I had been suffering for many weeks from left hand pain in the index and 3rd finger when I received these bars. They position your hand a bit differently (no learning curve) and my finger pain began to subside right way. I quit playing all my steel bars for a month and the pain has not returned even when using steel.
I pulled out my bars for a photo comparison and was surprised how many I have acquired in 3-4 years of steel study (lap and pedal).
The Rocket ceramic bars are asymmetrical on top and fit my medium large hand to perfection. I immediately could hear a tonal difference, not as bright. I boosted the highs on the amp and was rewarded with warm golden tone. Super comfy from the first day these bars felt like an old friend.
Notice the weight, there is none. Yes sustain is reduced but try some real fast phrases. More speed than I have ever had and the cleanest string separation.
The bass strings on my U12 sound awesome. I rarely played them until receiving these bars. The problem was setting eq to favor low or high strings as I was never happy with the whole range on 1 setting. The ceramic allows a boost in the highs which sweetens the low strings without the ice picking pain from the high ones.
A very strange and pleasant sensation is you can feel each string resonating through the bar at the position of the string. I suppose this is where the loss of sustain occurs, but it feels cool and you are more connected to the guitar (playing blind would be easier).
This is the double cut which I thought would be my favorite.
This is the single cut which turned out to be my favorite.
My conclusion:
1. I’d buy these again in a heartbeat and think everyone should at least try a ceramic bar. I have tried many different tools but this is one you clearly hear a difference.
2. Will it replace my steel bars? No, but I will always have these around. After a session with ceramic, the steel bars feel cold, impersonal and really slow. But there is nothing like a big fat heavy bar for slow songs.
3. Hand pain? These very affordable bars are a must buy, unless you dig pain. I was limiting my practice sessions before this. The pain left and didn’t return. Anecdotal advice, I’m no doc.
4. These bars can be utilized without fingers. I played them quite satisfactory cupped in my palm do to the pain. Gripping these bars is 4 times easier than a shubb and 100 times easier than a bullet bar. Even with oily hands you won’t drop them.
I would like to approach this guy and see if a hybrid is possible that would increase sustain, just a little. My thoughts are to insert a tungsten (or other metal) rod into the ceramic if possible.
Hand made by an artisan, cheaper than a medical co-payment and adds interest to your playing.
I rarely do reviews but made time for this one because it's an excellent little known product. And I am home in bed with #$%&*@# covid!
Cheers all!
https://rockymountainslides.com/
slideman74.2me@gmail.com
)
