Dobro bar

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 15 Jan 2006 4:33 pm

I play Dobro with a dunlop 919 3/4" bar. Never could get the hang of the Stevens. Anybody else use the same bar for lap and dobro or am I missing something? I've not had the problem of doing hammer-on's and pull-offs with the 919. Any thoughts? Should I try a modified bar?

Russ

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 15 Jan 2006 6:18 pm

Forumite Pete Grant uses a bullet bar on the dobro, carrying over from playing steel. He does more than just fine with it. You may want to get his e-mail from his profile and contact him, if he doesn't chime in here.

------------------
Mark

Kevin Bullat · Post by **Kevin Bullat** » 15 Jan 2006 6:25 pm

I'd have to say bar choice is strictly a matter of preference and ability with said bar.

(Some like redheads, some blonds...)

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 15 Jan 2006 10:00 pm

I prefer bullet bars for all steel guitars, including dobro/reso.
Kevin is right, it's a matter of preference.
I like blondes . .

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 16 Jan 2006 1:52 am

I saw a picture of Lloyd Green with a standard 7/8" steel bar and a dobro, so I know that it will work. I guess I was wondering if any other players preferred the bullet bar for dobro?

Thanks,
Russ[This message was edited by Russ Tkac on 16 January 2006 at 01:54 AM.]

Bo Borland · Post by **Bo Borland** » 16 Jan 2006 4:26 am

I have always used a bullet bar for dobro and lap but recently switched to a grip style bar on dobro for the following reason.
While a heavier bar does offer better tone and sustain, the dobro requires more pull-offs and hammer-ons and the newer versions of the traditional dobro/reso bar offer an easier grip and more control to better facilitate these moves especially if you plan on playing bluegrass style licks.
The switch was very easy and the benefits greatly outweigh the loss of sustain and tone (it is a dobro afterall

)

------------------
Bo Borland
Once, only my equipment was considered vintage... now I find that I am too!

Billy Gilbert · Post by **Billy Gilbert** » 16 Jan 2006 5:41 am

Brother Ozwald used a bullet bar, and Clarence Jackson used one. Bev King uses a 3/4" bullet and so does the youg guy that is doing Oz impressions. Billy

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 16 Jan 2006 9:03 am

And so does Brad Bechtel. I've tried many different Stevens type bars, but I find that I get my best sound out of a bullet bar.

------------------
Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 16 Jan 2006 9:29 am

Brad-I hadn't noticed that you use a bullet bar at the Rob Ickes workshop.

But I think it all depends what type of playing you like to do.

If you listen to and watch an outstanding player like Pete Grant, his dobro playing comes more out of the pedal steel players school of "dobroing." The delivery is very smooth.

If you listen to and watch Rob Ickes and Jerry Douglas, there is a more agressive attack to their playing. There's a certain sound you get out of a good resonator guitar that some call the "dobro growl." It has to do with hard picking combined with having a firm grip on a sculpted bar, of which the original Stevens, in my opinion, has been improved upon immensely by Scheerhorn, Tipton, Shubb, E.G. Smith, etc., bars.

I think some of you like the mass of a big bullet bar for the tone produced, but I don't think you can get those Douglas and Ickes styled licks out of a bullet bar like you can out of a sculpted bar-it doesn't seem as conducive to whipping around the fretboard as a sculpted bar.

Yes-Oswald and Shot Jackson used bullet bars (sorry to say I have never actually heard the playing of Bev King) and Oz in particular, I have been a big fan of for many years-but in my own playing I try to go more for the modern, agressive sound, though I need to continue to work on the right hand thing for dynamics and note "punctuation."

------------------
Mark

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 16 Jan 2006 10:28 am

I went from a Stevens bar with two grooves to a Dunlop bullet bar.
I like the bullet bar much better.

I have no problems with the Dunlop whatsoever. in fact it is very comfortable now; just an extension of my hand.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 16 Jan 2006 12:52 pm

Mark,

I was trying specifically to get used to a Scheerhorn bar. I tried all during that workshop, but after a week or so, I went back to my bullet bar again.
Anybody want to buy a Scheerhorn bar?

------------------
Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 16 Jan 2006 1:33 pm

To me they all have their pros and cons,- I pick any one of these, depending on the tune; How will I be playing and what kind of tone do I want? Live I tend to use the SP2 and/or the Black Rajah though, they feel 'safest'...

------------------
www.gregertsen.com

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 16 Jan 2006 2:15 pm

And more power to you guys on the bullet bar.

Although there is always more than one way to skin a cat, it strikes me that to play some of the high octane bluegrass type stuff with a bullet bar might be difficult.

I can see it on almost any other type of music: a lot of tunes from country, jazz, western swing, rock (and speaking of mellower rock- "Here Comes The Sun" on an 8 string dobro by Pete Grant is a real treat).

But there must be a reason that all the top guys, along with Douglas and Ickes, there are Randy Kohrs, Mike Auldridge, Andy Hall, Billy Cardine, and so on (and gals-think Sally Van Meter) that specialize in bluegrass use sculpted bars.

Steinar-I want to know how you close that box with all those bars standing up.

------------------
Mark
[This message was edited by Mark Eaton on 16 January 2006 at 02:16 PM.]

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 16 Jan 2006 2:19 pm

Mark,- no problem, they're inflatable so I just let the helium out..

Steinar

------------------
www.gregertsen.com

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 16 Jan 2006 3:09 pm

I got a Gary Swallows bar and gave it a fair go but I felt like my left hand was in handcuffs. It's the bullet bar for me. Also, i like to use the nose of the bar for chords you can't get with a Stevens-style bar.

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 16 Jan 2006 4:28 pm

The only reason I switched to a non-bullet bar for playing the Dobro was stop all the ignoramouses asking "why are you using a round bar, and everybody else uses a Stevens"????

I'm perfectly at home with a round bar. Everybody will (naturally) have their own comment about size of bar, because it's a very personal thing. I used to say, I don't debate, music, wine, colours and music with people, what I like, you may not. I think I'll add bars to the statement!!!!

Geo

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 16 Jan 2006 4:54 pm

George, I think you probably hit on a key point and probably aren't even aware of it.

It's the use of the word "Stevens."

With the exception of Mike Auldridge, who I hear still uses a Stevens sometimes but apparently not exclusively, many bars with the name Stevens on it are sitting in a drawer at home or doing time as a paper weight. I can understand everyone who has posted here having a good reason for either sticking with the bullet, or returning to it after trying other bars.

Lumping all the sculpted bars together under a sub-heading of "Stevens type bars," as I have read here on the forum in a number of threads-does a disservice to all the guys that have come up with some major improvements on that design.

It seems that there have been a lot of advancements in sculpted bars over the past several years, as there have been advancements in the design of the resonator guitar itself in that time.

The good old Stevens bar, sorry to say, is old news.

------------------
Mark
[This message was edited by Mark Eaton on 16 January 2006 at 04:55 PM.]

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 16 Jan 2006 5:29 pm

FWIW
If bluegrass style dobro is your game, the Dunlop SP2 is a good compromise between the the original Stevens bar and a round bar.

I play steel and pedal steel most of the time. When I play dobro I tend to use my regular round bar that has a nice pocket for my thumb. This facilitates forward and reverse slants.

If I played dobro full time the Stevens SP2 would be my choice.

hope this helps

Ron

Don Barnhardt · Post by **Don Barnhardt** » 16 Jan 2006 8:10 pm

Thanks to arthritis I can't hold on to a round bar very well anymore. I know people that use a round bar with Dobro just fine. I use a Stevens type bar for all my playing now. I have a short bar for Dobro and use a full size for lap and PSG. The best bar is the one that works best for you.

Bernard Beck · Post by **Bernard Beck** » 17 Jan 2006 12:29 am

Well, my favourite bar is the Shubb, which has the finger grip, one rounded end, which I find better suited for blues type music, and one sharp end, which I find better suited for Bluegrass.
I find it quite versatile, I prefer it to my old Stevens bar. It is what I always use for acoustic playing.
Bernard

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 17 Jan 2006 3:02 am

"I use a Stevens type bar" wrote Don.

There's that darn generic term again! It's either a Stevens or it is a different brand.

Just messin' with ya, Don!

I obviously don't know the extent of your arthritis, but one guy I have met that suffers from it somewhat uses a sculpted bar and a thick vegetable (broccoli) rubber band to keep it on his index finger-gives him more control.

I would think it would matter what level of arthritis one has to deal with whether or not this makes sense-seems to me this could be painful.

------------------
Mark
[This message was edited by Mark Eaton on 17 January 2006 at 03:04 AM.][This message was edited by Mark Eaton on 17 January 2006 at 11:18 AM.]

Keith Cordell · Post by **Keith Cordell** » 17 Jan 2006 4:46 am

I have Carpal-Tunnel and have to use a sculpted bar- my particular bars are either a Lap Dawg by Dunlop or a Shubb SP2 if I need to do slants. I also like Black Rajahs, though mine was recently broken and I have to find another; they have a sticky quality to the surface and make it easier to grip. Most of the Sacred Steel players use Stevens bars or a variation on them, the Robert Randolph bars are extra long Stevens bars from the original design with some minor modifications.

AJ Azure · Post by **AJ Azure** » 17 Jan 2006 10:17 am

For anyone with hand problems like arthritis (my issue) or carpal tunnel or any otehr hand issues, go talk with Gary Swallows he will set you up with an optimal bar for your hand needs. http://www.gssteels.com

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 17 Jan 2006 5:03 pm

Don't know if it's available anymore, but I bought this one from Bev King years ago. It is a stainless bullet nose 2 7/8" X 3/4" and has a 3 groove nylon or delrin grip that snaps over the bar. I like it a lot for dobro & Cat Can.

[This message was edited by Jerry Overstreet on 17 January 2006 at 05:06 PM.]

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 24 Jan 2006 7:23 am

Ron Tipton will make you a bar to your own specs. Mine is a sculpted bar with a
rounded nose, which I find is helpful for
going up the scale fast and keeping it low
to the strings. The back has the sharp edge
necessary for clean pull offs. Just turn it
around and you have the best of both worlds.
Ron's phone number is 270 570 1730.