scaling measurements

[Tom Cole]

Ron,

Dave Sanderson modified a couple of 10' tape measures, one for speaking
lengths and the other for bass string measurements. One of them is
basically stock but with the hook removed to allow poking it into the
capo termination (actually he removed one of the hook's rivets and
swiveled the hook 180 degrees to serve as a stop for when the tape
retracts). The other tape is for taking bass string measurements; the
first half inch and hook are removed and a strip of brass is riveted on,
a hole drilled at the zero point, to hook onto the hitch pin. The brass
is wider around the hole to prevent whizzzzzz, flap-flap-flap, as above.
These 1/4" wide tapes can be run between or under the dampers and
measure inches on one side and metric on the other.

I don't know if Dave still sells them but they'd be easy enough to make.
And I don't know how easy it would be for one person measuring a big
grand. I recommend at least three assistants: one to hold the end of the
tape, one to call out the reading and a third to write down the numbers
(while you supervise).

Tom

 
Ron Nossaman wrote:
> 
> Since Ric brought it up, does anyone out there have any quick, easy,
> accurate, embarrassingly obvious (after the fact) ways for one person alone
> to measure string lengths throughout the scale? How about with strings and
> dampers still on when you need to have the bass strings with you when you
> replace that Coke soaked set on site in one day.
> Ron N