The Steel Guitar Forum

I was wondering what some folks were using for bars and the cost of them. thanks.

Shubb-Pearce #2, about $18.00.

Ditto on the Shubb/Pearse for me. I don't remember what I paid for mine though I put it on the Visa from the Stewart/MacDonald catalog.............Great bar!

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Have a good 'un! JH U-12

dunlop 920...@ $18
mike

The old standard -- Stevens $10.

Tim - does the Shubb #SP2 allow you to play single note lines via tipping the bar? I like to play single note lines by picking up the back end of the bar, and playing with the tip, which gives me really clean single-note lines. Currently, I use a Dunlop 918 (5.5oz, 3/4" - 3 x 1/16"), which works pretty good, but I'd love a little more control when picking up the bar.

I like the weight of the Dunlop, but at only 3/4" in diameter, I have to have a slightly sticky or moist left hand to be able to pick it up! A 7/8" or even a 1" would solve that problem, but then it has more weight than I want.

Thanks.
TJW



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Todd James Weger/RD/RTD
www.franchise-yourself.com
1960 Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6)

Todd - I love the SP2. Yes, is has a rounded tip on one end and is perfect for single-note playing. Of course, it has finger grooves on top and sides, but the bottom appears to be radiused to 7/8". Stew-Mac's web site has a picture. www.stewmac.com/

I have 2 old Stevens bars I picked up in the '60's, a flat Gibson bar (POS) also from the '60's and a couple weeks ago purchased a Shubb-Pearse #3. I tried the #2 also and liked the #3 better. I am using the SP most of the time now, but I still like the Stevens. I think I paid $20 for the SP, but I bought several other things at the same time, so I don't remember for sure.

BTW Todd, the I found the SP #3 better for single noting and for slants. It isn't quite as heavy as the #2 and the Stevens, bummer. I also went to the rubber band around the bar for control and love it! I no longer drop the bar when going from forward to reverse slants and have a complete control all the time. However, my complete control does not equate to C. Cashdollar sound. I am using the wide, small diameter rubber band from bunches of broccoli.

Thanks everyone for the input, right now I am
in the doing my homework stage for resonator
guitars, I do not own one yet, looking into bars, straps and learning the ropes. Have looked at several models like Regals(made overseas) Dean, Gibsons ect.. everything I
have read in this post helps alot. Thanks again

I've got the Shubb-pearse bar but sometimes drop it doing slants, and I wish it was heavier. I also have a Broz-o-phonic and like that, but it's harder for single-note stuff. The quest continues.

Todd, ditto what Randy Pettit said.

Now for us pedal steel players who double on dobro, there may be a still better dobro bar configuration. You guys are gonna laugh at me, but believe me that this baby works great: a 15/16" HOLLOW bar just a hair under 3" O.A.L., with a SHORT bullet nose, gun-drilled with a 5/8" or 11/16" hole all the way up to, but not through, the bullet nose. A friend of mine had a bar of this description for many years and it was greased lightning, nearly impossible to drop while playing. The friend is now way up in years and the original bar has disappeared, but there is a fellow on this Forum who makes very good steel guitar bars so someday I may just see if he can make me such a bar.

Tim R.

Boys and girls spend the money, get a Tim Sheerhon bar or two and you will be miles ahead in TONE, and your technique will improve by leaps and bounds.

Any questions call me.

Larry Behm
503-786-4480

Tim;E-Mail is cheap if you can come up with a design I can probably build it.Jim Burden http://www.bulletbars.com

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By all means get a scheerhorn steel or a Tipton steel. The wide radius makes vibrato a cinch. The stainless steel version of the Scheerhorn steel is really cool. One of the drawbacks of the Scheerhorn steels is that you can,t see the fret you are trying to play on. But we all play by ear anyways. Right? The advantage is the sharp edge that makes playing hammer-on pull-off stuff down the neck much easier. Also you can tip the bar up and play open strings behind the bar.

Scheerhorn for me.
I have tried a Lapdawg (Jim Dunlop?) -- slightly smaller feel than the Scheerhorn and not quite as sharp tips for pull offs etc.
I have an SP3 that hangs around the house too. The bullet (ish) end makes it handy for my lap steel.

That's my few pence worth.

Keep Sliding.

Bill




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Aspiring to mediocrity

I am using the Lap Dawg from Dunlap. Very nice bar. This bar is easy to do pull-offs and is light enough to move very quickly.
I was using the SP2 for the last two years and like it also. The bronze-O Phonic is too small. I can't even pick it up. (big, dry hands) I want to try a 3/4" bullet for my non pedal steel. Does anyone have any sugestions? The custom one above look great but I don't know enough to order one.

Found another dandy amongst my stuff. An ancient Black Rajah about 2 7/8" long and tapering in diameter from about 5/8" at the butt to about 17/32" at the nose, with a concave hollow at the butt end. This bar is easy to hold, it kinda hides in your hand, and even reverse slants are very easy to execute with it. The tone and volume aren't quite as hot as with a steel bar, though.

Oh by the way, Oswald always used a small round steel bar. Of course he wasn't a fast player and didn't hammer and pulloff hardly any single note stuff. But single note work can be done with a round bar too.

Tim R.