M&A A

[Mike Spalding]

Ric and Paul,

I, too, was a sceptic, having done the "sideways screwdriver pressure" 
test on the bridge pins of many false beating strings with no 
predictable effect on the beats.  But then I had one do exactly as the 
"myth" predicted:  The beats stopped entirely with very light sidways 
pressure (towards the string).  A little CA at the base of the pins and 
all the beating cleared up.   Here's what I conclude:  Loose bridge pins 
can be the cause of SOME false beating, but is not the cause of ALL 
false beating.  For those who have never experienced it, it will remain 
a myth.  For me, it is now one of SEVERAL POSSIBLE CAUSES to be included 
in the troubleshooter's bag of tricks.

Mike

PAULREVENKOJONES wrote:
> Ric:
>  
> What has always struck me about that particular mythology is the 
> variability of beat speeds in real (false) beating. Attributing it to 
> loose bridge pins would lead us, no?, to believing that the loose 
> bridge pin is moving in some way in the bridge pin hole, wandering in 
> some oscillating manner that would create a "countable" beat, 
> sometimes as slow as one beat per second, and certainly much faster in 
> most instances, but still regular and countable. I share your 
> skepticism, and return again to some length differential being created 
> in the speaking length by way of termination deterioration, 
> particularly the notch part of the termination creeping forward in the 
> curve of the notch and creating a separation from the ideal 
> simultaneous contact of the string at pin and bridge top. This is an 
> old can of worms, I know, but maybe worth revisiting.
>  
> Paul 
>  
> *IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH, STOP HAVING OPINIONS!*
>  
>  
> In a message dated 02/17/07 11:09:33 Central Standard Time, 
> ricb at pianostemmer.no writes:
>
>     Not so strange perhaps that I have developed a healthy chunck of
>     skeptism to this without further ado idea that loose bridge pins
>     <<cause>> false beats.
>
>