Suzuki Tonechimes & Chimettes

[Nicholas Barnard]

Howdy,

Does anyone have experience Suzuki Tonechimes? I picked up one or two at the national seminar and I was quite surprised how much I liked them. I expected to be horrified. I may even like them better than my usual preference in chimes. (Malmark. Yes, I prefer Schulmerich Bells, and Malmark chimes, who knew?)

Happy Friday!

Nick
Seattle, WA

[funde...@messiahumc.org]

We have a set at church that is no longer used because many of them went out of tune. We've had Malmarks as long or longer and only had two go bad from kids dropping them.

The set at school also has several out of tune. Those were refurbished at the factory three years ago. When they were returned we had two C#5s and no D5. It took a whole year to get that corrected.

My advice - don't get them.

Fran

Springfield, Virginia

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[Nicholas Barnard]

Fran,

Well thats very disappointing, and makes for some very "modern" music.

Thank you for sharing, your experience with them.

Nick

[Nancy Tipton]

Run, don't walk, as far away from Suzuki Tonechimes as you can. With just normal use, they quickly crack and go flat, they buzz, they have really strange overtones, they tend to "clunk" instead of resonate . . . stick with your Malmark chimes. They're the best, in my opinion. 

(In 1989 when I inherited a teaching job where Suzuki chimes were used, I took the chimes home with me one night to try to adjust them/fix them/salvage them. The overtones were so painful for my springer spaniel's ears that she hid in the backyard as far away from the house as possible. A couple years later, when she heard my new Malmark chimes, she didn't respond at all--they didn't bother her ears in the least. She was a very discerning animal. :o) 

[F Simpson]

Hello,

I know Malmark invented them and then *somehow* Suzuki came out with them before Malmark could put them into production from a prototype that was borrowed by a Handbell group!!

I find them kinda ok, and think if a school only had so much money, this would be the thing to buy. I wish the "chime" parts were a bit more durable. But I understand they are plastic because they supposedly resonate more that way.




Thomas

[Nicholas Barnard]

Nancy,

Thank you. I'm sold on not buying Suzuki tone chimes. Although now I'm a bit confused, I brought my new Schulmerich Bells home and played them for my cats and they ran away and hid. This is a problem because a) I own 1/4 of a set of 3 octaves of Schulmerich Bells b) I like the cats. If I had to choose between the two of them, the cats might not survive. :-D Although, they did like the G3 (which I try to call a G4 sometimes) that I brought home one day.

That being said, this resulted in a slightly interesting cat / handbell video: http://youtu.be/Jx4mEr5vFa0

Thank you,

Nick

Seattle, WA

(Who just bought off the cats with wet food and treats so he could write this.)

[Colin Walker]

So you’re saying you inherited a teaching job around the same time that Suzuki last updated the pictures in its musical instrument catalog?  One shows up every year, and I’m surprised at how dated the hair styles are…

 

I fifth the recommendation to avoid Suzuki chimes.  I’ve heard a local set where several notes were severely (close to ½ step) out of tune.

 

Colin

(I really need to go back to lurking)

 

From: handb...@googlegroups.com [mailto:handb...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Nancy Tipton
Sent: Friday, August 30, 2013 5:39 PM
To: handb...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [HB-L] Suzuki Tonechimes & Chimettes

 

<snip>

[Colin Walker]

You obviously bought the wrong set. ;-)

 

-Colin

(Who has a 5-octave set of Schullies available if anyone’s interested)

 

From: handb...@googlegroups.com [mailto:handb...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Nicholas Barnard
Sent: Friday, August 30, 2013 6:30 PM
To: handb...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [HB-L] Suzuki Tonechimes & Chimettes

<snip>

 

Thank you. I'm sold on not buying Suzuki tone chimes. Although now I'm a bit confused, I brought my new Schulmerich Bells home and played them for my cats and they ran away and hid.

 

[Nicholas Barnard]

But they liked the Schulmerich G3, so perhaps it is the right set? 

Besides one of the roles of a cat ownee is to harass his owners, so I think its the right set!

Nick

(Who wonders what'd happen if he brought home a P&F C7. Nah, better not try it, getting the couch in the apartment took way too many people, getting it out into the hall to sleep on would be even worse.)

On Aug 30, 2013, at 6:46 PM, "Colin Walker" <colin...@gmail.com> wrote:

You obviously bought the wrong set. ;-)

 

-Colin

(Who has a 5-octave set of Schullies available if anyone’s interested)