Stainless Steel Bar and SS Strings

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 13 May 2003 3:13 pm

Is something really demonic going to happen to me if I use a stainless steel bar on stainless steel strings? Does it just run an increased risk of grooves in the bar, increased string wear or what?

Bob Knight · Post by **Bob Knight** » 13 May 2003 3:45 pm

You ain't gonna like it.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 13 May 2003 3:52 pm

I had an experience when trying out a new bar recently. It was a stainless bar, and I had just put on a new set of GeorgeL's, which, I'm sure we can all agree, are also stainless.

The strings felt old, like slightly rusty, after only one night of playing, which is totally unlike my experience with GL strings for the last umpteen years.

When I went back to my chrome BJS bar, the smooth feel of the strings returned.

I then played the stainless bar on a guitar that had nickle compound strings, and it played quite nicely on that. So I'd say, use chrome when playing on stainless, and stainless when playing on nickle.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 13 May 2003 4:07 pm

As usual, Herb is right on
I've used stainless strings for as long as I can remember and can tell you two things:
1. The first hour or two after they're new, they can be pretty 'draggy' -- even on a chrome bar.
2. After the 'break-in period', they'll stay brighter longer than nickel, especially with my sweaty, acidic fingers.

A ritual I've adopted, which may or may not really do anything, is whenever I change the wound strings I'll play with a stainless 1" bar -- somewhat brutally --

for an hour or two, then tune it up good and go to the gig. Once the BJS bar hits the strings, it's a totally different feel. I never use a stainless bar on a gig. FWIW.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 14 May 2003 9:02 am

Here is a link to an old discussion about this topic. Read what Bobbe says.

Click Here

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Lee, from South Texas
Down On The Rio Grande

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 14 May 2003 10:22 am

In that other thread, Bobbe said:

Stainless bars on stainless strings dont work.Period. If you cant hear and feel the diffrence between hard chrome and stainless bars on stainless steel strings,you shouldnt even be reading this.HARD CHROME is the only way to go on S. S. strings.

I can feel the difference but I can't hear it.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 14 May 2003 10:58 am

Well, here's my dilemma. I really like using a Twister double-bullet bar on my universal. But they only come in stainless steel. I also like to use s.s. strings, because they last longer. Think it's possible to get a Twister chrome plated somewhere? I also prefer a chrome bar because they seem smoother on the strings, with less bar noise.

Jeff A. Smith · Post by **Jeff A. Smith** » 14 May 2003 9:52 pm

Here is a link to an old discussion about this topic. Read what Bobbe says.

That was a good thread, and I did end up getting a BJS bar (I ended up with three sizes.) Now, I also have a John Pearse bar that I've come to like a lot; it's significantly warmer sounding than the BJS closest to its size, and it still sustains well. Somedays I prefer the Pearse, other days the BJS. I didn't realize the Pearse is stainless steel -- at least that's what I was told after I had it a while. (Somebody let me know if that's wrong.) Since I'm using Stainless steel S.I.T. strings, maybe I'd better try nickel.[This message was edited by Jeff A. Smith on 14 May 2003 at 10:53 PM.]

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 15 May 2003 4:05 am

The Pearse bar is 400 series stainless steel (ferromagnetic) that has been heat treated then cryogenically hardened ...

The Twister bar is 300 series stainless steel (non-magnetic) .... It can be cryo-ed to harden it up abit (I had it done)... but nothing like the 400s.

Not all stainless is "created equal" ...

David, I had several 300 series bars hard chromed (works alot better than cryo-ing) ... just search for a facility that does "HARD CHROME" .. not "show chrome".

They usually have a minimum ... so shop around. They will have to attach an electrode ... probably right at the apex.

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www.horseshoemagnets.com [This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 15 May 2003 at 05:11 AM.]

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 15 May 2003 6:42 am

Thanks, Rick. Sounds like you know what you are talking about.