What Tone Bar To Use For Dobro???

Clay Maxam · Post by **Clay Maxam** » 26 Apr 2001 12:26 pm

I just started playing a dobro and was wondering what other pickers are using for a bar. I've got the traditional Stevens but I have a friend who showed me a Shubb-Pearce. It's square on one end but has a half rounded bullet nose on the other. Is there a particular advantage to this bar? Seems like it would be difficult to utilize the "pulloff" technique which is so common in a lot of the melodies I hear.

Mark Krutke · Post by **Mark Krutke** » 26 Apr 2001 3:29 pm

Clay,

I'm comfortable with a standard, but smaller pedal steel bar. I believe it's a "902" bar, made by Dunlop, sold by Scotty. It is similar in density to the Stevens bars, so your pressure on the strings can remain almost unchanged. I use an E major tuning.

Jim Eller · Post by **Jim Eller** » 26 Apr 2001 3:38 pm

I have tried a couple different styles, but I really like my Scheerhorn the best. Great for pull-offs with the edge it has.

If it's good enough for Rob Ickes, it's good enough for me.

Jim

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 26 Apr 2001 3:45 pm

Clay, I would stick with the Stevens. That's my choice. You can spend more money on those fancy bars, but to me they are harder to use.
Hope this helps.

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Playing PSG keeps you on your toes.

Jeff Peterson · Post by **Jeff Peterson** » 26 Apr 2001 5:49 pm

Gotta' go with Jim on this one....the Scheerhorn is killer. If you're used to a Stevens', it'll double your speed. Something that needs to be addressed, resonator playing is a completely different technique than steel playing. Bar handling, lift-offs-pull-offs-slams, behind the bar pulls, and slants, and basic picking are totally unique to the Dobro. If you play a resonator like a steel, you will sound like a steel player 'trying' to play Dobro......not a Dobro player, which, I guess, is OK......just be wary of bluegrass pickers, 'cause they will eat you up. I guess it's a basic aggressive quality that 'stone' resonator players have....as pertains to the best.....Jerry Douglas.

nick allen · Post by **nick allen** » 26 Apr 2001 11:47 pm

Different style, not really "dobro" playing, but I got to talk to Kelly Joe Phelps after a show here in Paris last year, and he said that the Scheerhorn is WELL worth the extra money... I'm waiting till I next get to the states to pick one up.
Acoustic steel players might want to give Kelly Joe a listen (if you don't already know him...) - a kind of folk/blues improvised style, all on a regular Gibson acoustic with a high nut.
Nick

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 27 Apr 2001 2:57 am

Certainly this is a matter of preference and most probably you will find your own way as bars are not a mojor investment. When I played only Dobro in bluegrass style,the Stevens bar with it's square edges was great for hammer ons and pulloffs. I used it for years.As I began to play steel (non pedal) my playing style and technique changed and I found the Shubb Pearse 2 with it's semi bullet nose better suited for what I am doing now. Let me re phrase that,WHATEVER it is that I'm doing now...........

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Paul Warnik · Post by **Paul Warnik** » 27 Apr 2001 4:25 am

If you want the bar that produces the best sound for Dobro get one of the small BJS bars the sound is better than any other for acoustic steel playing-PW

Clay Maxam · Post by **Clay Maxam** » 27 Apr 2001 12:58 pm

I want to thank you all for the advise and council. Guess I'll go ahead and get a couple of different ones just to experiment with. At least now I know which direction I want to go.......I think.

Best wishes.
Clay

D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 29 Apr 2001 7:32 am

The Scheerhorn bar is a design marvel for Dobro. When I switched from a Stevens a few years ago, I felt like my control & intonation improved overnight. It is heavy with a low center of gravity for stability and has a big radius like a round steel bar. The tip is perfect for hammers & pulloffs, because of the way it's beveled from bottom to top you can play single notes cleanly without banging into the string above.

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 1 May 2001 4:45 am

I'm a recent Scheerhorn convert. If you have any desire to ever do hammer-ons and pull-offs the Scheerhorn is a revelation. Even if you don't do a whole lot of hammers and pulls, it is much better handling and cleaner sounding than a Stevens, IMHO. The shape and lower center of gravity seem helpful for reverse slants too. I can think of nothing I've ever bought for any musical instrument that was a better bargain than a Scheerhorn bar. Like D. Schubert said, overnight improvement.

Lindley · Post by **Lindley** » 8 Jun 2003 8:37 am

Bob, are you talking about the $80 bar, or do they have other ones?

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 8 Jun 2003 9:18 am

What Jeff said!- The whole bar on Reso issue is directly related to what style(s) you want to attempt. Bluegrass style hammer/ pull-offs are fundamental to the style and miserably difficult with a round bullet bar. Byrd style acoustic Hawaiian stylings beg for a round bar. Folks who are comfortable with one usually find the other unacceptable (ie; several posts above). In recent years a number of makers have refinements on the original Stevens style (which still seems to be good enough for Mike Auldridge!) The Scheerhorn is fantastic for all the above mentioned reasons- it takes a bit of getting used to even after a standard Stevens, but well worth the effort, if hammer/ pull-offs are important you'll love it. There is a plated version about half the price of the $80 solid Stainless model. The Dunlop Lap Dawg is a much cheaper version that seems to be basically the same shape and weight. Shubb/ Pearce bars have a real nice combination of the Stevens style hand grip and various half/bullet tips- most are a bit long for traditional reso necks but really nice for 8 string lap steel. Gary Swallows is coming on strong as a custom maker, Shubb I think sells a generic version of his half wood/ half "Scheerhorn" style bar, but his custom measured and fitted bars are very reasonable and he'll customize them any way you like. I have one that's like a wood-handled Sheerhorn, just fantastic, and one that's a bit longer/heavier with more a bullet tip that I love for lap steel. As far as Reso bars- I would say if you love Jerry Douglas, Mike Auldridge, Rob Ickes and the like, try to go with a sharp edged (Stevens/ Scheerhorn) bar and you can't go wrong. If your bag is more the sounds you've heard on reso cuts by otherwise Pedal players, a round bar will probably get you there.

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C'mon by and visit!- www.markvanallen.com
My Bands: Sugarland Kate and the Retreads Kecia Garland Band Shane Bridges Band Dell Conner Blues Band

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 8 Jun 2003 10:04 am

I like the Shub-pearse 2.
Just turn it around and play with the
stright end for pull-offs ect......

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Larry Robbins
Sho-Bud ProII,
Morrell lap steel,Reagl 75 dobro and Marshall half stack(I know,I know)

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 8 Jun 2003 6:57 pm

Well,

Here is my take on the deal. I play steel 80% of the time, and am most comfortable with my ordinary round bar. I can pick it up and put it down ok. It takes me too long to adjust to a Stevens or Scheerhorn type bar. Granted they are the best for that bluegrass dobro style. But western swing, blues, hawaiian, jazz, I like the round bar just fine.
If you are like many of us, you will have a good collection of bars in awhile.

Only way to know is to try them out.

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Stringmaster T8, Benoit 8, National Tricone

[This message was edited by Ron Randall on 08 June 2003 at 08:00 PM.]

R. L. Jones · Post by **R. L. Jones** » 10 Jun 2003 7:48 pm

Sheerhorn 80$ bar is Stainless steel
there`s one for 40$ The one being discussedhere

R. L.Jones

Charles French · Post by **Charles French** » 11 Jun 2003 10:28 am

I'm sure a lot of guys here know better than I. But I bought a stevens and a shubb sp3 and I wasn't comfortable with either. I would think someones hand size and finger length would be a factor in finding a bar that was comfortable to play with. For this reason I bought one from Gary Swallows. He will custom build you a bar according to your finger measurements. He is a really great guy to work with. Do a search and look at his work. Will stevens or shubb custom build you a bar and if you dont like it you dont have to pay for it.

When I ordered mine, Gary said he would send it to me and if I liked it then I could pay for it. If there was anything I wanted changed just send it back and he'll do it.

Oh by the way I LOVE MINE!

Fred Brown · Post by **Fred Brown** » 13 Jun 2003 8:47 am

One I haven't heard mentioned yet and deserves mention is the LapDawg. I had Stevens and came across the LapDawg and like it head shoulders above the Stevens. It was ~$15. So it was well worth the try.
Fred

Loni Specter · Post by **Loni Specter** » 13 Jun 2003 9:31 am

I have a LapDawg from Dunlop, and it is very fine compared to my Stevens bars. The newer Stevens are really inconsistent in their finish, with pitting and anomolies on the playing surface.The LapDawg is a real deal at around $15+

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 14 Jun 2003 7:41 am

I bought a Shubb GS1 (Swallows-type) composite hardwood/stainless steel bar a while back and really like it. Shortly after the purchase I posted this: http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/003917.html

With more time on the bar, my satisfaction has increased. There's something nice about gripping a piece of wood as compared to cold, hard steel. The overall dimensions are considerable higher and a little longer than a Scheerhorn. At first the high and deep contour of the index finger groove seemed to slow me down a little in executing reverse slants. Predictably, that feeling vanished after spending a little time using the bar. Maybe the high countour is a good thing as it keeps me from gripping the bar too strongly and tensing-up my left hand.

As for the stainless steel surface, I find it generates a little less string noise than the chrome-plated Scheerhorn. (I have never owned a stainless Scheerhorn.)The tone is strong and clean.

My conclusions: a good sounding, comfortable bar for those who play predominatly the hammer-on/pull-off style popular today. And it's perfectly servicable for Hawaiian or other styles that incorporate lots of slants. At $35 it's less than half of what a stainless steel Scheerhorn costs. Highly recommended. Of course, bar preference is a very personal thing.

Best,

Bob

[This message was edited by Bob Stone on 14 June 2003 at 08:43 AM.]

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 14 Jun 2003 8:33 am

"Maybe the high countour is a good thing as it keeps me from gripping the bar too strongly and tensing-up my left hand."

That's my experience too, after a little getting used to this bar is extremely comfortable.
He also makes them with a bullet tip like the SP2 at no extra cost.

RB Jones · Post by **RB Jones** » 23 Jun 2003 8:30 am

I have a Stevens, Shubb S-P 2and just bought a Scheerhorn from Ickes when he was at the California Blugrass Association's workshop. I like the Shubb a lot, esp. the round end that I use on lap steel. But for the Dobro the Scheerhorn is the best, not just because Ickes uses it, but because it's the way you can curl the end of your index finger over the tip for a better grip. Ickes has long fingers and he curls over the end so much you can't even tell he has a bar in his hand. That allows him to do really quick and accurate slants and do those fast slides up and down the strings.

My fingers aren't as long, but as soon as I started curling my finger over the tip I could tell I had increased control over pull-offs and hammer-ons, as well as moving around on the neck more accurately.

RB[This message was edited by RB Jones on 23 June 2003 at 10:57 AM.]

Lindley · Post by **Lindley** » 23 Jun 2003 1:56 pm

I just got my Scheerhorn stainless today. Even though I am only a beginner, I know it's the bar for me. Well worth the $80. It is sooo comfortable. I strongly recommend it.