by Thomas Altmann » Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:40 am
Hi RVD,
choosing bells is much like choosing cymbals. If you order one without testing it, you run the risk of receiving an instrument that has unpleasant overtones or interferences of vibrations. The more you stop the sustain, by taping or muffling it, or by just slightly pressing the stick with each stroke, the less it will ring, and consequently the overtones will be less annoying. This will not make it a better instrument, though.
A real buzz, however, I would most certainly ascribe to an imperfect soldering or welding of a seam. You can cut it down by muffling the bell with whatever, but it will still have that crackling, un-resonant sound. There may be a few people who find it funky in a positive sense, and work with that sound musically, but I cannot imagine to really enjoy it. If you have the option, return the bell.
Thomas