I just received my first "flat" bar...

John Bushouse · Post by **John Bushouse** » 25 Jul 2005 2:56 pm

How the heck do I hold this thing?

John Dahms · Post by **John Dahms** » 25 Jul 2005 3:38 pm

There are dozens of different types but they work the same. Just think of the principle. The edge sounds the note, dampen behind it. Don't think too hard.

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 25 Jul 2005 7:25 pm

Gads...what goes around, seems to come around ! When I was young and foolish, (about 110 years ago), we had little choice other than a flat bar. When round bars became available, I rejoiced. I would NEVER, ever use a flat bar again ! I cannot understand why anyone would want to use a flat bar today. ????

John Bushouse · Post by **John Bushouse** » 25 Jul 2005 8:26 pm

(it was $1.98)

John Dahms · Post by **John Dahms** » 26 Jul 2005 2:33 am

George's "voice of expeience" comment is priceless. Kind of like using a brace and bit to drill a hole to capture the quaint experience of old-time wood working. Anybody who had to work like that every day was glad to trade it for a power drill.

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 26 Jul 2005 2:44 am

I cannot understand why anyone would want to use a flat bar today.

Come to Joliet this October ... and I'll show ya ...

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My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 26 Jul 2005 2:55 am

The first bar I ever owned was a flat bar.

It came with a steel nut that went over the nut of my old guitar, and a Gene Autry song book. That was in 1946.

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HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 26 Jul 2005 3:21 am

How the heck do I hold this thing?

crazy glue......

[This message was edited by HowardR on 26 July 2005 at 04:25 AM.]

Bob Hickish · Post by **Bob Hickish** » 26 Jul 2005 5:26 am

John
The flat bar makes a good paper
weight ! The one I got in 48 , I sent
- postage paid - to a fellow in
Berryville, VA , I think his name
is Quasi Moto .
I was glad to see it go to some
one who was willing to endure pain .

B

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 26 Jul 2005 6:52 am

Hey, I also sent a couple of "flatties" to that same dude. You don't think he's melting them down and casting bullet bars?

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 26 Jul 2005 7:17 am

You don't think he's melting them down

Sacrilege ...

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Aiello's House of Gauss


My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 26 Jul 2005 9:56 am

Gene wrote: "The first bar I ever owned was a flat bar. It came with a steel nut that went over the nut of my old guitar, and a Gene Autry song book. That was in 1946".
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Exactly my point....51 years ago! Only I was just a few years ahead of you Gene...1942 to be precise. That "drilling wood" description was priceless ! As for attending Joliet, I'd love to however I've been that route many times in the past, very enjoyable but I'd rather spend the money going to Hawai'i and staying much longer. With great respect Rick, I really doubt you could show an old phart like me very much about flat bars which I have not already experienced over the past 63 years I've been messin' and murdering the steel guitar. I may be ancient but I'll never go back to the dark ages. I have a bunch of flat bars from days of olde which are great as paper weights.

[This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 26 July 2005 at 10:58 AM.][This message was edited by George Keoki Lake on 26 July 2005 at 11:00 AM.]

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 26 Jul 2005 12:40 pm

I really doubt you could show an old phart like me very much about flat bars which I have not already experienced over the past 63 years

I would never seriously presume that I could show anyone much of anything at Joliet (or anywhere else) ... hence the winky

Bars are a funny topic here ...

Personally I can whip around a 2 3/4" x 3/4" bullet bar pretty well ... but make it 2 7/8" long and reverse slanting becomes really tough for me.

Others folks wield longer and thicker bars with ease.

I like using a Shubb SP1 too ... but I don't hold it in the "normal way" ...

It wasn't till I got my first "flattie" ... did I start hearin' what I've always wanted to hear ... from myself.

Of course I'm tryin' for "sound/style" that is in itself ... archaic.

I vascillate back and forth ... just to keep my skills "dull" ...

But when its time to play in front of folks these days ... its a "Flattie" for me ...

Frypans and Tricones are "ancient" too ... and some still find them useful ...

To each his own ...

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Aiello's House of Gauss


My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 26 July 2005 at 02:52 PM.]

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 27 Jul 2005 7:08 am

".....hence the winky...."

Hi Rick...I didn't noticed the "winky". Sorry if I may have annoyed you...not intentional, believe me.

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 27 Jul 2005 11:20 am

I cannot understand why anyone would want to use a flat bar today.

Listen to Bobby Koefer.

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[This message was edited by Roy Ayres on 27 July 2005 at 12:21 PM.]

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 27 Jul 2005 12:56 pm

The first bar I had was a flat one I had made from a piece of 5/16 flat bar-stock that my dad had. During WWII I didn't even know there was such a thing as a round bar.
A few years ago I discovered that I still have that bar!! I bought the first round bar, 1/2 inch diameter in 1946, and it had"sureform" stamped on the back end. When I started playing again in 1999, I couldn't hold onto it anymore, and bought a JB 3/4 inch bar. I gave the small one to Jeff Au Hoy after I saw him use a small diameter bar.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 27 Jul 2005 1:58 pm

While discussing the pros & cons of bars, IMHO the flat bar was a winner compared to the cumbersome bar that followed it that had grooves on each side and the top for your thumb and fingers!

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