<html> Hi Phil,               You have a good handle on it ,  but keep in mind a hammer with a good elastic shoulder high on your list.   I think a hammer with the correct amount of elasticity, will rebound from the string faster, and help create this kind of tone. Regards Roger At 07:39 AM 3/21/02 -0500, you wrote: >I don't mean to drag this thread on forever. I am trying to get a good >handle on the term and the interpretation from different folks. > >I know I have heard 'bloom' in various recordings (all classical). My >original mentor and all-around decent human being, Larry Crabb, described >the sound as a "booooong", using his hand in a gesture that can only be >described as 'going away'. > >It seems that a real bloom can not happen without the following factors: > >Crown - downbearing - a good scale with 'warm' plain wire - 'perfect' >termination - an exact and near perfect strike point - a quality hammer in >good to excellent condition - good to excellent regulation - a harmonious >tuning. > >Any compromise of the above factors will affect the overall effect of bloom. > >I think I've got it. Feel free to correct me. > >Phil > </html>