Why is it so difficult to find a tuning fork?

[Phentex]

Who knew?

This is the latest I've ever waited to shop for something, but I thought it would be a breeze. I checked several places and made some phone calls and just gave up and ordered it through Amazon. WTH?

[Kali]

1. I will never learn.

Seems like whenever I have a brilliant idea for a cool gift that I think will be fairly easy to put togeter- NO. Can't find that one thing you thought you could just run pick up at the local ____store.

I have had that happen more times than I care to remember. My sympathies!

[Phentex]

3. Thanks. My kids rarely ask for anything...

making it even harder to shop for them. My son put this on a list - first list ever for either kid! - and I had no idea it would be this much of a pita.

I miss the old days of visiting Santa and having *him* find out what they wanted...

[dysfunctional press]

2. it's not.

american science & surplus sells them by the case:



Me, Me, Me, Me, Mee

You can start with our single aluminum tuning fork, 2-tined and 7-1/2" long. It vibrates at 256 hz, and is labeled "C". Or you can order the set that has (8) forks and a mallet with a rubber-tipped plastic head. The forks are labeled low-C to high-C and come in a fitted, latched wooden box. Unfortunately, C.J., who has perfect pitch, tells us that his pitch is more perfect than most of the tuning forks. He also says you can file the tips, tuning them to an electronic keyboard until they're perfect - and we think there's a certain cachet to telling people you tuned the forks yourself. But they are perfect, if you're using them for things like teaching principles of sound or driving the chihuahua crazy.

http://www.sciplus.com/search.cfm?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=search&utm_content=cf&utm_campaign=celsearchtest&formfield1234567891=212&formfield1234567892=11&formfield1234567894=&term=tuning+fork&btnHand.x=13&btnHand.y=6

i LOVE browsing through their stores- they have three in the chicago area.

[Phentex]

4. argh! Why didn't I post this a week ago?!!!

I'm in Atlanta.

That set would have been so cool!

:banghead:

Thanks!

[TrogL]

8. Whatt would you use a C fork for?

Everything tunes to A-440 not C. C's a bit off in even temperament.

[dysfunctional press]

9. not my problem.

that wasn't the question i was answering.

perhaps you could call the store and ask them- they're the ones selling it. :shrug:

888-SCIPLUS (888-724-7587)

[eppur_se_muova]

12. C=256 is so-called "scientific" temperament.

Handy in the days before calculators -- assume speed of sound is 1024 ft/sec (which it is, at some temp and altitude or another) and you have a 2' open pipe is 256 Hz, 64' is 8 Hz, etc. (or half the length to produce the same pitch with a stopped pipe). So powers of 2 were popular even before digital circuitry! :)

[tigereye]

5. um, a music store is the only place I could think of that would have them

that's where we always got em.

[gratuitous]

6. What's wrong with an old-fashioned electronic tuner?

God, I could have years of my life back if I'd had one of those babies when I had my 12-string.

[Zomby Woof]

7. No one wants to pay $20 for them

[Skittles]

10. the fish have them

[BlueJazz]

11. Are they still tuned to the key of Sea?

[eppur_se_muova]

13. I give up, why?

What's the punch line?