Hammer Shanks

[James Ellis]

Dear Colleagues:

This discussion of hammer shanks has really made the rounds.  When it
started, the ides was that hex (sic) (octagonal) shanks sounded better
because they were stiffer.  I showed that they are not stiffer, in fact,
not as stiff as some round ones that are currently on the market.  The
discussion then did an about face, and said that thinned shanks sounded
better because they are not as stiff.  Now, the saying is that they make a
difference in the tone, or that they produce more fundamental partials.  Do
they really?  Someone show me that this is so.  Has anyone done an analysis
to show this, or is it just someone's opinion?  I would really like to
know.  Does anyone have a spectrum analysis?  Does anyone have a recording
demonstrating this?  If so, let's see it.  Let's hear it.  If this is true,
I would like to know it, and then I can go to work to see if I can figure
out why it is.  Someone says, "why" does not matter.  All that matters is
that it does it.  No, that's not enough.  We need to know why.  If there is
one thing wrong with this profession, it is that there is too much guess-work.

Sincerely, Jim Ellis