General Information
We recomend that you carefully observe the following rules for handling
these beautiful instruments.
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Always treat handbells as the fine musical instrument which they are.
Much care and craftsmanship has gone into making them, so do not risk
damage through careless handling.
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The bell castings are made of bronze, carefully lathe turned and tuned and
then polished to a jeweler's finish.
The bells are not lacquered to protect the finish, for the application of
lacquer would diminish the musical quality of the bell; therefore, touching
the bell casting with the bare hands will cause stains and tarnish due to
the acids and salts from the skin.
Although tarnish will not affect the tone of the bell, the removal of the
tarnish, if not done properly, can affect the tuning.
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We recommend that you wear gloves when handling or ringing handbells in order
to prevent contact with the metal by the hands.
Cotton gloves are not slippery, absorb moisture, are inexpensive and are
frequently used by handbell ringers.
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Any fingerprints or stains should be removed promptly.
The longer they are allowed to remain, the more difficult they will be
to remove.
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The bells should not be allowed to come into contact with any rough or hard
surface which will scratch or mark them.
If carrying cases are not used for storing or transporting the handbells,
they should be carried in bags of soft materials such as flannel or velvet
with each bell in a seperate bag.
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In handling or playing the bells, be certain not to strike them against
each other of against any hard object.
It is not practical or satisfactory to repair or mend a bell casting once
it has become cracked or chipped.
The only good solution is to replace it.
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NOTE THAT, AS RECEIVED, SOME CASTINGS MAY HAVE MINUTE SURFACE IMPERFECTIONS
EITHER ON THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE WHICH DO NOT AFFECT TONAL QUALITY.
Small pinhole sized defects from loose grains of sand are common to sand
castings and are most frequently encountered in larger bells.
Malmark rejects those with objectionable defects and, to avoid considerably
increased costs to the customer, uses those with minimal but acceptable
surface defects which are visible only under close inspection.
Before Ringing
We suggest that you take time to examine your handbells to make certain that
you are familiar with their many features and how they can add to you
enjoyment and use of the bells.
Although all Malmark handbells incorporate similar features and construction,
one of the larger bells (such as a G4) offers good visibility of the
internal parts and their function.
If you are not already familiar with the Malmark handbell, we suggest that
you have a bell in front of you as we go over it together.
As you hold and observe the bell, you will see that it is composed of five
basic parts:
- the handle
- the handguard
- the tuned bronze bell casting
- the yoke and restraining mechanism
- the instantly adjustable clapper
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