[ Ref. John Kane in 150705 MMDigest ]

Hey, Jack!  Start with a piece of graph paper or turn a lined sheet
of paper turned sideways.  Use the space between each line to note the
value of the each note.  Number the spaces from 'one' to however many
teeth you have.  Take a marking pen and make reference numbers on the
comb(s), in case you lose your place. (Be sure to _not_ number the
space for the tooth (teeth) by the spacer washers; make an X in that
box.)

Have the comb screwed to a very secure place; a piece of wood is fine.
Have a pencil to use to pluck the tooth and record the value.  A piece
of strip magnet (like those used on a refrigerator door) will help to
mute the surrounding teeth so they don't interfere with your reading.
You can also use painter's masking tape as a mute.

In order to get the correct value for each note, you can't have any
interference from outside sources.  So, get yourself a contact
microphone.  (Try at guitar shops.)  They come with what looks like
a wad of chewing gum.  Take a little piece of the 'gum' and push it
onto the mike.  Put the mike on the top of the comb, within 1/2-inch
or so of the notes you're going to pluck.

Pluck the note, watch the strobe and record the value.  The combs are
'stretch tuned', so the value of the 'cents' difference is vital.

Have fun!

Nancy Fratti - Nancy Fratti Music Boxes
Canastota, New York, USA
http://www.nancyfrattimusicboxes.com/ 

 [ Normally, a contact microphone is an accelerometer that produces
 [ a signal according to the motion of the housing (case).  Another
 [ suitable transducer is the magnetic guitar pick-up used by Les Paul
 [ in the late 1940s.  -- Robbie