Does it work ? No strings but steel rods and piezo

[Mustafa Umut Sa]

I saw a instrument from china called erhu , a chinese violin.

It has a small soundboard , small cylindirical body , a long neck

and strings without fingerboard but playing with fingers pressed to the strings at the open air , no fingerboard.

It creates new ideas.

DO BELOW INSTRUMENT WORK ?

If I make a bass guitar without strings but steel rods

and right hand plays the rods like normal bass guitar

and left hand plays like a normal bass ,

and all the ROD vibrations enlarged , increased with a piezo film .

There is no strung strings but calibrated steel or brass or plastic rods and a sustainer.

Does it work ?


Awaiting your reply ,

Best ,

Mustafa Umut Sarac

Istanbul

 

[Dirk Diggler]

You know your posts are often very interesting and include some unique concepts. With that said why don't you just try it? I would be interested in seeing some of your work. That is unless everything is just theoretical which is fine, but personally when building and trying new things I need to see it and test it. And it would seem to me that it's like describing an instrument with math only, that doesn't work for me.

And if you want to be an inventor of unique instruments you need to build them, not just imagine them or prototypes. There are always people that will mock and downplay until they see something, you can't blame them, many people have a tough time thinking non-traditionally.

Good luck,
Dirk

 

[lespaulmarshall]

I can't see why not - it will be a crazy mother of a sound though.

I agree with Dirk, go and build it!

 

[Mustafa Umut Sa]

Thank you friends , I am starting tomorrow , you will see the most crazy guitar .

 

[Greenman]

Please post lots of picture as I can assure you it will be a well read thread.

 

[bongomania]

I look forward to seeing the results of your experiment. I have done similar projects with various materials and piezos, and the results were always interesting.

Check this site out: Link Removed The books, magazine reprints, and articles they have there are pure gold.

 

[Mustafa Umut Sa]

Bongomania , tell me what you did , It is very important to know what will be the density and thickness of the rods , will they be light like silicon or heavy like steel.
Your experience will save me from many headaches Hey , this is very brave looking dog !

 

[bongomania]

The metals I use were all thin enough and soft enough to bend with the hands. I used utility wire, copper sheet, steel sheet, 2mm copper rods, metal wire coat hangers, 3mm to 4mm thick aluminum strips... basically anything I could get from the scrap outside a construction site, or from a junk yard, or from a hardware store.

 

[Mustafa Umut Sa]

You did attached them piezo and did they act like a guitar string ?

 

[uethanian]

whats important to know about the erhu (assuming that you don't already know) is that the player is making not so much a bend in the string, but rather a sharp angle. you can try this on a guitar - get one of the strings somewhat slack, hook your finger under it and pull sideways until you get a clear tone. until the bend reaches the critical degree, all that comes out is a thud. the best way i can describe it is your finger is a sort of movable nut; for an open string to ring true, there has to be sufficient angle and pressure on that point.

so when you are talking about steel rods, realize that you would not be able to 'fret' them the same way as an erhu. however, you might be able to do something with steel rods and natural harmonics.

 

[bongomania]

I did attach them to piezos, either directly with adhesives or indirectly with a wooden "bridge". Any solid object that can vibrate can transmit through a piezo, so they made a lot of sound. In that regard, they acted like guitar strings. If you are asking "did they have a pleasant, melodic, easy-to-control timbre, with easily tuned and played pitches", then no. They did not.

 

[jsingles]

subscribed....

 

[ehque]

Why don't you finish your "torzal neck + fanned frets + skeleton guitar" first, OP?

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=406252

I want to build a 17 string fanned fret torzal neck.

Guitar will be made from two steel rods , headless bridge and few short rods which will keep everything together

I mean it will be a skeleton guitar.

I have problems to be solved !

a - can i give 15 degrees twist to neck and 20 degrees twist to the nut with skeleton two rods neck without bending the rods ?

Or does it have to be 15 to 15 ?

b - how can i place the fanned frets on torzal neck ?

Best ,

Mustafa Umut Sarac

I've just googled the guy, and seriously, when you post on camera forums that you want to build a LENS better than anyone else, and ask for VERY BASIC information regarding lenses...

Attempt to redesign telescopes better than they already are (or panoramic lenses, i can't tell) : [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Go to a photography forum and talk about changing the PRINTER DOT SIZE to get an EFFECT : Link Removed

Go to a sailing forum and talk about building a boat to beat the WORLD RECORD : http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=8192

Go to guitar forum and attempt very detailed analysis of guitar pickups : http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=406252

Reading this just makes me feel better about blocking him after his 2nd message, way way way long time ago : Invalid Link Removed He asked them to design a TRANSATLANTIC vessel for him back in 2003, then repeatedly changed parameters on the design when they actually produced it, and changing his story as well, ending up as a poor guy trying to escape an oppressive government. When they finally called his bluff, he went postal. I vote we ban him before anything bad happens here, but Talkbass ain't a democracy, is it?

 

[bongomania]

Hilarious!

 

[Basschair]

Well, I hate to break this to you Mustafa, but he's got an excellent point.

Closed.