key dip, dip in.....

[Richard Brekne]

David Love wrote:

Seems like we are circling again...:)  but I find your thinking interesting as
always.

> You don't get more aftertouch just because the capstan is screwed up higher,
> you get more because the hammer is closer to the string and doesn't have to
> travel as far to get to let-off.

I dont remember saying anything to the contrary, in fact thats very much my
point. If you keep a straight hammer line / shank line, then any variance in
bore length, string height, and the like are going to be reflected downwards. If
you on the other hand insist on keeping exactly the blow distance note for note,
then these will show up in an uneven line... And an uneven shank line means and
uneven whippen height, and uneven jack to knuckle angles, and I think it
introduces a slight difference in hammer SW. Doesnt the angle of the shank
effect the the effective weight of the hammer ?


> If you have different string heights, same
> bore distance, different shank heights (to keep blow the same) then the
> aftertouch will not vary as the blow distances are uniform.

Hmmm... cant see that varying shank heights is something we neccesarilly want to
accept. Preferable to keep a uniform as possible jack to knuckle angle. There
are always plenty of factors that contribute to uneveness. Seems best to try and
compomise all a little instead of one a lot in my opinion.


>
> I made the comment about bass/treble bore being the same based on your
> remark about it.  Obviously if the shanks are the same height, the bore
> distances will vary (assuming its an overstrung bass).  I'm not sure what
> you are talking about now.

Well... bore lengths are always (almost anyways)  between 9 and 12 mm longer for
the bass then the treble... so obvioiusly we are not talking about the bore
being the same in that sense eh ? Whats left is that the bore for both leaves
the shank height the same, or as I see from time to time leaves the shank height
for the bass a bit higher. I've even seen extra thick cushions for the bass on
occassion so as to keep a uniform distance between cushion and shank. You never
seen one of these ?? Perhaps they are more usual over here.

>
> With the hammers closer to the rest cushion the hammer doesn't rebound as
> far below it's rest position and the jack can get under the knuckle sooner,
> thus better repetition.

This I dont quite understand... the jack is supposed to be back under the
knuckle long before the hammer gets close to the rest cushion, let alone rebound
from it...  or what ?

Cheers !

RicB

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
UiB, Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html