The Steel Guitar Forum

I'm thinkin' I might be needing a capo and possibly a strap for my reso. It's a Crafter's of Tennessee full size type reso. Any ideas? Good places to buy over the net? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Fred

www.jpstrings.com
Michelle can fix you up.

Beard guitars web site. Simple capo that clamps on the strings is the best for me. The Webb strap is great for these guitars.

Also, Elderly Instruments web site.

Good luck

You want a capo you can get on and off accurately. The little Jerry Douglas capo that Elderly sells, does a good job. I don't know too many guys who like the Shubb.
Just a couple of ideas.

Fred,

The dobro straps on the web are absurdly expensive ($30-$40, + shipping). I went down to the local guitar store and found an extra-long web strap for $8. Works fine.

--Alan Kirk

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I'll agree with Alan...find an extra long guitar strap at a music store and save some bucks. I prefer leather as the webbing strap is too slippery for my comfort.

I like the Beard capo. Here's another one that has gotten good press but I have no personal experience with it.
http://elasticmedia.com/dobro/bradley.html

Folk of the Wood has a very good strap that holds your guitar, It says Dobro strap but it works for any accoustic steel.

R. L.

Howard, I use the Bradley, got mine from Ivan Guernsey, but I didn't think these were being made anymore. This is a GREAT capo, it's low profile, and HEAVY, so it doesn't monkey up the tone. And do you guys think the day will ever come when there's a decent strap? I mean, it doesn't matter if it's a 10.00 nylon thing, or baby seal with your maiden name embossed on it, you've still got to tie a string around the peghead!?

Howard, who's website is that? I like the looks of that bar, and I want one!

Stephen, I don't recall who put up that site. I got it from one of the threads on the Jerry Douglas website. Although I haven't tried that Bradley bar, I have some doubts about it.

First of all, thay show a beat up, scratched, Scheerhorn bar next to a new Bradley bar. I think that's a load of BS.

The Bradley bar has a long top groove that runs the length of the bar. For me, this makes slants cumbersome because it's difficult to move the bar diagonally. The Scheerhorn bar has a shorter top groove that rounds off at the front and back. I can manuver the bar much easier for slanting because my index finger does not get in the way. I can also lift and move the bar with no problem. It's a very comfortable, fast bar.

As for the strap, yes, a royal pain in the butt, but, I use a quick release(available at Elderly for $2.25 I believe). It's a strong, very thin web tie that goes around or through the keyhead, and the other part attaches to the strap. There's a quick release so it's a breese to snap your rig on and off. I have a quick release for each of several guitars that I just leave on so I can use just one strap for any of them without having to tie and untie.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by HowardR on 19 November 2002 at 05:49 AM.]</p></FONT>

My two cents: if a Shubb fits your guitar comfortably, go with it. It really clamps the strings well and gives the most open tone. The biggest problem is with instruments - unfortunately, probably the majority - with incompatible string heights; impossible to capo the thing in tune!

The Bradley capo looks like it works on the same principle as the Beard one. The Beard capo is straight across, so when it clamps on the thicker bass strings, it leaves the treble strings loose and rattling. I fixed that by filing down the bone on the bass side until it clamped all strings equally. Now it works very well, is easy to get on and off, and has good sound. The Bradley capo looks like it would have this same straight-across problem, and both metal nuts would have to be machined down to allow for the thicker bass strings. Maybe someone with experience with it can comment.

I love the Shubb #2 bar. It has a high groove that feels like the old Stevens (Shubb #1 is too low and cramps my hand), is slightly cutaway for good slants, and has a half bullet at one end. I find the bullet can be used for tap-ons and offs, and also works great for sliding from low strings to high strings for rolls.

The bullet also allows Jerry Byrd style three-string slants, with the bullet barring two strings at the same fret and a third string at a higher or lower fret. With the bullet, I also use this bar with pedal steel and can move it around much faster because of the grooved grip. Many Sacred Steelers also use this or another grooved bar for pedal steel or straight steel gospel-blues. Now if I could just get someone to make a longer one for my 12 string pedal steel.

Straps: yeah, the bootlace-around the keys is dorky and inconvenient. Does anybody else have a strap button on the peg head? I have it right on the end, with a long screw, but if that bothered you, or didn't fit in the case, you could put it underneath, between the tuners for strings 3&4 (or 4&5, on an 8-string).

Is this a bad idea? I don't see that it puts any more strain on the neck than the other method. I might not do it on a collectible guitar.

Folk of the Wood make a dobro strap that doesn't have the string aroung the peg head.
I has a loop in the end that you weave the strap through.
Erv

Naw, David, the bradley has that rubber tubing, that pulls upward when you flip the little lever. I play really hard, and it's never rattled, or required retuning! And, you can get it on and off, with your bar in your hand, in a second. Can't beat it!

I used the Shubb Pierce 2 for a long while. It's a good weight and has its advantages with the semi bullet nose.
I found the disadvantages (for me) were:
the semi bullet nose does not execute sharp hammers ons and pull offs.
the rounded edges and long top groove make slants, especially reverse slants more difficult.

As always, whatever works for you is the best way to go.

The best bar I've used for reverse slants is the Jim Burden Bullet Bar. So I'm using that and the Scheerhorn at present.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by HowardR on 19 November 2002 at 05:34 PM.]</p></FONT>

I make a few guitar,squeeze box,saxaphone and dobro straps,in any width and length here in my saddle shop.I have a unique system of tying it at the tuner end so it looks good.I could send you a picture if you would like to see this.

I would like to see your strap, and how it fastens on the tuner end.

R L

Me, too.

I will get you a picture ASAP,I am still on 35mm for photos.

For what its worth, The strap from Folk of the Wood goes around the head ,under the strings .behind the nut. Its out of the way ,snugs up the the head , keeps guitar firmly in place, It is leather.

R. L.