Steel Bar for Lap Steel Beginner

The Shubb SP2 is a pretty safe place to start, it's easy to hold and has two different ends,- one 'sharp' for easy dobro style pull offs and one rounded for easy gliding across the strings, and it's inexpensive. Then, after a while, you will probably want to test just about every style of bar available and spend a lot of money on them, just like the rest of us, before you end up with your personal favorite..... :lol:

You can order the SP2 direct from Shubb's website.

Steinar

the Stevens bar is shaped nearly the same. it has two grooves on each side and the fingers rest there easily.

That was fast! Thanks for the advice.
What do you think about the Dunlop Tone Bars?

http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/pip&id=100&pmh=products/slides

http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/pip&id=101&pmh=products/slides

Some lap slide players ( Bob Brozman for example) prefer the round nose tone bars:

http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/pip&id=99&pmh=products/slides

Are these bars for playing hawaii style?

Personally I prefer bullet style bars, after using the SP2 as my main bar for several years (using the 'round' end of the SP2). It's pretty much a matter of playing styles and personal preferences, there are few hard rules here. But the main pros and cons concerning the 'rail' bars (Shubb, Stevens, Scheerhorn, etc) and the bullet bars can be said to be this (very roughly):

Bullet bars - Pros: easy slanting (especially reverse slants), easy gliding across the strings, looks cooler (okay, that's highly personal.. :lol: ). Cons: harder to hold (at first), don't produce as clean pull-offs as the 'rail' bars.

Rail bars - Pros: super clean pull-offs (which is why they're used by 99% of all bluegrass dobroists), easy to hold. Cons: easily gets stuck in between strings when playing single notes with the bar 'tilted', reverse slants are nearly impossible to execute fast.

I have a Dunlop 919 bar (also called the "Jerry Byrd bar") and it's nice, the small size makes it pretty easy to use. Doesn't have enough mass to produce a really good tone on acoustic, IMO, but it's cool for electric. My favorite bar of all I've tried is the brand new Tribotone bar, but they're rather expensive - http://www.tribotone.com/
The surface is amazingly smooth on the strings, it's easier to hold than traditional metal bullet bars, and it produces a big and warm tone with lots of sustain. Supposed to last a life time, but it's a bit early for me to comment on that..... :lol:

Steinar

I prefer bullets bars too. mine may be slightly heavier than Steinars. it is a Dunlop 12 0z (I cannot remember) heavy but not too heavy.
I like the smooth mass. I tip my bar very often for single notes. I like the bullet end as I slide off softer for slurring my blues lines.

I have no problem holding a non grooved bar. it took a few tries but it is now second nature.

I see...
I think I have to try both kinds of bars. There is a an online music store in germany, that sells a Harley Benton Bullet bar for 10€. The right price to start....
What about the strings? I have a 0.12 set that I could use and a special handmade string set called "Special-G 14s" from Richard Rider (a german string maker)
(014p 018p 026w 038w 048w 063w)...

yes, try both bars. as for strings, I can't say as tuning and string tension and type of guitar come into play.

(014p 018p 026w 038w 048w 063w)...

That seem a bit heavy on the bass side, personally I've never used anything heavier than a 060 for the low D of open-D and G. May work well on your guitar though, it's hard to say without knowing more about the guitar - you say it's "cheap" and that may indicate that it's built rather heavy, if that's the case then it shouldn't be a problem.

These days I'm totally in love with the Martin SP Bluegrass 92/8 phosphor bronze strings, they're 013, 017, 026, 036, 046, 056. I ordered a couple of sets from Elderly to try on my Lazy River Teardrop weiss, liked them so much that I've ordered 12 more sets.. After 3 weeks of daily playing and two gigs they still sound great!

Steinar

Actually I wanted to put these heavy strings on my other guitar that I use for bottlenecking. The tuning is open G. At the moment the guitar is tringed with a 0.12 set , but the low D-string often touches the fretboard while playing....

My guitars:

The "new old cheap ebay" guitar: Stagg SW203 NS
My black beauty for bottlenecking: Epiphone PR 350B