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Author
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Topic: Bullet Bars
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Rick Alexander
Member From: Florida, USA
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posted 21 June 2004 09:36 AM
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I just got my new custom made Bullet Bar from Jim Burden http://www.bulletbars.com and it's perfect for my D8 Stringmaster. He also made a smaller one for my 6 string lap steels - both to my exact measurements. I have a large collection of bars and these work the best. I don't know how he makes any money on them - he charges $25 ! This isn't meant to be a plug - I don't even know him personally, but these bars are so nice I just had to share.------------------
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Roger Shackelton
Member From: Everett, Wa.
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posted 21 June 2004 05:03 PM
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Does Jim make tapered bars?Roger |
Mike Neer
Member From: NJ
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posted 21 June 2004 05:07 PM
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No, he doesn't. He said he had enough trouble making his "square" (they're not really square). Then he asked me why anyone would want a tapered bar.
He still makes a good bar, though.  |
Roger Shackelton
Member From: Everett, Wa.
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posted 22 June 2004 03:11 AM
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Mike, I don't think there is a market for tapered bars, but someone in another post was asking about tapered tone bars. Some of the *older players may have gotten started on lap steel with an original plastic Black Rajah, which was tapered.
I sold an original Black Rajah to a FORUMITE for $60. about one year ago. *Players as old or older than Smiley. Roger |
Blake Hawkins
Member From: Land O'Lakes, Florida
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posted 22 June 2004 05:56 AM
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I've had an original Bigsby bar since 1956.It is tapered and very comfortable. The taper allows you to put a little more pressure on the bass strings. When the chrome plating started to fail about a year ago, I bought a bar from Jim.
I requested a taper and was told he couldn't do that.
However, he did duplicate the other dimentions and came up with a very fine bar.
That is the one I use now. Blake |
Mike Neer
Member From: NJ
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posted 22 June 2004 07:13 AM
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Maybe there isn't a market for tapered bars, but some of us prefer them. It's all subjective. I think the tapered bar suits old-style acoustic playing better, but that's me. If they're not available, I can certainly make do with whatever is available. I have a bunch to choose from.I have a Red Rajah (courtesy of Rick A.) that I wore straight through in 3 spots after only a few gigs. Maybe playing acoustic brings on a bigger hurt to the powder coating. |
Erv Niehaus
Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA
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posted 22 June 2004 07:25 AM
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I also like a tapered bar when playing lap steel. It allows a more natural angle to your wrist when playing. I also asked Jim about making a tapered bar and he turned me down. However, he did make me a straight bar that I really like! I use it all the time now when playing a non-pedal on legs. 
Erv |
Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 22 June 2004 07:31 AM
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As Mike and I have discussed ... Next time I wear out a tapered Rajah ... we're gonna send both, along with a few others ... my favorite 5/8" diameter beauties, few of his .... to be TDC (Thin Dense Chromium) treated ... Good for life after that !!! ------------------
www.horseshoemagnets.com |
Ron Bednar
Member From: Rancho Cordova, California, USA
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posted 22 June 2004 05:12 PM
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Hey Rick,
Could I get in on that TDC deal when you guys do it? I have one brass bar, it's long and thin that I would like to have coated. Not worth doing on it's own.Ron |
Russ Young
Member From: Seattle, Washington, USA
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posted 22 June 2004 05:28 PM
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Hey Dr. Rick ... is there any comparative measure of "slickness" (lubricity?) of various coatings, or are there too many variables? |
Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 22 June 2004 05:33 PM
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Sure ... gonna be a little while though ...I'm just days away from sand casting my new aluminum steel ... and I'm workin' like mad to get the details figured. This ain't easy !!! Anyway, before TDC treatment ... the bars need to be very smooth and scratch free ... So Mike was gonna send his to me ... and I was gonna get them ready ... I'll send an email when we are doin' it. Meadville is a great place ... I believe their minimum is just $35 ... a few smaller bars can be done at that price ... They did 3 of my Burden customs a few years back ... 
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www.horseshoemagnets.com |
Rick Aiello
Member From: Berryville, VA USA
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posted 22 June 2004 05:43 PM
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Its a Coefficient of Friction and an Asperity "thang".Asperities are microscopic surface projections. Friction depends on the asperities of the surfaces in contact. Pressure on asperities will deform the contact area "plastically" (asperities can weld together). Therefore, frictional resistance arises from sliding objects breaking and creating bonds created by asperities. Two "like" materials will tend to have higher coefficients of friction due to the attractive nature of the asperities. EX: Steel on Steel ... static COF = 0.74 Aluminum on Steel ... static COF = 0.61 Aluminum on Aluminum ... static COF = 1.35 Chrome on Steel is 0.19
Chrome on Chrome is 0.41
The whole Coefficient of Friction thing is abit tricky ... it really should be listed as substance X on substance Y ... some manufacturers just list a COF for their product as an intrinsic property but it really ain't
Then there is that whole static vs. sliding and dry vs. lubricated ... From the best bars I have ... from smallest COF to largest: Black Phoenix ... Red Rajah ... TDC treated ... Hard chromed (BJS) ... Hardened 440 stainless steel (Pearse Cryo) ...
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Russ Young
Member From: Seattle, Washington, USA
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posted 22 June 2004 05:59 PM
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Rick ... may I take that as a "yes"?  Thanks -- |
Dirk B
Member From: Columbia, MO, USA
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posted 23 June 2004 02:16 PM
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Just to get back to Rick's original topic... I've got one of the bullet bars; had it hollowed to be a little lighter and it's great; can't beat it for the price. |
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