Information below on this page is copied from the Whitechapel Foundary website found at http://www.whitechapelbellfoundry.co.uk/hbsize.htm. It describes the sizes of handbells that are available in the different octaves.
Middle C is located in what is called "octave 5," and thus referred to as C5 (C in octave 5). Thus, anything in the next octave down (octave 4), and below are commonly referred to as Bass bells. As you go down in pitch, the bells get bigger, heavier, and cost more. Note that in Whatechapel's chart, their octave 2 does not even go down to C.
A common three (3) octave set of handbells would be octaves 6 - 4.
A common five (5) octave set of handbelss would be octaves 7 - 3.
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The list of weights, sizes, and notes of handbells given below are numbered both with the traditional English handbell numbering system and the International octave notation. |
| PATTERN | NOTE | DIAMETER | WEIGHT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | G | 1313/16" | 351mm | 18lb 15oz 8600g |
| 31 | A | 123/4" | 324mm | 15lb 10oz 7100g |
| 30 | B | 113/4" | 299mm | 13lb 4oz 5980g |
| PATTERN | NOTE | DIAMETER | WEIGHT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | C | 113/8" | 288mm | 11lb 1oz 5000g |
| 28 | D | 109/16" | 268mm | 9lb 6oz 4250g |
| 27 | E | 915/16" | 252mm | 7lb 10oz 3460g |
| 26 | F | 9" | 227mm | 5lb 14oz 2670g |
| 25 | G | 83/16" | 208mm | 4lb 10oz 2100g |
| 24 | A | 73/4" | 196mm | 4lb 2oz 1870g |
| 23 | B | 71/8" | 181mm | 3lb 10oz 1640g |
| PATTERN | NOTE | DIAMETER | WEIGHT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | C | 63/4" | 171mm | 3lb 2oz 1420g |
| 21 | D | 69/16" | 166mm | 3lb 1oz 1390g |
| 20 | E | 67/16" | 163mm | 2lb 12oz 1250g |
| 19 | F | 57/8" | 149mm | 2lb 5oz 1050g |
| 18 | G | 511/16" | 144mm | 2lb 2oz 980g |
| 17 | A | 53/8" | 137mm | 1lb 15oz 880g |
| 16 | B | 413/16" | 123mm | 1lb 9oz 710g |
| PATTERN | NOTE | DIAMETER | WEIGHT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | C | 41/2" | 114mm | 1lb 7oz 650g |
| 14 | D | 43/8" | 111mm | 1lb 6oz 620g |
| 13 | E | 41/8" | 105mm | 1lb 3oz 540g |
| 12 | F | 41/16" | 104mm | 1lb 2oz 510g |
| 11 | G | 315/16" | 101mm | 1lb 1oz 480g |
| 10 | A | 33/4" | 95mm | 14oz 400g |
| 9 | B | 37/16" | 88mm | 13oz 370g |
| PATTERN | NOTE | DIAMETER | WEIGHT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | C | 33/8" | 85mm | 12oz 340g |
| 7 | D | 31/4" | 82mm | 11oz 310g |
| 6 | E | 31/16" | 78mm | 10oz 280g |
| 5 | F | 3" | 76mm | 10oz 280g |
| 4 | G | 213/16" | 71mm | 9oz 260g |
| 3 | A | 211/16" | 68mm | 9oz 260g |
| 2 | B | 25/8" | 66mm | 8oz 230g |
| PATTERN | NOTE | DIAMETER | WEIGHT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | 27/16" | 62mm | 71/2oz 210g |
| 07 | D | 23/8" | 61mm | 71/2oz 210g |
| 06 | E | 25/16" | 59mm | 71/2oz 210g |
| 05 | F | 21/4" | 57mm | 71/2oz 210g |
| 04 | G | 21/4" | 56mm | 7oz 200g |
| 03 | A | 21/8" | 54mm | 7oz 200g |
| 02 | B | 21/16" | 52mm | 7oz 200g |
| PATTERN | NOTE | DIAMETER | WEIGHT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | C | 2" | 51mm | 7oz 200g |