| Author | Message | ||
| bigredbass
Advanced Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 242 Registered: 9-2002 |
On one of the previous featured customs, part of the description noted that on this particular five-string, the keys on the Crown-style head were reversed: G,D,A on the right, B and E on the left so that 'the B would have a longer pull from the nut to the key for a better B tone'. Now I realize that force (tension) over a longer distance increases, yet wouldn't the tension be the same to arrive at the correct tuning? Other basses are going to the strings thru the back of the body. I thought that these string lengths outside of the nut-to-bridge saddle have nothing to do aside from anchoring the strings to the instrument. Am I missing something? J o e y | ||
| adriaan
Intermediate Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 107 Registered: 6-2002 |
A recent post said that the standard arrangement for the tuners on a 5 string was changed from 3+2 to 2+3. Not my cup of tea, at least not in the looks department - maybe someone is in for a big surprise when they first open the case of their new custom-ordered Alembic 5 ;-) Was it Fodera who started this? They take it even one step further: the B tuner is the furthest away from the nut. The design of the Fodera peghead allows them to put the tuner there: the B string travels 'to the left of' the posts of the E and A tuners, and it is wound to the post from the top down. Another interesting novelty is the 'compensated nut' on the MusicMan Bongo. The idea behind that is that the length of string between the nut and the fretting position must resonate at the proper frequency, sympathetic to the fundamental occurring at the 'sounding' end of the string. About threading the string through the body ... I know that it can make a big difference on other basses, but I don't think it would do much on an Alembic. The idea behind Alembics in general seems to be to isolate the string as much as possible from the woods, with firm anchor points so as to let the string vibrate as freely as possible. There is a certain amount of mechanical feedback from the woods to help colour the tone, but it doesn't have much of an impact on the amount of sustain that the string is capable of. With other basses, through-the-body strings sometimes seem to be there only to help the bass not resonate too freely, which would ruin the sustain - that's the complete opposite of how Alembics are built. (Message edited by Adriaan on January 27, 2004) | ||
| bob
Intermediate Member Username: bob Post Number: 135 Registered: 11-2002 |
You're not missing anything, Joey - the formula for calculating string tension considers only the vibrating portion of the string, between nut and saddle. As to whether there is some other principle involved that would improve tone by increasing distance from nut to tuner, I'm a bit skeptical... -Bob | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 975 Registered: 9-2002 |
Brother Adriaan that changement was IFF I remember well only for short scale basses. Paul the bad one |
