| Author |
Topic: Byrd style bar with finger depression |
Jim Rossen
From:
Iowa, USA
|
Posted 4 Jun 2017 6:57 pm |
|
As a (I hope advanced) beginner attempting to hold the bar in the Byrd style and slant with the tip of the first finger as a pivot point-
It seems like this would be easier if there was a depression in the bar for the finger tip where the hemisphere joins the cylinder. Any thoughts?
Jim |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 5 Jun 2017 8:39 am
|
|
| Just stick with the round bullet-nosed bar. |
|
|
|
Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
|
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 5 Jun 2017 9:01 am
|
|
Doug,
Yes, there really isn't a need to re-invent the wheel.  |
|
|
|
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
|
Posted 5 Jun 2017 9:47 am
|
|
Jim, lots of people over the years have looked for a crutch to make steel guitar playing easier ... from all kinds of wacky bars to - you may find this shocking - even adding foot pedals and knee levers to bend strings! 
Kidding aside, the truth is that if you put in the time to work with your bullet bar you will develop the muscle memory to manipulate the bar very well. It's just time and practice. There are no shortcuts. PS everybody drops the bar - including Herb Remington on his first night with the Bob Wills band.
_________________
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com
Last edited by Andy Volk on 5 Jun 2017 12:28 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Mark Roeder
From:
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
|
Posted 5 Jun 2017 9:54 am
|
|
One thing to work on to get from beginner to advanced is relaxing your grip on the bar while maintaining control.....
_________________
www.deluxe34.com lap steel stands, Clinesmith, Gibson Console Grande, Northwesterns, The Best Westerns
https://www.facebook.com/TheBestWesterns |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 5 Jun 2017 10:07 am
|
|
Another thing to remember when making slants, don't rotate your wrist, it's done with the fingers.  |
|
|
|
Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
|
|
|
|
Brad Davis
From:
Texas, USA
|
Posted 5 Jun 2017 11:32 am
|
|
| I think putting a divot in a bullet bar would be way too fiddly, thing would end up rolling around sideways and upside down. |
|
|
|
David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
|
Posted 5 Jun 2017 12:09 pm
|
|
Stick with the bullet bar. It will make sense one day.
_________________
Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
|
|
|
Michael James
From:
La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
|
Posted 5 Jun 2017 9:11 pm
|
|
I used to use 2 15/16" by 3/4" Latch Lake bullet bar. I used it for a couple of years and I really struggled to get my bar control happening, especially with three string slants.
One day I watched Billy Robinson use a bar that looked to be 1" thick. I thought to myself there must be something to using a wider bar. I then went to a 3" x 7/8" Stainless steel bar that was drilled out to lighten it and my bar control improved over night. I'm a big guy 6'2" with large hands. I also have a John Pearse 3 1/4" by 7/8", which is also very comfortable for me.
You might try a wider bar, maybe even a custom bar as I did. Everyone is different in playing styles, hand size and shape.
Good luck.
Last edited by Michael James on 6 Jun 2017 7:57 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
|
Posted 6 Jun 2017 4:45 am
|
|
Everyone knows there's only one way to approach the steel guitar, so you should never tinker with the conventional method. (sarcastic font & controversial eyeroll emoji implied) 
_________________
Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
|
|
|
C. E. Jackson
|
Posted 6 Jun 2017 5:46 am How would you hold this bar-3 3/8" x 7/8"?
|
|
I purchased this bar from the late Charlie Norris, Member of the Texas Steel Guitar Hall or Fame. He said that
it was endorsed by Maurice Anderson, a member of the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame.
MAURICE ANDERSON
(From Scotty's Website)
EARLY IN HIS CAREER, REECE GAINED NATIONAL PROMINENCE WITH BOB WILLS, THEN DISTINGUISHED
HIMSELF WITH REMARKABLE TALENT AND FACILITY IN MANY MUSICAL GENRES. HE RECORDED AND
PERFORMED INTERNATIONALLY WITH MAJOR ARTISTS ON RADIO, TELEVISION AND MOTION PICTURES.
CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF MSA GUITARS. HE IS A LEGENDARY PLAYER KNOWN WORLDWIDE
AS A TEACHER, INNOVATOR, WRITER AND RECORDING ARTIST AND IS REFERENCED AS THE “MASTER
OF CHORDSâ€.
BORN: DECEMBER 12, 1934 DALLAS, TEXAS
DIED: JULY 4, 2013
INDUCTED: 2006
C. E.
_________________
My Vintage Steel Guitars
My YouTube Steel Guitar Playlists
My YouTube Steel Guitar Songs
A6 tuning for steels |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 6 Jun 2017 7:56 am
|
|
| Beats me. |
|
|
|
Jeff Au Hoy
From:
Honolulu, Hawai'i
|
Posted 6 Jun 2017 1:00 pm
|
|
| If it works, it works! |
|
|
|
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
|
Posted 6 Jun 2017 1:15 pm
|
|
if the sounds coming from the guitar are pleasing, the listener sure doesn't care how they were achieved. I'm pretty sure you would sound equally amazing using a spark plug or a beer bottle, Jeff.
_________________
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
|
|
|
Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
|
|
|
|
Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
|
Posted 7 Jun 2017 2:53 am
|
|
I asked Jim Burden of www.bulletbars.com about this several years ago when I was having some particular problems with my hand and left index finger. He said, "let me see what I can do". This is what he fashioned for me...a 15/16" X 3 3/8" size with a depression. Ain't nothin' Jim can't build!
I used it for quite a long time until things began getting better and later on sold it to one of the hottest Telewacker slingers in the country who also plays steel.
 |
|
|
|
C. E. Jackson
|
Posted 7 Jun 2017 4:58 am A very unusual bar!
|
|
HISTORY OF THIS BAR
I purchased a Gretsch Artist 7 String Steel from a musician in Portland, OR, and he included this bar
with the steel. After much research, I was able to determine that it was the one used by Alfred L. Greathouse,
the author of 4 instruction books on Hawaiian Electric Steel Guitars. Photos are from Books 1 and Book 3,
Copyrighted and Published by Belwin, Inc., 1948.
I have tried, but cannot use the bar successfully!
Book 1
Book 1
Book 1
Book 3
Book 3
Book 3
As Jeff said, "If it works, it works!"
C. E.
_________________
My Vintage Steel Guitars
My YouTube Steel Guitar Playlists
My YouTube Steel Guitar Songs
A6 tuning for steels |
|
|
|
Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
|
Posted 7 Jun 2017 6:53 am
|
|
| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
| Just stick with the round bullet-nosed bar. |
Trust Erv on this. Been there done that.
Stick with the bullet bar until it becomes an extension of you. You won't regret it.
_________________
Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 7 Jun 2017 7:26 am
|
|
| When I saw that bar I thought it might be a sitar bar but it looks like it has three areas on the bar where it is flattened out, for what reason I have no idea. |
|
|
|
Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
|
Posted 7 Jun 2017 7:56 am
|
|
| It could be so that it's easier to tell when the right side of the bar is down. |
|
|
|
C. E. Jackson
|
Posted 7 Jun 2017 9:23 am A Very Nice Double Bullet-nose Bar
|
|
Developed by: Don E. Curtis
Deceased former employee of Scotty's.
Also, a good steel player.
3 3/8" x 7/8" Stainless Steel
My father used a double bullet-nose bar for many years, and had no problem with reverse slants. It feels good,
but I have some trouble at times making reverse slants, because of the bullet-nose end rather than a square
end. I prefer a bullet-nose bar with a square or slightly recessed end.
I don't know whether it would worry other players or not.
C. E.
_________________
My Vintage Steel Guitars
My YouTube Steel Guitar Playlists
My YouTube Steel Guitar Songs
A6 tuning for steels |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 7 Jun 2017 10:07 am
|
|
| I agree, I like the rear end of the bar to be flat so I have an anchor for my thumb on the reverse slants. |
|
|
|
Michael James
From:
La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
|
Posted 7 Jun 2017 11:21 am
|
|
| Jerry Overstreet wrote: |
| I asked Jim Burden of www.bulletbars.com about this several years ago |
Jim built my custom bar also. He does really great work. And his bars are affordable.
 [/img] |
|
|
|
