Götz Wolf Tone Suppressor for Cello, ZD-252
ZD-252
Wolf note eliminator for cello from our own production, 5 grams.
- Mass 5 grams
- Fits between bridge and tailpiece
- Material brass
Technical data
| Instrument | cello |
| Mass | 5 g |
| Fitting | between bridge and tailpiece |
| Item number | ZD-252 |
Features
- For cello
In practice
- A wolf note arises when a body resonance coincides with a stopped note. The cello is mainly affected, most often around F and F sharp, less often between E and G sharp.
- The eliminator is fitted on the string section between bridge and tailpiece and deliberately detunes that section by adding mass.
- You move the position until the wolf disappears.
- Because the mass also damps the string, the rule is: as light as possible, as heavy as necessary.
- Beyond that, the wolf can be influenced by a change of strings or by the violin maker adjusting the soundpost.
Sound and physics
A wolf note arises when the frequency of a bowed note coincides with a strongly coupled natural resonance of the body; the note then finds no stable state, it stutters or jumps. On the cello the wolf most often speaks around F and F sharp, less often between E and G sharp; on the G string that puts it in a high position.
The vibrating system to which the string is coupled also includes the string section between bridge and tailpiece. An eliminator on this section damps and shifts the resonance, so that its peak (the amplitude at the top of the resonance) falls. It works where the troublesome vibration has an antinode; in the wrong place the wolf merely moves to the neighbouring note, and if it is too heavy it also damps the neighbouring notes.
Our wolf eliminators ZD-251 to ZD-255 weigh 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 grams, in steps of 2 grams. They are made from the brass alloy CuZn39Pb3 and slip onto the string without a screw; the string tension holds them in place. Because the mass shifts the resonance and at the same time damps the string, the rule is: as light as possible, as heavy as necessary. The graded steps make it possible to find the smallest effective weight on each individual cello; the ZD-255 also comes gold-plated as the ZD-255G.
Our experience
Our experience: we fit the eliminator to the string on which the wolf sounds, start with 7 grams and go one step heavier or lighter from there. Sometimes it is precisely a heavy weight on the A string that helps.
Our experience: 7 or 9 grams are usually enough, and the ZD-254 at 9 grams is the one cellists ask us for most often. Our eliminators are built for the cello.
When another model suits you better
If you would like to address the wolf by pitch, the ZD-231 wolf eliminator comes in six variants tuned to ranges from low d-e to special g-a.
Frequently asked questions
Do fine cellos have a wolf note too?
Yes, cellos by famous makers have their wolf too; it arises exactly where body resonances are strongly coupled.
Where do I fit the wolf eliminator?
On the section between bridge and tailpiece of the string on which the wolf sounds. Then move it until the wolf disappears.
What helps if the eliminator alone is not enough?
Rossing names further options: a change of strings, which alters the mass per unit length and with it the coupling, and an adjustment of the soundpost by the luthier.
Which weight do I need?
In our experience 7 or 9 grams are usually enough; we start with 7 grams and go one step heavier or lighter from there.
What material are the Götz eliminators made of?
From the brass alloy CuZn39Pb3.
These texts hold decades of experience and a great deal of heart. They are protected by copyright, C.A. Götz jr. GmbH. Please ask us before any use. Thank you for your appreciation.
