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Glass Identification - Post here for all ID requests => Glass => Topic started by: Max on September 22, 2011, 04:39:48 PM

Title: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: Max on September 22, 2011, 04:39:48 PM
I've never pinged a glass in my life!  Well, unless I'm worried it's cracked or something, in which case it gives more of a dull thud instead of a ring.  I just don't get the whole pinging glass thing.  Does anyone actually use it to any effect?  Maybe you could tell a crystal glass from an ordinary glass, but you could tell that by weight instead....

Title: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: flying free on September 22, 2011, 04:54:43 PM
is crystal always heavier Max? I have never known how you would tell.  I 'ping' my some of my glass but only if it's bowl- shaped lol, then if it's a good 'un gives off a lovely ring  ;D
m
Title: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: Helen on September 22, 2011, 05:00:06 PM
I've never pinged a glass in my life!  Well, unless I'm worried it's cracked or something, in which case it gives more of a dull thud instead of a ring.  I just don't get the whole pinging glass thing.  Does anyone actually use it to any effect?  Maybe you could tell a crystal glass from an ordinary glass, but you could tell that by weight instead....


You should give it a try then Max, you can get some beautiful sounds . I use the 'ping' to try and ascertain if there are any flaws in the glass but maybe I've also been brainwashed by my Dad who believed that a good 'ring' from a 'ping' was a sign of quality.
Title: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: glassobsessed on September 22, 2011, 06:04:28 PM
I have never been convinced by the 'ping thing' and rarely flick items with my finger. One day someone is going to break something doing that and not their fingernail....

The quality of the sound produced when pinging will be a result of the shape and the tendency for the material to resonate and not 'quality'. No doubt different types of glass will ring and resonate differently but to compare accurately you would need identical items made from the different materials. The older we get the more insensitive our hearing becomes too. :spls:

On the other hand, if you enjoy pinging things I don't want to be a killjoy. ;D

John

Title: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: Lustrousstone on September 22, 2011, 06:55:43 PM
I always do the pinging thing a) because it's a good way to tell if you've got lead crystal (particularly handy with "dating" in the loosest sense Victorian pressed glass) and b) because some pieces make such lovely rings.
Title: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: Paul S. on September 22, 2011, 08:07:45 PM
Couldn't agree more with Lustrousstone (I don't always ;)) - If you have never pinged one of the W/Fs bowls - some lead crystal water jugs - a drinking glass or two, you really haven't lived Max  -  where else can you hear a sound so pure and beautiful?   Some pings seem to go on for ever, although it has to be said, of course, that shape does help to extend the ring.    I guess those people who collect pressed glass only are missing a real treat :)   
Title: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: Max on September 22, 2011, 08:35:26 PM
lol @ pinging pressed glass!  ;D

Is pinging related in any way to running a damp finger around the rim of a glass and making it sing?  Er...if you haven't done that, then you won't know what I'm talking about!

Erm...might have to split this off in a moment...   :t:

Title: Re: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: dirk. on September 22, 2011, 08:48:49 PM
My friend Georg is always (well, counting the last 8 years) giving an organ concert on the
last hour of the year. We always have other instruments involved as well - some traditional
music for flute and organ for example, but also we usually make an improvisation with
various instruments like chineses gongs, singing bowls etc...
The year before last however we started the concert with the silent ringing of some of my
stemware...  ;D
It´s a lovely old 13-14th century church with great acoustics and on these concerts it´s only
lit with candles. The effect of these silent, little pings was great and somewhat ´beyond´.
Title: Re: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: Ivo on September 22, 2011, 09:41:35 PM
a tap with the knuckle will tell me if the item is glass, semi-crystal or lead crystal so I find it useful.
Title: Re: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: flying free on September 22, 2011, 09:56:52 PM
Ivo!!!!  ;D  how do you tell the difference between semi-lead crystal and lead crystal?  does it have a different ring? does the 'ping' not last as long?  I can only tell the difference between a 'thud' of glass and the 'ring' of something that is not as thick and is bowl-shaped lol , but I don't actually know what the sound tells me.
Title: Re: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: Ivo on September 23, 2011, 07:08:00 AM
A dull thud is sodalime glass. A hard short ping is semicrystal - used predominantly in the UK and in Bohemia. And the long clear note is lead crystal. Of course you need to take the shape and weight into account. But it works for most tableware.
Title: Re: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: flying free on September 23, 2011, 08:03:44 AM
Thank you, that's excellent  :)
Title: Re: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: johnphilip on September 23, 2011, 09:42:04 AM
A tap with your knuckle is also good for making sure your woman is paying attention  . Is that not correct  Rosie  . :ooh:
Title: Re: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: chopin-liszt on September 23, 2011, 11:32:56 AM
I have a beautiful hot-worked, coloured glass tazza which gives the most amazing long pure ring - it doesn't look as if it should, the bowl section is quite flat and optic ribbed, but the ring goes on forever.

(ok slight exaggeration. Maybe not really "forever". It's been timed at ~ 30 seconds.)
Title: Re: 'Pinging glass' - what does it do??
Post by: Pinkspoons on September 23, 2011, 11:38:36 AM
I've the thinnest, most lightweight, Venini bowl that gives a very deep and very long chime if you give it a tap on the side. I'll end up breaking it one of these days.  :o