Dobro Steels

A dobro steel, also known as a tone bar, is used on square-neck dobros and lap steel guitars. The strings on these instruments are away from the fretboard and are not held down against the fretboard like a regular guitar. Instead, the dobro steel, or tonebar, is held in the left hand and pressed against the strings, creating differing pitches depending on where on the fretboard it is pressed. The steel allows the strings on the dobro to resonate for a long time, giving it the distinctive sound.