The Steel Guitar Forum

Hello every body!

has anyone had a chance to compare the sound and ease of freting, between chrome and stainless steel bars? I haven't tried stainless, and was thinking of trying one.

Don't

Ok, since were dicussing ,bars?what about the beer special down at Mike's Tavern??

Ok, I could'nt resist that one,but what about the Red Rejah bar?I'm considering one,but I've never even held one.any oppinion on them,and their price?

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BJ Bailey

I've got both. I haven't used the SS bar since I got a BJS about 15 years ago.

I have a couple of each, in different sizes. They have a different feel, with the chrome feeling a little more "slippery"...i.e., it moves over the strings easier. I can't detect any difference in the sound...if the bars are in good shape.

"OK" guys: I don't think the tavern is what I had in mind...."BUT Again maybe that is what Bobbe ment buy ((DONT )

Read this old discussion and you will see what Uncle Bob was talking about.
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum1/HTML/013428.html

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Lee, from South Texas

Thanks LEE !

there were a lot of good posts on that link. I got a better idea, like a lot of other players, on bar & string type

KEEP PICKING

I agree with Jack-my stainless steel Emmons bars have not left the pack-a-seat since I started using the BJS bar-stainless feels like it is dragging across the strings compared to hardened chrome-If you really want to HEAR the difference try a BJS bar on acoustic steel like a Dobro or National

Just a follow up on what happened after the above thread:

I bought two BJS chrome bars of different sizes. The difference between the sound of them and the Dunlop stainless that I was using before is more than I thought possible. The sustain and clarity are very striking. I would descibe the tone as "shimmering." I guess I could imagine someone conceivably choosing the stainless for a warmer sound, but not me.

The worst thing about them is that they sometimes are hard to hold onto until they warm up. But, so far when I have dropped them, they have sustained zero damage. I sometimes wonder what would happen if I dropped one BJS bar so that it hit the other BJS bar.

I have a 15/16" BJS bar without the jewel. I wouldn't want to go back to my stainless steel bar. The BJS is undeniably the best-sounding and easiest-sliding bar I have ever used, period.

Tim R.

Jeff, chrome is a very hard metal. If the company who plated them did a good job cleaning the base metal prior to plating, it should survive if the two were to hit.

By the way, I too use a BJS bar and would never go back to my Emmons stainless (probably 25 years old, by the way, and still in good shape).<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Richard Sinkler on 23 October 2001 at 09:38 AM.]</p></FONT>

My chrome plated bar ultimately had rough, jagged grooves worn into its surface.

My Emmons stainless steel bar continues to serve me well. Now more than twenty years old....is does all I want and even more. I sense no dragging; no slipping; just smooth
solid tone.

Jim Burden is an affordable Forum source for stainless bars in custom dimensions.

I collect bars, and have about 50 of them. Stainless steel, chrome, plastic, glass (pyrex), even wood. The one I use is the white zirconia bar made by Bill Stafford.

I used a BJS for years, but I like the Z bar better.

I also like the John Pearse "frozen" bar. It seems to produce a louder and brighter tone then some of the others.

I carry 5 bars in my Paca-seat. The Z bar, the Pierce bar, the BJS, the Jim Dunlop sitar bar, and the plastic bar that comes with the Match bro, which I do use from time to time. The others are there in case I want or need them.

I forgot who gave it to me, but someone from NY gave me a 1" dia. hard chromed bar. I already had a 1" dia. stainless.
The week I got it, I was playing a gig and the house was turned over between sets, so we did the same set twice. I used the stainless on the first, and the chrome on the second. No change to anything else.
When I was done, the folks I was backing up asked me if I had "changed my amp setting" for the second show.
Seemed like it got (according to them) a little "cleaner and brighter."
Still use the hard chromed bar. Love it.

By the way-- ALWAYS carry a spare in the seat. Last year I didn't. Got to the gig with no picks, bar, or wrench. Dug around in the seat. Found extra picks, and a wrench-- which I hardly ever need except if I break a string.
Found a large 4" folding knife someone gave me once, and I threw it in the seat. I used it as a bar for the set. Ugh.

Winnie