The Steel Guitar Forum

Took an old Stevens bar that I did not like and ground a round spot on the front of it and I like it so much better now!! Using it on six strings. Nice and small and with the round front I can "point and shoot" so much better.

Nice! I've been using a SP2 a lot lately, which has the same rounded nose, never got used to the sharp ends of the other "dobro bars".

I use the SP2 all the time. I had a couple of these old Stevens bars and wondered what a round front would be like...grinder and a belt sander and some fine polish and it works! Might take it and drill out the center of it to reduce the weight even more to see what that would be like.

I did the same thing several years ago before I knew about the SP-2. You can reverse it and use the square end for pull-offs. Iuse the SP-2 now but I shortened it some because it was too long to suit me. I cut the blunt end at an angle and it seems to work better for pull-offs and single noting.

I just cannot get used to the blunt end. I can pull the bar back toward me, but pushing the bar toward the higher strings...a disaster for me. The little round area now makes all the difference. I play a lot of single note things with the back of the bar raised and the front pointed down to the single string I want to play. I HAVE to have a bar with a rounded area on one end.

I have a Robert Randolph II bar I want to modify the same. I am concerned that it might be brass with a chrome or nickle plate on it and when I grind it, the brass might be exposed and then I would have to go to the expense of replating. Anybody know?

edit. I just checked a website that says the Stevens bar is nickel plate on brass. The brass seems to be a bit harder that standard alloy brass. I can see a little bit of the brass color, but not as dark as brass usually is. Must be some brass mixed with something else. Maybe the RRII bar will be the same.

I have ground the Stevens bars like that for years. Then I had Ron Tipton make me two of his excellent bars like that.

I too, love the SP2 bar. Thanks to Peter Grant and Mr. Shubb for this baby.

I'm tempted to try grinding the sharp end of the SP2 into a rounded nose, so it is the same on both ends, but with a flat or divot in there for the thumb to grab. Then, it might work for those elusive reverse, split slants that John Ely recently discussed in his newsletter.

You might like to check out my new line of ceramic slides. Excellent sustain, full-bodied tone, totally hand-made. I make a Stevens-shaped bar with a bull nose in several sizes. Only $24 including shipping to anywhere in the US. www.stoneslides.com/products

I use the SP2 with the round end as the default and flip it when pull-offs are coming up. The length is not a problem, as I have a large hand. I do sometimes wish the SP2's round end were a little bigger and the sharp end a little sharper. It may not represent the best of both worlds, but it definitely gets you into both.

Besides being able to go upscale without snagging, one of the advantages to a bullet end for lap steel or dobro is being able to note a roll on the second and third strings and keep strings 1 and 4 open.

Yes the open strings are a very important part of what I try to work out on the non pedal.

In regards to these Stevens bars, they don't seem to be very quality control consious in regards to smooth surfaces. Wonder who is making these?

Yes, the new Stevens are full of pits and scratches.
Dunlop makes one of the same design that is much better. Better yet is the Tipton. Ph.270 570 1730.

Clyde Mattocks wrote:Yes, the new Stevens are full of pits and scratches.
Dunlop makes one of the same design that is much better. Better yet is the Tipton. Ph.270 570 1730.

Is that Tipton's number?

I am new to Lap Steel and have been looking for that "just right" bar. I have a Paloma Stone in a "stevens" style, a Lap Dawg, and now a Dunlop 920 bullet nose... no cigar yet! Of all of them I like the Lap Dawg the best but do understand the "catching of strings". However in looking at the Shubb Pearse models I thought that the SP1 looked like it had more of an up turn on the end then the SP2. However in reading this tread it appears that the SP2 seems to be the "bar of choice". So which is the better way to go No. ! or No. 2?
Thanks

i like the sp1

i just modified this old stevens bar cause i dont like the blunt end

Ha, I came up with this last week! I was having a tough time hanging onto my bar, so I grabbed the old unused Stevens and immediately got it caught.
I decided to grind it. Guess I was just reinventing the wheel...

I've used a bullet bar from Jay Seibert for the last couple months and like it a lot. A friend gave me one of his modified Stevens bars. It is highly recommended as well.
James

Interesting to check the comments on this topic and I much appreciate the kind words... and a timely opportunity perhaps to debut some new resonator tone bar shapes I am introducing... more fun tools for the player!

These additions have come from player suggestions and comments. Most notably, Paloma debuts a new shaped bar the "OJ/Orville Johnson". Designed in conjunction with the incomparable Orville Johnson, this new profile bridges the gap between the SB2 and SB3 with features found in both. Nice sustain and tone, light weight for ease of movement, and pleasant appearance. Available with all end treatments in 4 stock lengths and three glaze finishes.

New shapes include the "SC", "DC", and "SCBN" as shown in the photo. All bars shown in both photos have been fired to 1900 degrees and are waiting for final sanding before glazing and the re-firing at 2400 degrees.

Still hand-made by me. Still $20 plus shipping!

I bought a stainless Scheerhorn bar and wasn't able to use it because I was so used to a bullet nose. The flat on both ends Scheerhorn was basically useless for me. My brother volunteered to relieve the nose and end for me, now it's my absolute favorite bar for dobro and lapsteel. He did a superb job.

That's a very cool shape! I wonder how many players would like something like that? It sure wouldn't be too hard to come close to that profile in a Paloma ceramic tone bar. Interesting to note that I have made a few bullet bars with the nose cut off for pull-offs... but nothing like this yet... Thanks for the ideas!!!

Hey Rick-- I like the look of that bar for dobro. Seems like you could tip the bar and get a nice sharp pull-off. True?

Yes, pull-offs work well with both ends. The butt end is only slightly beveled to prevent string catches on the back side.

Guys FWIW...

Another thread about the same stuff on the hangout.
http://www.resohangout.com/topic/27491

I am Square Neck over there...

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I've been using the GS bar for the past several years. That's the one with the wood grip. I just find it so much easier to hold onto than the metal. As far as I can hear, it sounds just as good as the Stevens. Recently, I contacted Gary and asked if he could make me one with a rounded end on one side and the slanted end on the other. For a few bucks more than his standard wooden gripped bar he made me one - picture below. I use it for my 8 string Super Slide lap steel and my Beard R Mahogany reso. The perfect bar, IMHO.

jay, those are nice looking ceramic bars! i can't choose if i like the white or the black best. i also like that they're getting cheaper with each of your posts, so keep posting!


the price already seems quite cheap to me, which is a good thing.