Opinions on Bars?

Bob Sehy · Post by **Bob Sehy** » 14 Aug 2011 12:15 pm

Can anyone offer some opinions on Bars for pedal steel? What are the better ones?
Is there a big difference in brands? (BJs, Dunlop, etc) And, for playing a 10 string steel, whats the best size? 7/8, 15/16, etc and 3 3/8 and so on. I have a Dunlop, and a bar i got fron Bobbe Seymours, and Im just wondering if theres anything better.

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 15 Aug 2011 5:29 am

BJS!!!!!!

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 15 Aug 2011 6:22 am

It is very hard to beat a chrome BJS bar.
Running close, however, is a zirconia bar.

Tom Campbell · Post by **Tom Campbell** » 15 Aug 2011 7:21 am

Are Bullert Bars still available? Jim Burden's web-site is down. I have a number of bars made by him (12 string and 8 string)
I just received a "Paloma" stone bar. Very light weight and a lot of tone...just might have to buy another one.

Mickey Adams · Post by **Mickey Adams** » 15 Aug 2011 7:27 am

BJS 15/16 is my top choice, and I DO like the Cubic Zirconia Bar as well

Joseph Carlson · Post by **Joseph Carlson** » 15 Aug 2011 8:13 am

I own 2 BJS bars and they are pretty great. Definitely a step up from the no-name bar that came with my steel. I have a 7/8 and a 15/16. I use the 15/16 99% of the time.

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 15 Aug 2011 8:18 am

I use a bar called Sacred Steel that I got at the ISGC in 2003-it came from Billy Phelps. It's probably the best bar I've used since I've got cerebral palsy. Before that, I used a Dunlop bar, but it slid around in my hand too much.

Brett

Bill Miller · Post by **Bill Miller** » 15 Aug 2011 8:21 am

I tried a few different bars when I first started playing. With the rest of my gear it has been never endind quest for something I like better. Not so with the tone bars...after I got my first BJS bar I knew my search over.

Jack Ritter · Post by **Jack Ritter** » 15 Aug 2011 8:38 am

BJS John Hughey 15/16 bar and also John Pearse Cryogenic bar. Jack

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 15 Aug 2011 9:24 am

another BJS user here
regular 10 string : 7/8

David Ellison · Post by **David Ellison** » 15 Aug 2011 10:11 am

I bought a Dunlop chrome bar recently. It felt great when I first got it... love the smooth chrome surface. However, I found it takes next to nothing to mar the surface of it, and even the slightest little ding makes it sound like sandpaper on the strings. Apparently, there's no way to polish the dings out.

On the other hand, I have a steel bar that I've had for 20 years that I've dropped a million times and it's still fine.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 15 Aug 2011 10:48 am

I have a lot of steel bars. You probably will end up with a few too.

I'm still regularly using a little chrome Dunlop with the red plug. I forget the model #, one of the first ones I bought, along with a stainless bar described below.

When I was in Jeff Newman's class in 1980, he took us to the Jackson Guitar Co. in Nashville where I bought a plain stainless bar. Both of these are 7/8 X 3 1/4".

Geo L's stainless bars, Jim Burden's Bullet Bars, and BJS chrome plated bars. 7/8 X 3 3/8"...and a few others scattered about.

I can pick up any one of them and play just fine.

Quick story, while at Jeff's school everybody was obsessed with getting the best and state of the art stuff. We went to see Jim Vest and the Nashville Cats at a club one night. He was using this little bitty bar, maybe 5/8" diameter or something like that. Quite an eye opener....IOW, it aint' the meat it's the motion. JMO.

You do want to avoid soft alloys for the most part though as they will flat spot easily if dropped, but even dings won't necessarily kill a bar.

Favorite alloys, either hard chrome plate or polished stainless steel. Favorite size for me from 10 to 14 string guitars, 7/8 X 3 1/4". YMMV.

Ned McIntosh · Post by **Ned McIntosh** » 15 Aug 2011 2:05 pm

I have a few but my "go-to" bar is a BJS I bought from a forum member. Don't even know what size it is, it just works for me.

If you buy BJS, you bought well.

Larry Rafferty · Post by **Larry Rafferty** » 15 Aug 2011 2:34 pm

I too am a big fan and user of the BJS bars. I use a 15/16" and occasionaly switch to a 7/8"...

Christopher Woitach · Post by **Christopher Woitach** » 15 Aug 2011 5:14 pm

Trib-o-tone!!!!!!!!!

Rick Winfield · Post by **Rick Winfield** » 16 Aug 2011 3:47 am

I'm a "stainless-steel" man, and have always used Dunlop Bullet bars (#919 & #920)for both Lap & Pedal.
There will be a plethora of opinions on this topic, but most importantly, I believe it's what "feels" comfortable in the hands of the player.

Rick

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 16 Aug 2011 6:20 am

I started on an Emmons bar and then had many different bars after that. A friend of mine was making custom stainless steel bars in all lengths and sizes, which, worked superbly. I even have a " bronze bar" made from a propeller shaft, but, I found the best with the BJS bar. It's a 15/16", twelve string bar ( since I play a U-12 Zum )and it seems to be the best, so far. I like to use stainless steel strings and it glides over the strings with no drag or inherent whooshing noises. My choise is definitely BJS.

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 16 Aug 2011 6:32 am

TriBo Tone for me.
If you have not tried one you should.
Made in Austin Texas.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 16 Aug 2011 7:54 am

Sorry if this has already been mentioned (and this is getting nit-picky), but whatever bar testing you are doing, should be with dis-similar metals from the strings.
You don't want to use a Stainless Bar with Stainless strings, etc...

Hey, I just thought of a new band name...
"The Nit Pickers"

Rick Winfield · Post by **Rick Winfield** » 16 Aug 2011 8:12 am

I have a bronze "slide", I use on a metal biscuit dobro for old times blues stuff.

Doesn't work on PSG or Lap

Rick

Geoff Cline · Post by **Geoff Cline** » 16 Aug 2011 8:59 am

For me, its a 3 way tie: TriboTone, Zirconium and BJS. Each has its own thing that makes it GREAT and each is different enough in feel (and slight differences in tone) to make it worthwhile having and using them as the mood or song or circumstances fit. AND I also use Diamond crystal/glass bars 'cause nothing else sounds or feels like glass.

Just different tools in the box or colors on the palette or flies on the fishing vest or [insert your metaphor here]

Steve Lipsey · Post by **Steve Lipsey** » 16 Aug 2011 9:50 am

I'd find it really helpful if people could post not just that they like bar X, but also what it does that causes them to like it, especially relative to other bars - aspects of feel, tone, longevity, etc.

The "Use X because I do" posts aren't as helpful....

This thread is really useful to those of us who haven't had a chance to actually try out all of those bars.....but could be even better with some more detail.

Thanks!

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 16 Aug 2011 10:03 am

Steve,
As stated above, my two favorite bars are the BJS, John Hughey, 15/16ths bar and the zirconia bar.
I like the BJS bar because it seems to be just the right size and weight and because it is a super smooth chrome bar, it just slides over the strings with minimum friction.
The zirconia bar is also a 15/16ths bar, and slightly lighter but I really like the feel of the bar in my hand. Living up here on the tundra, a steel bar takes a while to warm up but the zirconia bar seems to be more "user friendly". It might have a slightly mellower tone than a steel bar but it also slides ever so gracefully over the strings.

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 17 Aug 2011 6:05 am

Ken and Christopher,
Could you elaborate a little on the virtues of the Tribo-Tone?
I might pick one up at the ISGC... so far, BJS has been the favorite.
Is the Tribo worth the 95.00 price tag ?

Geoff Cline · Post by **Geoff Cline** » 17 Aug 2011 6:43 am

Although I'm not Ken or Christopher, the "unique" elements of the TriboTone include the tactile (it feels different due to it being "engineering plastic)--it is more consistent to me in any weather/temperature situation. Also it has very low drag and string noise. And, candidly, its made in Austin and I've been to Eric's shop and I want to support his business. It is an extremely well made product that gets personal attention from a one man shop.

The Zirc bar, to me, is the best combination of mass/weight and tone. It is closer to steel (BJS) than the TriboTone in hand, but has its own thing in terms of how it moves across the strings (drag) and tone (slightly rounder than Steel). Again, extremely well made and very little noise.

The BJS bar is the gold standard for steel/metal bars. Impeccable machining and craftsmanship. The heaviest in terms of weight and mass of my bars, it is just that classic pedal steel thing. For me, it is best used for big, lush chords without a lot of fast bar movement (that is more a reflection of my playing skill (or lack thereof) than a shortcoming of the bar itself).

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Opinions on Bars?

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