| Author |
Subject |
PaulFM
Registered User
(1/24/01 5:57:11 pm)
Reply |
Tailpiece
I thought I would share the results
of changing my tailpiece. I purchased a Witter Ultralight tailpiece
and installed it with a sacconi adjustable tailgut and tuned the
after length. It took about 2 weeks for my cello to settle out.
Wow!! what a difference. My cello sounds fuller and projects much
better. The G string which always sounded choked and scratchy is
great. Now, to find the right strings. Sounds expencive to me
PaulM
|
cellochris99
Registered User
(1/25/01 2:46:24 am)
Reply |
tuning
the afterlengths
Hi, Paul I've heard a bit about the
afterlengths being tuned to a certain pitch, ideally. How did you
tune your afterlengths? I've noticed that mine aren't tuned to the
right pitches, but I can't see how to get to the adjuster for the
tailpiece without having to remove all 4 strings. Is there a way you
can adjust afterlengths without removing the
strings?
Chris
|
PaulFM
Registered User
(1/25/01 1:00:50 pm)
Reply |
Re:
tuning the afterlengths
This what I did to tune the
after-lengths. The prerequest is that you have a adjustable tailgut.
After installing the tailpiece I tuned the instrument (several
times) and played it for a week. I adjusted tailgut length to tune
the after-length the by loosening all the strings (did not need to
remove the bridge, but watch the bridge when retuning) and adjusted
the length of the tailgut and retuning. If your after-length is
sharp you may need to remove the bridge as you will be shortening
the tailgut and need more slack in the strings. I repeated this
again after a week and will need to repeat it again (after my
concert). Remember, you need to lengthen the tailgut (shorten the
length between the bridge and the tailpiece nut) if the after-length
is flat or vice versa. Tune the after-length to the second octave of
the next higher string. One thing I noticed is that although one
string had the after-length in tune, another was not. I don't thing
that the after-length tuning needs to be perfect. Hope this helps.
Good luck.
PaulM
|
cellochris99
Registered User
(1/26/01 1:25:57 am)
Reply |
tail
gut
Here's my senario. The afterlength
on my c-string is tuned right(gx2octv), but my g-string afterlenth
is tuned to a c-natural and the d-string is tuned at rather flat g,
etc. So I should try and lengthen the tailgut a tad on the A and D
side, and just leave it where it is on the G and C side since the C
a.l is right? Thanks.
Chris
|
PaulFM
Registered User
(1/26/01 10:01:14 am)
Reply |
Re:
tail gut
Mine is exactly the same. It sounds
like you've got a plan. That is what I'm planning to do after my
concert Please let me know how it works out.
PaulM
|
Andrew
Victor
Registered
User
(1/26/01 11:43:00 am)
Reply |
Re:
tail gut
Chris,
Tuning the two sides of
the tailgut is a lot like having water at two different levels in
the same cup.
A failure to achieve tuned afterlengths on all
strings is likely due to some missalighnment of the bridge, or a
little mis-positioning of the tailpice. If the bridge appears to be
perpendicular to the cello centerline, then "wiggle" the tailpiece a
little.
Finally, I think a little adjustment of the bridge
position and tilt can get the final millimeter of afterlength
tuning. Does anyone thing that is not allowable?
Andy
|
cellochris99
Registered User
(1/27/01 6:24:45 am)
Reply |
Re:tailgut
Hi, Andy. Well, I just looked at the
bridge and tailpiece thouroughly and discovered that the bridge is
not exactly perpendicular to centerline, just a few millimeters off.
Should the inside f-notch be exactly at the midline of the bridge
feet? The g&c side foot's midline is a hair above the inside
f-notch, and the a&d's foot is is right at it. Seems like it
should be the other way around if the upper afterlengths were too
low.
Chris
|
Andrew
Victor
Registered
User
(1/27/01 2:06:42 pm)
Reply |
Re:
Re:tailgut Bridges warp, etc.
The two notches are used as a
guide, but I've also seen luthier-placed bridges that vary some.
Bridges warp, some are not straight across the top - a
string may not be of uniform thickness along all its length. There
are various reasons why one does not get perfect in-tuness of the
afterlengths. I try to go for the strings that I think want the most
help in added strength of partials (experment). If it is close you
can just vary it for the different strings.
As far as
locating the bridge - I know that the notches are supposed to be
there to indicate the position of the bridge (I read that
someplace). Seems that is the goal whether it's a $20 wreck of a
fiddle or a $2,000,000 Cremonese treasure. You think? Doesn't seem
that likely to me1 The f holes let the air (Helmholtz) mode sounds
out of the instrument, but they also allow the top to flex for the
many "soundboard" vibrations it produces over the entire sound
spectrum between 196 and over 6,000 Hertz. (Notice, the f-holes free
up about as much of the top as possible (having a relatively large
ratio of hole edge, or circumference to area) for vibration with a
fairly small area of hole and not having the instrument top just
fall apart. In contrast, the circular hole in many guitars has the
smallest possible circumference for the area of the hole.) The top,
the soundpost, the bass bar, the bridge (plus plus plus) of bowed
string instruments all play in this. If the error in the tailgut
length is relatively small - I just move the bridge (sometimes the
soundpost too). What the heck!
Andy
|
cellochris99
Registered User
(1/28/01 4:51:32 am)
Reply |
Ha
ha
Yeah, I really get nervous when it
comes to moving the bridge, etc. around. It must be where the
luthier wanted it because there are some tiny etch lines right above
each bridge foot and they're in exactly the same relativity to the
foot on each side. So, I guess I'll just move on to the soundpost,
I'll just use my crimping pliers to knock it to the left a little
bit and when the bridge pushes up on the a&d side I'll use some
elmer's glue to set it...... Just kidding!!.. not too funny is'nt
it!?
Chris
|
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