Got some new toys... now what do I do?

[Ryan Mazzocco]

A friend of mine just gave me an oscilloscope and a sweep generator. I know these are used in testing resonances, chlandni patterns, tuning plates, air chambers, etc etc... but I don't know the first thing about them or where to start.
So... Where do I start? what are the basic functions and setup that I need to know? What exactly can they be used for in acoustic guitar building?
If I could just be given a good shove in the right direction that sure would be a great help. Thanks.

[Steve Sawyer]

I have no idea what application these would have in acoustic guitar building, but I believe this is equipment you could use to determine inductance and resonant frequency of electric guitar pickups...

BTW - wish I had friends like that!!

[Pat Foster]

Ryan,

That's a nice old 'scope!

For Chladni pattern testing, the sweep generator would only be marginally useful. You'd also need a frequency counter to see exactly - down to 1 or .5 Hz - what the generator was producing. The oscilliscope could tell you that, but it would be slow and cumbersome to interpret. Best bet might be one of the free or cheap apps to run on an old computer. I like Audiotest ($5) on my old Mac shop computer. It sweeps frequency 1 Hz for each click when rolling the scroll wheel on the mouse, and shows the frequency. There are sweep generator apps, but I don't know of any others that are as convenient as Audiotest.

Pat

[Eric Baack]

get a matching pocket protector? :p

[Eric Baack]

get a matching pocket protector?

[Bryan Bear]

Ryan was a Lambda Lambda Lambda at Adams College, he already has a pocket protector.

[Eric Baack]

very nice.....

I shouldn't talk too much. I've got my M.S. in mechanical engineering so I'm a geek by trade.