acoustical tuning/1

Fingerboard Adjusting...the key to even note power all over the fingerboard.

by: David Langsather violin maker
3425 Fairhaven Avenue N.E.
Salem, Oregon 97301
(503) 364- 8685 PST

...In a 'nut shell', any vibrating string interacts with its support structure (the instrument) and the effect of this support structure's interaction either enhances or detracts from the sound quality of the vibrating string.
...If the frequency of the supports at the two ends of the string differ, then the tone is adversly affected. The goal of this procedure is to ensure that the frequency at fingerboard (or nut for open sting playing) is the same, at all points, as that of the tailpiece.
...I believe I have determined how this acoustical property of vibrating strings operates, how it can be measured and adjusted for the benefit of an individual instrument.

David at his workbench, with some of his acoustical test equipment (seen in the background).

The benefits are three:

* First: loudness is incresased, often
from 10 to 30%.

* Second: tone quality seems to improve
in the same or greater percentage
as loudness.
...

As you will see on the next pages, this adjustment involves three steps:

First: Determine the current frequencies of the fingerboard and tailpiece.

Second: Make the adjustments by scraping or sanding various areas of the fingerboard, tailpiece, and nut.

* Third: Re-string the instrument, and make fine adjustments.