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Topic: Differences in types of Tone Bars? |
Devon Teran
From:
Kansas City
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Posted 4 Jul 2019 10:31 am |
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I've been dealing with some wrist pain lately in my left wrist and some numbness caused by other issues. I wear a wrist brace at night to help.
I feel the pain some as I practice with my heavier tone bars (I just have some different sized cheap ones). This made me start to wonder about using a lighter bar and I came across a bunch of different materials.
Have you experimented with different tone bar materials? Are there lighter materials that sound great? What should I look into? |
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Gene Tani
From:
Pac NW
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Posted 4 Jul 2019 2:44 pm
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I mostly use a Clinesmith polymer bar and a few powder coated bars by Michael Hillman, purchased thru the "for sale" forum here. While they aren't lighter, the surface seems to be easier to grip. Hendricks' ezzee~slide bar might be similar to the Clinesmith, and gets excellent reviews and Hillman is offering bullets with indented slots on the side for grip (inspired by Red Rajah)
Other materials: ceramic, glass w/weighted insert. See elderly.com, Rocky Mtn slides, stoneslides.com, you should be able to use Search function to find reviews of these on this forum
Incidentally, when anyone feels wrist pain/RSI, you kind of automatically assume it's computer use or long hours of music practice, but once when i eliminated those from the causes of wrist pain, I figured out it was how I was holding the car's steering wheel. Other factors are power/nonpowered tools, bike riding and if you sleep on your side
_________________
- keyless Sonny Jenkins laps stay in tune forever!; Carter PSG
- The secret sauce: polyester sweatpants to buff your picks, cheapo Presonus channel strip for preamp/EQ/compress/limiter, Diet Mountain Dew |
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Brett Lanier
From:
Madison, TN
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Posted 4 Jul 2019 9:42 pm
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Zirconium bars are lighter than steel. Probably not a ton lighter but enough to easily notice. I could see how they would be easier on the wrist.
Maybe check out the TriboTone medium weight bar as well. Never held one but they look good. http://www.tribotone.com/bars.html |
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Thomas Sabatini
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 20 Jul 2019 6:42 am
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About 6 weeks ago, I picked up a PSG because of a bad case of trigger finger which made me put down 6 strings (7 months and running  ). When I used my 7/8" x 3 1/4" Dunlop bar, I immediately felt the onset of what you're describing.
I thought uh-oh.
So I picked up a super light (3 oz) aluminum bar from Wayne Johnson. I like it to practice and dig the larger 1" x 3.5" diameter/length, which seems to lessen hand/wrist strain. It's a breeze to play (though it could use a wider rear bevel) and you can't beat the price ($22).
The aluminum bar does sounds a bit thin, though. So I just sprung for a 15/16" x 3.5" Hughey style bar (7.5 oz). and *really* like it. It sounds better than the Dunlop, to my ears, and weighs less despite being considerably larger. This one's an investment that may or may not do it for you.
Were I you, I'd spring for the Aluminum bar, if only for practice.
http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?store=Innovativeguitars&product=Tone+Bars
http://www.waikiki-islanders.com/html/ezzee~slide%20bar.html |
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Brett Day
From:
Pickens, SC
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Posted 14 Feb 2024 1:29 pm
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| I now prefer polymer bars since I have cerebral palsy in my left hand. I'm using a Clinesmith bar now and it's the best bar I've used! It makes it easier for me to play pedal steel guitar and dobro! |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 14 Feb 2024 5:32 pm
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You need to have a light touch with the bar when playing normally. But when you're playing single strings, moving very fast, or covering many strings, it's proper to tighten your grip slightly. But your grip should never be overbearing or forced. (Constantly squeezing tires out your muscles very quickly.) Most of the time, you're not squeezing the bar - you're guiding it.
And if someone can't knock the bar easily from your hand, you're probably gripping too tightly!  |
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Larry Dering
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2024 6:17 pm
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| In regards to the Wayne Johnson aluminum bar, I have one and its a quality made bar but extremely light. The tone is very similar to other bars with one condition, it takes more hand pressure which may cause wrist issues. I normally use an 8 ounce 15/16 bar. I even tried a custom made plastic bar that weighs nothing. Tone is ok but again it will tire the wrist adding downward pressure. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2024 9:27 pm
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Is there a law that says you have to use the same bar all the time?
I have 7/8, 3/4, and 5/8 steel bars, a long 7/8 Eezzee slide, and a 7/8 ceramic bar. Sometimes my hand wears out from hanging on to the 7/8 steel, and I only use it for slower movement and longer sustain. Smaller bars for faster movement, less sustain. Ceramic bar for when I don’t really mind if it sounds and feels like a pedal ceramic guitar. |
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Brett Day
From:
Pickens, SC
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Posted 16 Feb 2024 4:30 pm
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| Fred Treece wrote: |
Is there a law that says you have to use the same bar all the time?
I have 7/8, 3/4, and 5/8 steel bars, a long 7/8 Eezzee slide, and a 7/8 ceramic bar. Sometimes my hand wears out from hanging on to the 7/8 steel, and I only use it for slower movement and longer sustain. Smaller bars for faster movement, less sustain. Ceramic bar for when I don’t really mind if it sounds and feels like a pedal ceramic guitar. |
After using a stainless steel bar for 24 years, I've recently found out that a polymer bar works best for me because of cerebral palsy in my left hand. I went to the Emmons Guitar Company and tried out an Emmons ReSound '65 using an Eezzee bar, and found out that polymer bars work best for me. |
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Larry Dering
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 18 Feb 2024 9:12 am
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| I am also a poly bar fan. I have a Clinesmith, Eezzee slide and a Zirc bar. I personally feel the difference in temperature when handling the poly bars as they are warmer to the touch than stainless. That helps my arthritis hands. |
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