The Steel Guitar Forum

Experimenting with different steels, trying to find one that fits my hand well. Need something larger than a Stevens. Any recommendations?

I am thinking #2 Shubb-Pearse, anyone have a used one they want to part with?

Please e-mail: twohackers@hotmail.com

Thanks

John,

I've been using an E.G. Smith bar for years. I really like the matt sides and the scalloped edges on the top - it is super easy to hold. I believe Jimmy Heffernan sells them on his websight. Check it out.

Best, Ian

Ian,

Thanks, but I checked his site and he is out of stock until...?

You can buy an E.G. Smith steel bar from Greg Boyd's House of Fine Instruments. Quality on these bars has been variable, I recommend you ask for one that has a playing surface that is a full 3.0 inches long, also make sure the playing surface is flat, not concave or convex.

Thanks guys, but I think I'll stick with Pearse.

Michael Hardee wrote:You can buy an E.G. Smith steel bar from Greg Boyd's House of Fine Instruments. Quality on these bars has been variable, I recommend you ask for one that has a playing surface that is a full 3.0 inches long, also make sure the playing surface is flat, not concave or convex.

How can the playin surface be flat???

Not literally "flat" like the bottom of a clothes steam iron on an ironing board, but if you lay the thing on a table with the portion that touches the strings down, you would find some of the earlier bars literally have kind of a "bow" in them and there is just a tiny bit of gap between the bottom of the bar and the table in the center.

Later bars made by E.G. don't have this tiny gap - or at least it's difficult to determine with the naked eye.

Whether you have a newer one or an older one, they're great bars.

give the lap dawg a go ,I use it and its great if you hammer on a fair bit.Works for me!

John Drury wrote:Need something larger than a Stevens.

Is larger longer or heftier? Or both? I have a Shubb-Pearse SP-1 that's longer than a Steven's bar and with a curved nose that I like a lot. It's about the same weight as a Steven's. SP also makes the Robert Randolf bars which are BIG Steven's bars. I have the RR-2 which I prefer over a bullet bar. At 7.5 oz. it's pretty hefty. See them all at the Shubb website.

HTH.

Ben, not sure what a "Lap Dawg is, but will check it out, thanks!

Michael, longer, heftier, and larger. I am thinking you might be right about the SP-1. The RR-2 sounds like a real handful! Thanks.

The "lap dawg" is made by Jim Dunlop and can be found at a number of outlets including Elderly Music for about $22 http://www.elderly.com/brand/ACSL_dunlop.html

is the Shubb SP2 taller than the lap dawg?

John, the Shubb-Pearse bars are around $20 or so at alot of stores. I'd give you my SP2, but it's a little worn out now, and has 2 holes drilled through it for some slant experiments!

AJ, the SP2 is taller than the lapdawg, and has the rounded tip, so I bought it. It has a better feel too. I compared them side by side.

Kevin,

Thanks for that info! I think the SP-2 will be the ticket! I may try an SP-1 also just out of curiosity.

Steve Branscom wrote:The "lap dawg" is made by Jim Dunlop and can be found at a number of outlets including Elderly Music for about $22 http://www.elderly.com/brand/ACSL_dunlop.html

Steve,

I got a chance to check out a friends Lap Dawg, nice bar but a little too small for me. It is a lot like my #2 Scheerhorn Stainless steel only a tad heavier.

More of a bar for the "Speed Merchants", rather than for guys like myself that are newer to the instrument.

Thanks

Years ago, back in the 60's I used to use a bar that was covered in either black plastic or possibly Bakelite. the inside was made of lead if I recall. bot sure of the length or the diameter but the bars I am finding now seem a lot longer, bigger in diameter and harder to hold.

I have a couple bullet bars that are 7/8 dia and 3" long. One is polished the other is a dull matt finish neither is all that comfortable for me anybody have any suggestions? I am currently trying to learn the DOBRO so I have a couple of shrub bars also.

The Tribo-Tone bars are excellent.

Rick,

Those were Black Rajah's, they are being made again, in black and red, can't remember the guys name, maybe someone here knows.

I bought a small one in black about the size of my Brozman bar. 3 1/4" X 5/8" ? I may start using it for Dobro if I can't find a stevens type bar that fits my hand.

Lynn,

Not familiar with the Trib-Tone.

John Drury wrote:Not familiar with the Trib-Tone.

There are a number of people here that use Tribo tones, so you shouldn't have any problem getting opinions. I have a B model that I really like: it's noiseless, very comfortable to hold, and sounds great.

John Drury wrote:Not familiar with the Trib-Tone.

You would be MORE familiar if you'd clicked the embedded link in Lynn's first reply. where he said

Lynn Oliver wrote:The Tribo-Tone bars are excellent.

Basil,

I saw it, its just that the O, and a few other keys don't work so well since I dumped the beer on my keyboard, I really have to hammer them.

Time for a new keyboard!

John Drury wrote:I really have to hammer them.

Time for a new keyboard!

No Save the Hammering on for the open strings on your reso !

http://www.tribotone.com/slides.html

Or I could type with my 1" X 4" 12 string bar!

I thought that's what you were doing LOL

Kevin: thanks for posting that picture. It's worth a thousand words. I use an SP1 for Dobro, but also a Tribotone. It's more important on an acoustic instrument, such as a Dobro or a Weissenborn, to have a bar that doesn't rattle, and I find that the Tribotone rattles less than any other bar.

By the way, my SP1 has been dipped in rubber solution, which I've removed from the playing surface. That way it never slips in my hand.