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Shires bell actual weights and variance
Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2024 7:55 pm
by Jbeckett
So I am sure this has been discussed before.
I have several shires bass bells from pre-E acquisition.
They all have different weights. And from what I’m gathering, what was considered heavy when the bells were hand engraved is now considered medium.
For example, I’ve weighed three bells and have another on the way:
Hand engraved 1Y soldered at 555 grams
Hand engraved 1YHW soldered at 600 grams
S E Shires USA BII1G at 604 grams
S E Shires USA BI1YHW screw bell at 587 grams
What the French?
I play on the 1Y and it’s my favorite for symphony section work. I haven’t played the 1YHW in the section yet, the G is colorful and if I soloed I’d probably play that, and I haven’t got the screw bell yet.
Any ideas on weight differences between periods with Shires?
Re: Shires bell actual weights and variance
Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2024 9:22 pm
by paysonmcc
When I had my early hand engraved bells Steve Shires told me that the earlier standard bells were heavier than the newer bells. This was because so many people were asking for heavy bells while he was at Osmun, he made a heavier weight the standard. I believe this changed to the weights we know today around the time they switched to the newer engraving.
I also had a bell that was regular weight at the stem, but had a treatment that made the bell super thin at the bell disk (T7 maybe?). Weights can be deceiving as just a number- it matters where that mass is.
Re: Shires bell actual weights and variance
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 5:54 am
by Jbeckett
paysonmcc wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 9:22 pm
When I had my early hand engraved bells Steve Shires told me that the earlier standard bells were heavier than the newer bells. This was because so many people were asking for heavy bells while he was at Osmun, he made a heavier weight the standard. I believe this changed to the weights we know today around the time they switched to the newer engraving.
I also had a bell that was regular weight at the stem, but had a treatment that made the bell super thin at the bell disk (T7 maybe?). Weights can be deceiving as just a number- it matters where that mass is.
Makes sense.
The thinning of the flare does as well. The timeline is odd. I really like the older bells more than newer ones and they come up on marketplace and here, but how would one know what is actually in the box on its way to you. Probably going to ask for a weight first, just to check.
Re: Shires bell actual weights and variance
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 1:17 pm
by Jbeckett
Jbeckett wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 7:55 pm
So I am sure this has been discussed before.
I have several shires bass bells from pre-E acquisition.
They all have different weights. And from what I’m gathering, what was considered heavy when the bells were hand engraved is now considered medium.
For example, I’ve weighed three bells and have another on the way:
Hand engraved 1Y soldered at 555 grams
Hand engraved 1YHW soldered at 600 grams
S E Shires USA BII1G at 604 grams
S E Shires USA BI1YHW screw bell at 587 grams
What the French?
I play on the 1Y and it’s my favorite for symphony section work. I haven’t played the 1YHW in the section yet, the G is colorful and if I soloed I’d probably play that, and I haven’t got the screw bell yet.
Any ideas on weight differences between periods with Shires?
Slight correction: the S E Shires USA BI1YHW screw bell at 575 grams
Lively playing bell too. The 1Y is still my bell of choice for symphonic playing but the cut is definitely a strong second.
Re: Shires bell actual weights and variance
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 1:41 pm
by BigBadandBass
paysonmcc wrote: ↑Mon Dec 30, 2024 9:22 pm
When I had my early hand engraved bells Steve Shires told me that the earlier standard bells were heavier than the newer bells. This was because so many people were asking for heavy bells while he was at Osmun
Also told this when I went to the shires factory. I’ve got an older bell that’s been cut with a horn ring and was told that under modern naming it would be a “heavy heavyweight”
I’ll measure it when I get home
Re: Shires bell actual weights and variance
Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2025 8:45 am
by walldaja
Got me thinking about my Q bells. I have a gold brass bell that weights 389g and a yellow brass bell that weights 419g. They are significantly lighter than the "pure" Shires bells.
Re: Shires bell actual weights and variance
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2025 9:07 pm
by jonathanharker
If it helps, and for science, I just weighed my S.E. Shires 1Y bell (made c. 1999) and it comes in at 560 g. I have no idea how many foot pound square Fahrenheits or acre feet football fields that is.
Re: Shires bell actual weights and variance
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2025 10:55 pm
by chobone
Here are the weights of a few 8.5” Shires bells I have laying around.
2Y 485g (late 90s old engraving)
2RVE lac 365g (se shires USA engraving)
2RVE raw 315g (no engraving but definitely pre-eastman)
8G 455g (se shires USA engraving)
7YM 425g (se shires made in USA engraving pre-eastman)
It surprised me how light the vintage Elkhart bells are.
Re: Shires bell actual weights and variance
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2025 5:05 am
by Jbeckett
The hand engraved bells play better IMO. And maybe that’s just me. The 1Y I’ve got with no mark at all plays like my cut lightweight “made in USA” bell, but with a little more bounce in the articulation. Definitely Steve made bells seem to like me better.
And if anyone has a 1Y of vintage they’d like to sell, let me know.
Re: Shires bell actual weights and variance
Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2025 8:32 pm
by Jbeckett
jonathanharker wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2025 9:07 pm
If it helps, and for science, I just weighed my S.E. Shires 1Y bell (made c. 1999) and it comes in at 560 g. I have no idea how many foot pound square Fahrenheits or acre feet football fields that is.
No foot pound square Fahrenheit’s needed good sir.
I think it is interesting tho.
Re: Shires bell actual weights and variance
Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2025 6:53 pm
by Jbeckett
jonathanharker wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2025 9:07 pm
If it helps, and for science, I just weighed my S.E. Shires 1Y bell (made c. 1999) and it comes in at 560 g. I have no idea how many foot pound square Fahrenheits or acre feet football fields that is.
And if you ever decide to sell it, please let me know.