My son is a journeyman tool and die man and a couple of years ago I asked him to make this bar for me between school, work ,and a single parent of a toddler .
I don't play anymore other than the odd moment when I have a summer vacation week or two . He brought this bar home today as a rough draft and it is going back to the shop Monday for polishing and cleaning . I gave it a little test play tonight and really thought it worked out well . It started out as a stock 2.75" length 7/8" bar and became an experiment , that's why the thumb indentation is still there at the back of the bar . The next try will be from scratch and a little longer, but not too much and a straight slant across the back without an indentation with polished edges . a 5 oz. bar in this example .
This is almost what I have been looking for in a steel bar. I have trouble holding onto a standard PSG bullet nose bar. Probably due to my age and a little arthritus. The SP 1 Shubb bar is what I have now, but the length and weight are not right and I get a lot of a rattling sound from the strings. I also use a BJS 3/4" bullet nose when I have to do slants. It's a great bar but I always end up dropping it once or twice during a session.
One suggestion would be to not make the finger grove extend into the bullet end but leave about 1/4" of extension so the rounded nose will be intact.
Otherwise, I would appreciate a PM from you if you decide to go into production with this.
This bar looks like it would be a lot more difficult to hang onto to me. There's so much less of it.
Anyway, that's awfully nice of him. BTW, my father is a lifelong tool & die man, except he hasn't found work in that field in at least a decade. Tough times.
Thanks for your comments , actually he was supposed to leave the nose intact but forgot since it had been about 2 years back when I asked him to do it . The one built from scratch will feature that nose. I agree that the Shubb SP1 is a bit too long and a bit too skinny , but still a cool bar
Mike ; That's exactly my thought while looking it over when he handed it to me ,
" Gee there's not enough there " , but in actual practice it worked pretty well indeed . Maybe because it was 7/8" bar stock .
Hi Kevin. Great Idea. I played lead guitar for years till I lost an arguement with a 10" table saw.
Six surgeries and lots of bucks later I have a some what usable left hand. Not for guitar playing . After a ten year void in my soul a friend convinced me that lap steel was a versatile and fun way to make music again . I now own three of them and am making good progress in my learning. I also have a little trouble with bar handling. I Think you have hit on a good solution for guys like me . I WANT ONE
If you reach apoint where they're available PLEASE post info on the forum.
Kirby ;
My son is going to make another bar that is an eighth of an inch longer with a complete bullet nose and a sculpted back and I'll give it a test drive . I did some playing with the rough draft bar last night and it works well but is too light at 5 ounces and a tad short in it's configuration . When he does a trial run of a few bars I'll post the topic on the forum
