The Steel Guitar Forum

I'm just wondering if there's any difference, tone-wise, between a round bar and the shaped "dobro" type bar? I've got a couple of Dunlops, a 920 and a 918, and am having a bit of trouble holding on to them. They tend to slip out of my fingers when I try to raise them off the strings and slants just ain't happenin'. Looks like the shaped bar like a Dunlap Lap Dawg would be easier to handle. Opinions, please.

Steve Perry

This has been discussed quite often. This thread was a classic.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... ar&start=0

I wish I could remember how to do the tiny URL.

Oh yes, the old "bar wars" thread. This is like discussing religion or politics. I think we all agreed to disagree on this. Sort of like trying to decide what's best: blondes, brunettes or redheads. : )

Years ago I realized what Jerry Byrd was doing to get those minor chord slants and ground one end of a Stevens Steel to a semi-bullet. I use it on my National Tri-cone, Regal Dobro and the Muti-Kord. The exposed brass (from the grinding and polishing) doesn't seem to affect the sustain very much. I can hit two strings at one fret and slant one back for the minor third. Since adding a D-10 pedal steel to the collection I've gone to one of Bobby's stainless steel bullets and turned a 3/4" stainless bullet myself. I am finding that the bullet bars are the best for reverse slants. I wish this forum was around back then. It would have saved me a lot of grief.

I think Norman Blake used to do that to a Stevens bar. That is, grind the end round.

Guy Cundell wrote:This has been discussed quite often. This thread was a classic.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... ar&start=0

I wish I could remember how to do the tiny URL.

Thanks.... and it's http://tinyurl.com/

Steve Perry

The previous "bar wars" discussion, and most discussions about bars, focus on what is best from a technique standpoint. That's the second part of Steve's question. The first part of the question was just about tone. My feeling is, if they have similar overall weight and similar radius of curvature at string contact, there isn't going to be a difference in tone between a round bar and a shaped bar. So tone is not the deciding factor in what shape bar to use - it's all about what works best with your technique. Which I guess brings us right back to the bar wars ...

I use my Stevens bar more than I should be doing. In the fall and spring times I have a terrible time holding onto the little BJ bar. The only major drawback that I find with the Stevens bar is that I can't do reverse slants properly nor can I pull a string behind the bar.

Another point that should be factored or considered is that the older Stevens bars are not made of the same material composition that the modern round tone bars are made with. That effects the tone considerably.

Before you start grinding you may want to check out the Shubb Pearse bar that is already square at one end and nicely rounded at the other. I believe it is also a bit longer than Stevens bars, so can handle 8 strings better. On the other hand, watching those sparks fly off the grinder is kind of fun too.
David K

David Knutson wrote:Before you start grinding you may want to check out the Shubb Pearse bar that is already square at one end and nicely rounded at the other. On the other hand, watching those sparks fly off the grinder is kind of fun too.
David K

What kind of material are the Shubb's made out of? They must be a carbon steel of some type.

I polished through the chrome on an old Stevens bar to the brass. There is a subtle difference in tone. I like the brass better but I have to keep it polished. When tarnished, it seems slow and scratchy. I do slants on Dobro with it but on lap steel I like the Byrd recommended sized bar. Subtle differences on lap steel tone with different weights and materials, too!

Les, The Shubb Pearse bars I have seem to be chromed brass, pretty much like the Stevens.

David K

I have a Shubb GS [wooden handle] the packaging says it is stainless.The SP3 doesn't say what it is made out of but on close inspection there are sanding swirls on the handle part.I don't know if they sand chrome or not. They are both non magnetic.
I have been toying with the idea of grinding the handle of the SP2 into an arc similar to the GS. Reverse slants with the GS are as easy as a bullet bar.Like Les,I also have problems, on certain days,holding a bullet bar.
Tone wise, my 920 wins, the SP2 second and the GS a distant third [too lite]

There will always be differences in opinion regarding which type of bar is best for which instrument. These days, we have an amazing array of bars made in a variety of materials from which to choose. Since I introduced Paloma tone bars to the Forum, I have had many comments regarding their weight and size (I offer many) and have even made modifications to them to satisfy players' requests.

It seems that there are a lot of players who have been going to a bit larger diameter Paloma bar than the metal bar they've used for years... easier to hold on to, and lighter in weight... capable of delivering a very nice slow vibrato when the larger diameter bar is rolled back and forth on the strings.

Being a new lap steel player, I have found that the round bullet-nosed bar is much easier for me to do forward and reverse slants than the bull-nose shaped bar. I make both and have spent many hours playing with both styles and many different sizes... one of the benefits of making them myself.

As far as tone... different materials yield different tone. With my bars, for example, my blue glazed bars have a warmer sound than the white glazed bars... and they both sound different than steel, or Zirconia, or brass, or glass.

My Paloma bars will never scratch or wear... they will always sound just like new... my glaze is formulated to be extremely hard and smooth and is fired extremely hot, twice! More info is available at www.stoneslides.com Now available at Elderly Instruments!

David Knutson wrote:Les, The Shubb Pearse bars I have seem to be chromed brass, pretty much like the Stevens.

David K

The authentic Stevens bar is nickel plated brass. Dunlop makes a really nice chromed version sold as the 925.