Tone Bar for pedal or lap steel

[Rich]

I've been fooling around with steels for years- and have had a recurring problem. I'm forever dropping the d**n bar, and hanging on to it is always awkward. This causes a couple of serious problems. My playing is not as good as it should be, partly because I'm always worried about hanging on to the bar, partly due to a lack of consistent practice. The other problem is gravity. Whenever I drop the bar, it falls on my instrument, causing ding and dents- which pisses me off every time I see them.

I finally found a solution, and it works great!! ;D

I took a standard Stevens bar to the grinder. By grinding the ends (a little at a time) to fit my palm and fingertip, I was able to fit the bar more comfortably in my hand. It now feels like it belongs there, instead of holding a foreign object.





Then I glued some plumbers' emery cloth to the fingertip end, to increase the friction



Here's a shot of the palm end, which lets me hang on to the bar, and pivot it in my hand effortlessly



The difference in my playing is unbelievable. I haven't dropped the bar since I did the mod, and it feels like an extension of my hand now. I can finally concentrate on the music I'm trying to make! Cost- $0. Worth- PRICELESS!

Now if I only had the time to practice...