New Just Intonation Neck with Bent Frets

I posted the photos of the just intonation necks I just finished for Jon
Catler and David Beardsley. Has anyone ever seen bent frets like this
before?

http://www.organicdesign.org/peterson/customers/catler_ji.html

Also, I have changed the root directory of my web site from
/Glen/Instruments to simply /peterson. Please change your links
accordingly. Thank you.

---
Glen Peterson
Peterson Stringed Instruments
30 Elm Street North Andover, MA 01845
(978) 975-1527
http://www.organicdesign.org/peterson

>I posted the photos of the just intonation necks I just finished for Jon
>Catler and David Beardsley. Has anyone ever seen bent frets like this
>before?

No! Glenn, this is one damn-fine looking piece of wood! Is it attached to
a GL guitar? Would it be okay with Catler if you posted the scale design
that allows 'every note to play perfectly in tune in several different keys'?

Carl

Glen,

From the photos, it looks like you do beautiful work. Are there 28 notes in
the octave? Perhaps you could share with us the string and fret tuning.
Also, I would suggest you post to oddmusic@onelist.com . I think they would
also be very interested.

Darren Burgess
Gainesville FL

>From: "Glen Peterson" <Glen@OrganicDesign.org>
>
>I posted the photos of the just intonation necks I just finished for Jon
>Catler and David Beardsley. Has anyone ever seen bent frets like this
>before?
>
>http://www.organicdesign.org/peterson/customers/catler_ji.html
>
>Also, I have changed the root directory of my web site from
>/Glen/Instruments to simply /peterson. Please change your links
>accordingly. Thank you.
>
>---
>Glen Peterson
>Peterson Stringed Instruments
>30 Elm Street North Andover, MA 01845
>(978) 975-1527

Glen!
Never seen bent frets before but Bill Wesley once had a guitar where
the frets went diagonally so that you could bend notes either up or down.
It really made me dizzy! good work

Glen Peterson wrote:

> From: "Glen Peterson" <Glen@OrganicDesign.org>
>
> I posted the photos of the just intonation necks I just finished for Jon
> Catler and David Beardsley. Has anyone ever seen bent frets like this
> before?
>
> http://www.organicdesign.org/peterson/customers/catler_ji.html
>
> Also, I have changed the root directory of my web site from
> /Glen/Instruments to simply /peterson. Please change your links
> accordingly. Thank you.
>
> ---
> Glen Peterson
> Peterson Stringed Instruments
> 30 Elm Street North Andover, MA 01845
> (978) 975-1527
> http://www.organicdesign.org/peterson
>
> > You do not need web access to participate. You may subscribe through
> email. Send an empty email to one of these addresses:
> tuning-subscribe@onelist.com - subscribe to the tuning list.
> tuning-unsubscribe@onelist.com - unsubscribe from the tuning list.
> tuning-digest@onelist.com - switch your subscription to digest mode.
> tuning-normal@onelist.com - switch your subscription to normal mode.

-- Kraig Grady
North American Embassy of Anaphoria Island
http://www.anaphoria.com

>Are there 28 notes in
>the octave?

Altogether, Catler's design (I assume he hasn't changed it) has 49 notes per
octave, but not all notes appear in all octaves. It's s 13-limit diamond
with six extra notes, I believe.

>Perhaps you could share with us the string

Catler tells me he tunes in a JI version of standard tuning -- he puts the
comma between the D and the G strings. Also, his B is in tune with the 60-Hz
hum.

>and fret tuning.

That might be proprietary . . .

I wrote,

>It's s 13-limit diamond with six extra notes, I believe.

That would be eight extra notes, duhh . . .

> From: "Paul H. Erlich" <PErlich@Acadian-Asset.com>
>
> Altogether, Catler's design (I assume he hasn't changed it)
> has 49 notes per
> octave, but not all notes appear in all octaves. It's s
> 13-limit diamond
> with eight extra notes, I believe.

It's based on that but to some degree I think it's also a collection of
favorite pitches. It is different from all his other necks. Catler has
progressed from trying out various systems, to the point of choosing gems
from many systems and collecting them on one instrument. I am amazed that
he could do all that, and still have enough space between frets for it to be
very playable! Obviously this took months or years of planning. He could
play the neck expertly immediately after I gave it to him, even though it is
not a copy of any of his other instruments. I think he will do great things
with it. (See for yourself A week from today at the American Festival of
Microtonal Music!)

> >Perhaps you could share with us the string
>
> Catler tells me he tunes in a JI version of standard tuning
> -- he puts the
> comma between the D and the G strings. Also, his B is in tune
> with the 60-Hz
> hum.

He actually tunes it to 50 cycles when he plays in Europe. He wants the hum
to enhance the final chord of a piece instead of clash with it. He even
suggested tuning acoustic music to the hum because we are surrounded by
humming appliances. I can hear my refrigerator from the opposite end of the
house! It is too bad we have an ambient 60hz hum pervading our existence.
You could spend your life trying to beat it, but it's much easier to work
with what you have than demand that the world change around you. He's got
me almost convinced.

> >and fret tuning.
>
> That might be proprietary . . .

The tuning system is all his, and it's copyrighted. I just handle the saws
and files. It's part of my job to play dumb about this. He may be willing
to tell you more...

---
Glen Peterson
Peterson Stringed Instruments
30 Elm Street North Andover, MA 01845
(978) 975-1527
http://www.organicdesign.org/peterson

In a message dated 10/4/99 11:07:56 AM, Glen@OrganicDesign.org wrote:

>He actually tunes it to 50 cycles when he plays in Europe. He wants the hum
>
>to enhance the final chord of a piece instead of clash with it. He even
>
>suggested tuning acoustic music to the hum because we are surrounded by
>
>humming appliances. I can hear my refrigerator from the opposite end of the
>
>house! It is too bad we have an ambient 60hz hum pervading our existence.
>
>You could spend your life trying to beat it, but it's much easier to work
>
>with what you have than demand that the world change around you. He's got
>
>me almost convinced.

intriguing... hehe...

"Paul H. Erlich" wrote:

> From: "Paul H. Erlich" <PErlich@Acadian-Asset.com>
>
> >Are there 28 notes in
> >the octave?
>
> Altogether, Catler's design (I assume he hasn't changed it) has 49 notes per
> octave, but not all notes appear in all octaves. It's s 13-limit diamond
> with six extra notes, I believe.

It has. 62.

> >Perhaps you could share with us the string
>
> Catler tells me he tunes in a JI version of standard tuning -- he puts the
> comma between the D and the G strings. Also, his B is in tune with the 60-Hz
> hum.
>
> >and fret tuning.
>
> That might be proprietary . . .

It is.

> --

* D a v i d B e a r d s l e y
* xouoxno@virtulink.com
*
* J u x t a p o s i t i o n N e t R a d i o
* M E L A v i r t u a l d r e a m house monitor
*
* http://www.virtulink.com/immp/lookhere.htm

The idea of tuning to a 60 cycle hum is not a new one. In the urban landscape I
am not convinced that it is really heard that much considering the massive sound
levels of all kinds every where. If you tuned to A- 440 this is the same as 55
being a 11/10 to europe and a 12/11 to the u.s. Get a new refrig.

Zhang2323@aol.com wrote:

> From: Zhang2323@aol.com
>
> In a message dated 10/4/99 11:07:56 AM, Glen@OrganicDesign.org wrote:
>
> >He actually tunes it to 50 cycles when he plays in Europe. He wants the hum
> >
> >to enhance the final chord of a piece instead of clash with it. He even
> >
> >suggested tuning acoustic music to the hum because we are surrounded by
> >
> >humming appliances. I can hear my refrigerator from the opposite end of the
> >
> >house! It is too bad we have an ambient 60hz hum pervading our existence.
> >
> >You could spend your life trying to beat it, but it's much easier to work
> >
> >with what you have than demand that the world change around you. He's got
> >
> >me almost convinced.
>
> intriguing... hehe...
>

-- Kraig Grady
North American Embassy of Anaphoria Island
http://www.anaphoria.com

Kraig Grady wrote:

> From: Kraig Grady <kraiggrady@anaphoria.com>
>
> The idea of tuning to a 60 cycle hum is not a new one. In the urban landscape I
> am not convinced that it is really heard that much considering the massive sound
> levels of all kinds every where. If you tuned to A- 440 this is the same as 55
> being a 11/10 to europe and a 12/11 to the u.s. Get a new refrig.

La Monte Young has been doing it for years. Hey - wait
a minute: Jon played in La Monte's bands. Think there's
a connection?

> --

* D a v i d B e a r d s l e y
* xouoxno@virtulink.com
*
* J u x t a p o s i t i o n N e t R a d i o
* M E L A v i r t u a l d r e a m house monitor
*
* http://www.virtulink.com/immp/lookhere.htm

yep i had an idea that the step down transformer might be the root to this one. But
the WTP is tuned to some fundamental near Eb I thought. God help us if it is a 5/4
above 60. BTW the 1-3-5-7-9-11 Eikosany of Wilson will have as its smallest product
the 1-3-5 . 15 as in 60. knowing the idea behind this structure is anything but one
note being more important than another. Wilson might not be happy with this
coincidence;)

David Beardsley wrote:

>
> > From: Kraig Grady <kraiggrady@anaphoria.com>
> >
> > The idea of tuning to a 60 cycle hum is not a new one. In the urban landscape I
> > am not convinced that it is really heard that much considering the massive sound
> > levels of all kinds every where. If you tuned to A- 440 this is the same as 55
> > being a 11/10 to europe and a 12/11 to the u.s. Get a new refrig.
>
> La Monte Young has been doing it for years. Hey - wait
> a minute: Jon played in La Monte's bands. Think there's
> a connection?
>
>

-- Kraig Grady
North American Embassy of Anaphoria Island
http://www.anaphoria.com

Kraig Grady wrote:

> From: Kraig Grady <kraiggrady@anaphoria.com>
>
> yep i had an idea that the step down transformer might be the root to this one. But
> the WTP is tuned to some fundamental near Eb I thought. God help us if it is a 5/4
> above 60. BTW the 1-3-5-7-9-11 Eikosany of Wilson will have as its smallest product
> the 1-3-5 . 15 as in 60. knowing the idea behind this structure is anything but one
> note being more important than another. Wilson might not be happy with this
> coincidence;)

The WTP's 3/2 = 60 cycles ( I think).
The sine tone instalations 1/1 = 30 cycles.
The FBBB 5/4 = 60 cycles (I think).

--
* D a v i d B e a r d s l e y
* xouoxno@virtulink.com
*
* J u x t a p o s i t i o n N e t R a d i o
* M E L A v i r t u a l d r e a m house monitor
*
* http://www.virtulink.com/immp/lookhere.htm