The Steel Guitar Forum

Mike:

OK, what is the next best to zirconia and where do I get it? I have an MSA bar, 7/8 I guess. I didn't know there was better until I tried Frank Carter's zirconia. I'd ask him to will it to me, but I'm older.

Within reason, I thought a bar was a bar as long as it was "smooth". <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by bob grossman on 04 November 2002 at 11:46 AM.]</p></FONT>

Bob,Ed Packard is heading out your direction,maybe he will see your post.He has a neat bar,I got too try it yesterday at Troy Porter's house,really smooth, however he left before I could get any more info on it.
Ray

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Steeling is still legal in Arizona
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ray Jenkins on 04 November 2002 at 07:55 AM.]</p></FONT>

Bob, "Best" is a matter of personal preference. It's like asking whether red is better than blue. A lot of people really like BJS bars. One of my favorite players uses a George L bar. Some people like the new Red Rajah bars. I think the John Pierce "Frozen" bar (which is immersed in liquid nitrogen for 6 weeks to re-align the molecules)is one of the best on the market, and I really like the Dunlop Sitar bar. I also prefer Dunlop's smaller bars for playing my Stringmaster. I've not tried their regular PSG bars, but Dunlop strives for real quality in everything they make and I have 5 of their effects pedals and am very happy with all of them.

If I ever lose my Zirconia bar, I'd probably use either the BJS or John Pierce frozen bar. I like the feel of the BJS, but think the Pierce bar produces a louder and brigher tone than others I've tried.

-Z bars #30 and 31

I recently played a camp meeting for the Springtown Church in Gentry, Arkansas where Bob Dell is a member and the Church presented me with a new BJS Birthstone and it was a little larger than what I had been using. It took me a couple hours to get used to it and it is a really great bar.
Jerry

Me and all of my clients believe that the best bar on the market is the BJS bar.

I know a lot of guys swear by the BJs bars but I personally prefer the tone and feel of the John Pearse "cryogenic" bar.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><HR><SMALL>Me and all of my clients believe that the best bar on the market is the BJS bar.
</SMALL><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

<SMALL> I know a lot of guys swear by the BJs bars but I personally prefer the tone and feel of the John Pearse "cryogenic" bar.</SMALL>

If I didn't have the zirconia bar I'd definately use one of these two (I have one of each) but I don't know which one. They are both excellent, and it would be a really hard choice.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 06 November 2002 at 10:36 PM.]</p></FONT>

I like the tone of the John Pearse bar, but quit using it because of no relief radius on the back end. I was always catching a string when sliding the bar back. Anyone else have this problem with these bars?

Lately I've been swapping between a 15/16" BJS and a 15/16" Red Rajah.

The BJS bar is the bar for me. I'm proud to
call Bill Stroud a friend. He's a fine man.

The first time I was sold on BJS bars was when my friend the late Bill Kerr took one and threw it down on the tile floor of his basement and then handed it to me and said "now find a scratch or dent on it"-I could not-The second time I got sold on BJS is when I played one on my Dobro-every fret now sounds most as good as open at the nut!

The John Pearse cryogenic bar has a better sound to me. Better sustain and smooth.
I did my own test between Dunlop, a ShoBud, and a Red Rajah. I like them all...I just like the "frozen chosen" John Pearse bar better.

Another entusiastic vote for the John Pearse Thermo-Cryonic Tone Bars. I have all three. I wish they'd make a 12-string bar.
http://www.jpstrings.com/braccess.htm#TCBar