Technical Questions

I'm building a graduated bar F3 to F6 vibe from scratch using 60.60.T5 aluminium here in Queensland Australia.I have finished all the bars (going up 2 cents every octave on advice from the pianist in my jazz group who is a piano tuner by trade). I've been able to tune the 1st overtone up to Bflat 4. I used 10mm thick bar.

How do I find the best spacing between under the bars and the top of the resonators for best balance of volume and sustain? I am not using fans, so there are no cutouts at the resonator mouths but will use electronics to get some amplified vibrato/tremelo.

I just got one of those new frames put on my Musser, and I really love the new stability, wheels that stay on and wheels that really lock!

HOWEVER, I am interested in the height adjustment. I have played the vibes many years at that 'standard' level. But I am six feet, and it occurs to me that it might be more ergodynamic to raise the instrument a notch. This would mean that I would stand more upright, and perhaps give a better angkle of mallet attack.

I tried this out, but was a little too weirded by the added 5 cm, so I put it back.

Does anyone play or has played a Bergerault VU ? Is it a quality vibe with good tone ? How does it compare say with an M55 ? Thanks, N.

Hi, I'm considering getting my first set of vibes. A guitarist for past 10 years, I've always loved the sound of the vibes. Ive found a 20 yr old set of mussier 75 pro century vibes for sale. They are cited as being in excellent condition and fully playable. Is this a good set to buy to get me up and playing ? thanks for any information and/or suggestions.

Hello Nico,

Have you ever considered supplying wider pedals ( in a DIY kit ) for MUSSER M55s and M48s ?

Hello Nico,

In addition to the van der Plas Gel Pad (wonderful product) what other suggestions (changes) would you make for improving the MUSSER M55 ?

Today on this sunny Sunday I'm gonna have our machines work on a new project. If it works out well, it might help a huge number of vibists.

The main reason for this new DIY frame is a cheap solution for those who aready own a vibe for gigging, or for thosethat own a crappy beaten up frame and need something fancy without having to invest heavily.

It is not as transportable as the gigVibe and/or M55, cause the main issue here is costs reduction. For those who need something more transportable, we're gonna offer something in the relative near future.

Hello Nico,

Even though you are not the manufacturer of these products I was wondering whether you could ( given your expertise )comment on the major differences between the MUSSER M58 Piper Vibe and the M55 .

Thank you.

When I started building my very first vibe some 15 (or was it more?) years ago, I made a smallwidth pedal for it.
With that pedal I got quite some problems:
- the damperbar was pulled down unevenly
- eventho it was only a 3 octaves with narrow bars, I didn't feel comfortable always having my right leg on the same spot.

To solve the first issue, I connected a Y-shaped pulling-rod, but then discovered that I had to place 2 springs ISO 1 (there has to be a spring as close as possible to any point where the damperbar is connected to a pulling device).