Some very basic questions on bars for lap steels

[Malcolm Leonard]

Why do the dobro players all seem to prefer grooved bars or bars with built-in handles or grips of some kind,rather than bullet bars?
Why do bullet bars come in so many different weights?
Does weight directly affect tone quality?
Most non-resonator lap steel players use a bullet bar,I assume?
Thanks,
Malcolm

[Erv Niehaus]

A lot of resonator players play standing up and a grooved bar is easier to hold onto. They also do "hammer ons" and "pull offs". They don't want a rounded nose on their bar for these purposes.

If you do slants on a lap steel, the round bar is better, especially one with an indentation on the butt end for your thumb when doing reverse slants.

A lighter bar is more adept for fast songs but a heavier bar seems to result in richer tones and more sustain.

As the number of strings increase on the instrument you are playing, so should the length and breadth of your bar, within reason.

[Randy Reeves]

Erv is right. I am a lap steel and lap dobro player. I use a round bullet nosed bar. I did start with a Stevens bar; it has the grooves. the bullet now does everything I want...or I am able to. I still have both. can't have too many slides lying around.

[Charley Wilder]

I, on the other hand, am a lap steel and Dobro player and use a Stevens only. One of the advantages that was touched on is hammer-ons and pulloffs. But also if you play Blues a lot or any type of music that consists of a lot of single string-single note type playing, you are constantly picking the bar up and laying it back down quickly. I just can't conceive of doing that with a bullet bar! I couldn't hang on to one playing that way. I did file one end of my Stevens round but I don't move it much. But you can adapt to about anything. Try a few and use the bar you like. You'll adapt it to your style okay.