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Topic: tone bar scrapes across strings |
Paul Handley
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Posted 1 Mar 2021 8:32 pm |
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I am having problems with my my Lap steel SX3. I don't have an amp yet but when I use my steel, an Alnicov, I can hear the tone bar scraping across the strings. I have Open G strings tuned to Open E. These are the strings that came with it. Is it the quality of the strings, is it that the strings are too loose at that tuning, or is it something else, like the tone bar itself?
Thanks,
Paul |
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Gene Tani
From:
Pac NW
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Posted 1 Mar 2021 10:17 pm
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What kind of tone bar, is it scraping when you move it horizontally or vertically and are the string tops level to a metal straightedge?
_________________
- 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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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Posted 2 Mar 2021 7:09 am
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| Sometimes a stainless steel bar when used with stainless steel strings will do this. |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Marcus Eads
From:
Minnesota, USA
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Posted 2 Mar 2021 12:10 pm
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| If you're using the stock strings it came with, I would recommend changing them out for a better set. I had the same issue with my lap steel. I put some GHS strings on and the problem was solved. I would try that first. Especially if you like your tone bar. |
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Paul Handley
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Posted 2 Mar 2021 12:47 pm
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Thanks Bill I'll Try that link.
| Quote: |
| Sometimes a stainless steel bar when used with stainless steel strings will do this. |
Thanks Greg, I don't know what the strings are made of but the bar is SS.
| Quote: |
| If you're using the stock strings it came with, I would recommend changing them out for a better set. I had the same issue with my lap steel. I put some GHS strings on and the problem was solved. I would try that first. Especially if you like your tone bar. |
Marcus, that sounds like a good idea. I want to change to a tuning where the strings are tighter.
Thanks everyone! I appreciate your help!
Paul |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 3 Mar 2021 4:58 am
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| Jeff, I was using one of Todd's bars in my demonstration video. |
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David Irving
From:
South Australia, Australia
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Posted 3 Mar 2021 3:47 pm
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Some, at least, of the SX lapsteels use an ordinary guitar bridge, with built-in radius.
I had to get stuck into a few of the saddles on mine with a file to get a genuinely flat bridge. |
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Chase Brady
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2021 5:23 pm
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I googled "Alnicov". They appear to be a distributor of Chinese merchandise. Ebay has been flooded with Chinese made bars. I haven't seen any, but I think there have been some negative posts about them. I remember seeing one about a "stainless steel" bar that turned out to be poorly plated pot metal, and the plating started flaking off. Your bar may be perfectly good, but I'm guessing it could be the culprit.
I also have one of the Clinesmith polymer bars, and it's the only one I use any more. They're great, but if you're not sure what kind of bar you want and don't want to invest that much, the Shubbs and Dunlops are pretty good and not too expensive. As to which Shubb or Dunlop, that's another can of worms. It's all a matter of preference, and those will develop as you play. Most of us have bought a collection of them, trying different ones to see which works best for us. Buying several different cheaper ones makes some sense. Before you buy, you might post a question here just to see if anyone can vouch for it. |
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Peter Harris
From:
South Australia, Australia
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Posted 4 Mar 2021 6:45 am
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I would think that "Alnicov" was another way of implying that their pickups had "Alnico 5" magnets...they're probably made in that town called "USA"... 
_________________
If my wife is reading this, I don't have much stuff....really! |
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