I recently noticed on Pearl's website that the Adams marimbas are "tuned to the 6th harmonic". Which would mean 2 octaves and a 5th above the fundamental. Isn't this "Quint tuning" which is normally used on Xylophones, and some vintage Deagan Hybrid instruments? (i.e. Marimba-Xylophone, Xylorimbas)

Most other Marimba manufacturers use "triple tuning" which would involve the 4th and 10th harmonics.

I'm not a big fan of Adams marimbas, mostly because I find the frame design to be not too stable, especially on the 5 octave instruments. I'm also not a fan of flared box resonators.

I always found Adams to have more of a brighter sound than other marimbas, almost Xylophone like in the upper registers. So if they are using "quint tuning" is it even a true marimba? or is it a hybrid instrument.

The Adams quote is "tuned THROUGH the sixth harmonic", or octaves, fiths, and major thirds, although I still hear the octave (4th) and major third (10th) the most strongly.

Xylophone "quint" tuning is only the fundamental and fifth.

I am very pleased with my Adams marimba.

WM

Hi Brandon,
A thread on the PAS website just discussed these issues ( with a lot of great information coming from master tuner Bill Youhass). In a nutshell, Mr. Youhass discussed some of the different design and tuning "philosophies," the extra twist being that different companies realize these philosophies with varying degrees of success and consistency. Definitely worth checking out if you belong to the organization, and if you don't, you should. I've tried to find it, but the PAS message board search function is notoriously touchy. Anyone else out there remember the thread and able to give better directions to it? If all else fails, a search for "Youhass" will turn up some good reading in this field.
Good luck,
Patrick North