Comb (steel)

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In a musical box, the source of the sound is often a steel comb. Each tooth on the comb is ground so that when its end is plucked, it produces a specific pitch. When mounted in the instrument on a sound board which amplifies the vibration of the comb, a pinned cylinder is placed so that as it revolves, the pins pluck the ends of the teeth of the comb to play the music. The teeth are usually equally spaced but sometimes of very different depth or thickness; the bass notes being produced by teeth longer, but also much more massive than the higher pitches.