False Beats / Loose pins

[Ric Brekne]

Hi Mark

Thanks for filling in the blanks here (below).  I might add that the 
stuff constitutes a 3rd material with characteristics of its own. Along 
with what you've mention it adds up to something quite capable of 
affecting false beats in a way that has nothing to do with pin 
tightness. And John, actually it does add mass... not enough me thinks 
to get into that (yet another) area of question relating to false beats.

I'd love to stay and play but I am off for a nice 2 week Easter 
Vacation. Aside from encouraging a few of you to actually buy a basics 
logic reasonings book and review its contents (actually quite 
fascinating stuff so you'll have fun) I'll leave this subject on the 
following points and let y'all hash it out as you wish.

On the one hand you have the loose pins cause false beats theory.  It is 
supported by two items... an observation and another theory.

    --- One observes that CA glue quite often quites a false beat in a
    presumed loose pin.
    --- One theorizes that the collar around the pin at the bridge can
    be loose enough to cause flag polling and that this is the basic
    mechanism.

On the other hand you have several observations and a clear way of 
disproving the above theory as valid.

    --- One observes that CA will  quite false beats in tight pins as well
    --- One observes that there is no statistical correlation between
    false beats and loose pins.
    --- One observes that tight pins are actually as likely to
    experience false beating as loose pins, which further undelines the
    lack of a statistical correlation.
    --- One observes that other methods of <<tightening pins>> yield
    roughly the same results.
    --- One observes that there are other factors seem to influence the
    presence of false beats.
    --- One can actually observe more... but this will suffice.
    --- Flag poling can be discounted by simply simulating the
    condition. Take your next shop junker and before tear down find 5
    clean strings in the treble.  Loosen them and then insert a number
    28 or so center pin underneath the string on the bridge surface.
    That puts the string high enough on the bridge pin to give the flag
    poling theory all the chance in the world to show its face. I've
    done this a few times now so I know the results.


Seems to me there is every reason to question whether or not loose pins 
are directly causal to false beating. Actually... seems to me there is 
even reason to question whether or not they are really in the picture at 
all.
None of this changes the fact that CA has a good affect on the problem 
of course.  So go for it.

Cheers and Happy Easter
RicB

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Mark Schecter writes:

Not to put too fine a point on it, but besides filling the gap, it also
penetrates the wood surrounding the hole, and then solidifies into a
sleeve custom-fit to the pin and its particular hole, so to the extent
it adheres to the pin, it not only corrects the fit, it also locks it
in. And because it is plastic, it resists humidity-cycle-related
dimensional changes better than naked wood would. Presumably, it is as
rigid as wood or more so, and therefore would conduct vibration as well
or better. So besides filling gaps, it seems to me that CA _possibly_
improves the bridge and cap functionally, above and beyond just
repairing looseness.
*
Mark Schecter*