News about Jerry Byrd's bar..

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 23 Jun 2016 4:21 pm

Jim Dunlop 921 Stainless Tone Bar

Round nose tonebars for Pedal Steel, Dobro and Hawaiian type guitars. Made of high quality steel for long life. Select the size perfect for you. Designed specifically for Jerry Byrd, Premier Hawaiian Guitar Player.

11.5 oz. 1" x 3-3/4".

REALLY ?
[click Here]

Scott Thomas · Post by **Scott Thomas** » 23 Jun 2016 5:02 pm

I think of the Jerry Byrd bar as a Dunlop 919. It's 3/4" diameter by 2 3/4" long, as recommended in his course. Dunlop seem to have called everything from 2-7/8" to 2-15/16 length the "Jerry Byrd Bar".

One thing I believe for certain...it's always 3/4" in diameter, and never three inches or over in length.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 24 Jun 2016 7:38 am

I agree, so why advertise a ONE inch by three and three quarter inch bar as "Designed specifically for Jerry Byrd, Premier Hawaiian Guitar Player." ?
Muppets..

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 24 Jun 2016 7:44 am

Most of us collect and use various size bars. Why would it be unusual for Jerry Byrd to have done the same?

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 24 Jun 2016 7:55 am

Rick Barnhart wrote:Most of us collect and use various size bars. Why would it be unusual for Jerry Byrd to have done the same?

Because his specific technique regarding reverse and forward split slants requires a specific bar size: The Jerry Byrd Bar size i.e. 3/4" x 2 3/4" and 4.5 oz..
It's the radius of the nose that's critical and definitely requires a 3/4" bar.

Peter den Hartogh · Post by **Peter den Hartogh** » 24 Jun 2016 10:06 am

"Designed specifically for Jerry Byrd, Premier Hawaiian Guitar Player."

This is a marketing semantics example....
They said it was designed for him.
They did not say that he accepted them.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 24 Jun 2016 12:09 pm

There has been a lot of confusion about Dunlop bars, the sizes and the model numbers. Part of it is due to Dunlop's poor descriptions of the bars on their web site. And internet sellers just copy and paste generic statements from Dunlop... like "Designed specifically for Jerry Byrd" and they apply that to whatever Dunlop bar they are selling. Most music outlets don't know one steel bar from another, and they seem to think that All Dunlop bars are "Designed specifically for Jerry Byrd". Again, I blame Dunlop for not clearly listing the various model numbers and specs, etc.

I've always used Dunlop 918 (Jerry Byrd Model) for lap steel guitar.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Jun 2016 12:18 pm

I'll bet if you had handed Jerry a 1" bar, he'd have hit you with it.

Scott Thomas · Post by **Scott Thomas** » 24 Jun 2016 3:59 pm

Doug Beaumier wrote:There has been a lot of confusion about Dunlop bars, the sizes and the model numbers. Part of it is due to Dunlop's poor descriptions of the bars on their web site. And internet sellers just copy and paste generic statements from Dunlop... like "Designed specifically for Jerry Byrd" and they apply that to whatever Dunlop bar they are selling. Most music outlets don't know one steel bar from another, and they seem to think that All Dunlop bars are "Designed specifically for Jerry Byrd". Again, I blame Dunlop for not clearly listing the various model numbers and specs, etc.

I've always used Dunlop 918 (Jerry Byrd Model) for lap steel guitar.

I think Doug hit the nail on the head.

Your Dunlop 918 is very similar in dimension and weight to the Latch Lake Bar (aka Broz-O-Phonic), which I also like to use sometimes.

Steffen Gunter · Post by **Steffen Gunter** » 25 Jun 2016 1:14 pm

Besides the confusing Dunlop "Jerry Byrd" models this is a bit confusing too:

In this spectrum video (I'm guess you've all seen it)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytbF58xJmT4
at 3:25 Jerry Byrd shows the bar he "is using now" which is a BJS "Jerry Byrd" bar with the more pointed nose. I own one of these too (without birthstone), I think it's a 3/4" x 2 7/8" bar. But I believe he says that it's "3/8" in diameter". Is this true or do I (as a non native speaker) understand him wrong?

Thank you for clearing this for me.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 25 Jun 2016 1:51 pm

On the video Jerry says his BJS bar is "about 3/8". He obviously misspoke. The JB BJS bar is 3/4", and so is the Dunlop JB bar. 3/8" would be extremely thin! Just slightly wider than a pencil. I can understand how Jerry made a mistake though. I can never remember the dimensions of my favorite bars. I have to measure them every time someone asks me about them.

Steffen Gunter · Post by **Steffen Gunter** » 25 Jun 2016 2:18 pm

Doug Beaumier wrote:On the video Jerry says his BJS bar is "about 3/8". He obviously misspoke. The JB BJS bar is 3/4", and so is the Dunlop JB bar. 3/8" would be extremely thin! Just slightly wider than a pencil. I can understand how Jerry made a mistake though. I can never remember the dimensions of my favorite bars. I have to measure them every time someone asks me about them.

Thank you very much, Doug!

David M Brown · Post by **David M Brown** » 2 Dec 2016 6:43 am

Doug Beaumier wrote:There has been a lot of confusion about Dunlop bars, the sizes and the model numbers. Part of it is due to Dunlop's poor descriptions of the bars on their web site. And internet sellers just copy and paste generic statements from Dunlop... like "Designed specifically for Jerry Byrd" and they apply that to whatever Dunlop bar they are selling. Most music outlets don't know one steel bar from another, and they seem to think that All Dunlop bars are "Designed specifically for Jerry Byrd". Again, I blame Dunlop for not clearly listing the various model numbers and specs, etc.

I've always used Dunlop 918 (Jerry Byrd Model) for lap steel guitar.

That would explain the confusion.

BTW, the 918 is my go-to all around favorite tonebar. It's just the right size for my hand.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 2 Dec 2016 9:36 am

I have one of those smaller BJS bars and it is a dandy.

Paul Honeycutt · Post by **Paul Honeycutt** » 9 Dec 2016 8:02 am

When I decided I needed to go from a Stevens to a bullet bar I got the Dunlop 918. It doesn't mention Jerry Byrd at all on the label, but it did in the advertising on whatever web site I got it from.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 10 Dec 2016 5:40 am

One of these is probably better:---->

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » 10 Dec 2016 12:32 pm

I used a 1" x 3 3/4" Dunlop bar for years.
It is a long and heavy bar, but fit my large hands.
It is a 12 string bar. I eventually went to a 15/16's x 3 3/4 inch BJS.
I don't think you can believe everything you read on Ebay. I have seen too many "wrongs" on there.
Lefty

David M Brown · Post by **David M Brown** » 10 Dec 2016 1:29 pm

Lefty wrote: It is a long and heavy bar, but fit my large hands.

Isn't it all about fitting your hands? I can't use that large a bar...but it might be perfect for you!

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » 10 Dec 2016 1:46 pm

David,
Absolutely correct. I tried using a 10 string bar and immediately got cramps at my thumb.
Went to the 15/16 x 3 3/4 and will stay there.
For Dobro I do use the Shubb with the wood on top.
It works great for pull-offs and is easy to grasp.
Lefty

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 10 Dec 2016 5:18 pm

Lefty wrote: It is a long and heavy bar, but fit my large hands.

David M Brown wrote: Isn't it all about fitting your hands? I can't use that large a bar...but it might be perfect for you!

The 3/4" diameter is necessary for 3-note "nose slants" that have two notes at one fret and one a fret lower.
[tab] C7
E________
C____7___
A____7___
G________
E____6___
C________ [/tab]
Unless you have unusually wide string spacing, of course. I use a 7/8" bar on my Sierra because of its wider string spacing. On the Rickenbacker, I use the 3/4" bar.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 10 Dec 2016 6:21 pm

Indeed b0b, the Split Slant can only be performed with a bar of the correct diameter in relation to the string spacing, also Pen Position is much easier if that same ratio is observed.
Now I know what size bars you use, you may expect samples to review.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 11 Dec 2016 9:58 pm

Interesting ! In the old days I had a 5/8" diameter bar. After being away from steel guitar for almost 40 years, I could no longer hold onto it, so I gave it to Jeff Au Hoy, smaller hands than mine...

Then I used the Dunlop 3/4 X 1 3/4, just a hair too short, and settled on a 1 7/8 long bar.....

I don't collect bars...

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 12 Dec 2016 5:36 am

Bill Creller wrote:Then I used the Dunlop 3/4 X 1 3/4, just a hair too short, and settled on a 1 7/8 long bar.....
I don't collect bars...

Bill, I think you'll find that's 2 3/4" and 2 7/8"

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 15 Dec 2016 9:12 pm

YUP !!