Hammer Shanks

[Ed Sutton]

Dear Jim-

Wally Brooks sells Abel shanks which are about .24" high and .20" wide, shaped
( ).
The first time he sent a set, I thought it was a mistake.  He said "Trust me and
try them."
They sounded very good, but I made no comparison tests.
I believe he sells a lot of these, so at the least, people find them acceptable.
If you'd like to test them, I'll send you a couple.

Ed Sutton


----- Original Message -----
From: "James Ellis" <claviers@nxs.net>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2003 5:41 PM
Subject: Hammer Shanks


> 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
>
>
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