>Ron, >I thought I understood what you were saying the first time around, but after >this reply I don't think I understand what you were getting at. How can the >soundboard by itself not have much ring time but with one string have lots >of ring time? > >Phil F The string moves the soundboard assembly, and the moving assembly feeds back into the string and keeps it moving. The string is the energy storage device and frequency determinant. Some power is lost to friction and moving parts unnecessary to sound production, so the sound doesn't last forever. With no string, the soundboard vibrates at it's resonant frequency, which means at it's highest amplitude, which means at it's highest internal friction level, which means it doesn't move at that rate for long. The string is moving the soundboard assembly at a higher frequency that it's resonant frequency, which means the soundboard vibrational amplitude is less, which means less internal friction energy loss, and the energy not being eaten up by deep soundboard vibrational excursions is fed back into the string by the movement, to be recycled back into the board, which extends the sustain. That's the feedback loop. At least that's the way I see it. Ron N
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