel sound like junk, but it is an interesting effect if you think "sitar" as you play. Think Norwegian Wood melody or something like that .. use a different scale too.

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Willis Vanderberg
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Location: Petoskey Mi

Post by Willis Vanderberg »

For Carter York. I too have a Black Rajah and there is no comparison between that and my BJS. The BJS is way above anything I have used in the last 56 years. No I ain't as old as my friend Al Marcus but.... I'm gettin there.
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Bill Ford
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Location: Graniteville SC Aiken

Post by Bill Ford »

Got my BJS a couple years ago, a gift from a friend, if I ever loose it , the replacement will be with the same. BTW the way I drop,and throw things around it still looks/plays great. Oh yea, it has one of them purdy red thingies in the end of it.

Bill
Herb Steiner
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Post by Herb Steiner »

Bill Stroud bars are the only ones I carry in my pack seat and the only ones to touch my strings when I'm in a paying situation. They are the best bars available today, IMHO.

I do have a bunch of old stainless bars like Emmonses, Sho-Buds, Dunlops, etc. that I've accumulated over the decades that I have out in the shop or let students play with.

A note about Bill Stroud... Back in 1992 at the TSGA Jamboree, I was telling Bill about how long I'd been playing one of his bars. I showed it to him and after he saw a tiny bit of chrome flaking at the bottom of the bar, he refused to give it back to me. HEY, BILL!! THAT'S MY BAR!!! Not any more! Instead, he gave me a brand new bar and told me he didn't want any players looking at a bar of his with flaking chrome, regardless of its age. He said "a lifetime guarantee is exactly that... lifetime."

He then asked me if I had any birthstone bars. I said, "yeah, two." He then gave me 6 of the birthstones, saying "the ones you have might fall out one day."

Once you buy a BJS bar,
Bill makes it damn near impossible to play anyhing else!

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association


Bill Stroud
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Location: Dresden, Tennessee, USA * R.I.P.
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Post by Bill Stroud »

Hey, Bo Borland did you get your new bar yet? I sent it as soon as I got your old bar. Let me know if you've got it or not. I'm sorry for any inconvenience that you had. Let me know how you like the new bar.
Stay in touch.
Bill
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