Etherwave tuning issues...

Thanks for all the ideas folks.  The strip around the outside of the case is actually a silver/grey rubber material... not metal.  I've tested it with a continuity probe and it's not conductive.  That's not to say there isn't a metal strip inside it though... so I'll try taking it off this weekend to see if that makes any difference.  

Thierry - thanks for the tip on the foil.  I was merely copying how the circuit board was mounted inside its original Etherwave case, but I'll remove this to see what happens.

Fred - The volume circuit seems to be just fine, and luckily it isn't affecting the pitch that I can tell.

I likely won't get time to try again until this weekend, but I'll keep you all posted!

I'm sure the carrying case theremin is very utilitarian and practical, and no doubt it will appeal to a lot of people who appreciate the businesslike look of it, but to me it is unattractive and totally devoid of imagination.

It also seems to be a lot bigger and clumsier than it needs to be in order to house the sparse innards of an Etherwave theremin. It lacks the slimmer, more streamlined feel of the Wavefront "Travel Case" model.

Jason, with your incredibly creative head you can do a helluva lot better than this. Looks like ya found the case in a dumpster. Now get rid of it and start over!

... While you are in the dumpster, why not try to find a huge dead Opposum, and get the Badgermin a little brother?

"Now get rid of it and start over!" - Coalport

LOL ;-) This reminds me why you, Peter, are one of my favorite people here on TW!  ;-)

"and get the Badgermin a little brother" - Amey

;-) .. Now im starting to enjoy this thread!  ;-) ..

.. And feeling a little ashamed of myself -

If it hadnt been Jason, I would probably have made a load of sulpherous comments about the case and construction and said things like "even putting a layer of paint containing carbon will de-tune an EW, how do you expect to put the guts into something like that without having major problems ?!"

LOL.

Fred.

So there is no misunderstanding, IMO, this case theremin ranks in my opinion as one of the most, if not the most, horrible theremin constructions I have ever seen... This is at every level - technical, visual,practical.. It really couldnt be worse IMO ;-).