As you examine your bells, set a large one aside (a G4 provides good visibility of the internal parts and construction), so you can become familiar with some of its unique parts and features.
First, the Soft Touch© plastic handle of polypropylene copolymer features inlaid enharmonic musical note designations and a campaniform. The campaniform shows the strike point side of the handbell, and is also used for rapid identification for those who use uneven spring tension adjustment. In all respects, it is far superior to the conventional handles in use. Two locating pin holes in the block, to which the handle is securely riveted, indicates the relationship of the handle to the striking plane of the clapper.
This striking plane of the clapper (selected at the factory as the point of "best response" which, when used as the strike point, creates the clearest tone) is fixed by an indexing pin in the casting to a hole located in the clapper yoke. As each bell is individually tuned, the optimum striking plane is permanently recorded by scribing an index mark along the inner surface of the bell casting. It is most important that no attempt be made to buff out this mark. Such attempts may result in detuning the bell. Schulmerich bells offer the pin feature (included in a Schulmerich patent) and inlaid enharmonic note designations with campaniform marking and Soft Touch durable handle.
Note the raised crown, or bell "tang", at the top of the bell. This Schulmerich exclusive provides greater amplitude.
Next examine the plastic handle disc (guard) and notice that it carries the same plastic-coated note designations as does the handle. This permits identification of the bell, whether the playing preference is to lay the bells on their sides or to stand them upright on their mouths, or by reading from the handle or handle disc respectively. This musical note system is in direct reference to that of the piano keyboard.
Now look into the mouth of the bell and notice the unique Select-A-Strike© clapper which allows you nearly unlimited freedom for voicing your bells. (Or, you may have selected the Quick-Adjust© which can be easily hand adjusted for soft, medium or hard strike settings.)
Schulmerich manufactures two types of adjustable clappers:
Select-A-Strike (See Figure "B")
and
Quick-Adjust (See Figure "C")
Select-A-Strike clappers are adjustable by rotating the clapper screw slightly counter-clockwise until the clapper is free to rotate. Rotate the clapper to the desired position and retighten the screw.
Quick-Adjust clappers (See Fig. 3) are adjustable without loosening the clapper screw. In fact, the clapper screw should never be turned. This screw is locked to the clapper shaft by a special chemical bond between the screw and shaft. To adjust, rotate clapper until it clicks into the desired position. NOTE: DO NOT TAKE YOUR "QUICK-ADJUST" CLAPPER APART. THEY MUST BE RETURNED TO THE FACTORY FOR ANY REPAIRS NEEDED.
Try it! On all bells C8 and below in pitch, three decidedly different impact tones can be achieved. This permits a selection of mellow or more brilliant tones to be generated in your bells, according to your tonal preference. These options provide a soft mellow strike tone designated by the letter "S" imprinted on the clapper insert, a medium tone designated by "M" on the insert, and a strong brilliant tone designated by "H" on the insert.
Try our clapper and listen for these differences in timbre. First, with the felt material striking the bell (the "S" plane of the clapper in the striking plane), strike the bell softly and then with a harder blow - while noting the low mellow tones which result. Next, loosen the screw which holds the clapper, using the screwdriver furnished for this purpose - or just rotate it, if you have Quick-Adjust clappers - and turn the clapper so that the "M" plane of the clapper is oriented to strike. Adjust the clapper so that the center of the slot or hole in the "M" plane will contact with the side of the bell. Then tighten the clapper securely and again strike the bell with a soft and then a harder blow and note the medium mellow tones which result. Now, loosen the clapper again, align the "H" plane to strike, tighten the screw, and again strike the bell and note the hard, brilliant tones which will result.
Bells higher in pitch than G#4 are equipped with clappers whose design does not include a felt striking position. As we progress higher than G#4, it is necessary to use harder impact materials to excite the higher tonal frequencies. Therefore, in ascending order, the clappers contain smaller slots or holes, or none at all in bells C#8 and above, in order to generate these higher frequencies. This is opposed to that of the larger bells where the purpose of the felt is to subdue the extraneous higher partials and thereby achieve a dominant strong fundamental and twelfth partial. Even in smaller bells, small changes in strike tone can be achieved by striking on the thicker or thinner areas of the clapper head since the thicker areas, being more resilient, provide a softer striking surface. To get the best results when striking with the slots or holes in the striking plane, be certain that you've oriented the clapper so that the centers of the slots or holes are aligned with the point at which the clapper strikes the bell.
Now, look further down into the bell and examine the unique Micro-Adjust control at the bottom of the clapper shaft - See Fig. 2 for a diagram of this mechanism. Note the two elastic stop nuts (a type of high-friction nut that holds the position to which it is turned) which restrict the movement of the spring secured to the bottom of the clapper. Hold the clapper lightly to one side of the bell and, using the appropriate nut driver furnished (bells B5 and below require the use of the socket with the larger hexagonal opening. C6 and above require the smaller one), turn the nut counter-clockwise and you will notice that the clapper moves closer to the side of the bell, thus requiring less effort to strike the bell. Now release the clapper and turn the nut clockwise (downward) and you will see the clapper move away from the side of the bell. It can be adjusted in this manner so far from the side of the bell that the bell cannot be rung on that side.
This feature, whereby the clapper can be restrained from striking on one side, makes the Schulmerich bell ideal for Four-In-Hand or Six-In-Hand playing. Its primary purpose is to permit the selection of the desired clapper restraining action to suit the touch or feel of any bell ringer. Uneven adjustment of the nuts can be utilized to give a softer strike or none at all on the back stroke.
Obviously, excessive downward adjustment of the nuts will require excessive effort to strike the bell since the clapper is held too far from the side of the bell. Excessive downward positioning of the nuts can overstress the spring to a point where spring failure could occur. Position nuts downward only as far as necessary to effect a smooth, easy and controlled strike. Approximate spacing between the side of the bell and the clapper should be as little as 1/8" on the smaller bells and between 3/8" and 1/2" on the larger bells - with the clapper inclined toward one side of the bell.
