[CAUT] FW: Harpsichord popping strings

[Ed Sutton]

If it is used daily, the player will tune a little every day, and the strings won't break from going way over pitch.

If it is used twice a year, then tune it up to pitch for performance, then lower pitch and put it away until Christmas.

Ed S.


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Paul T Williams 
  To: caut at ptg.org 
  Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 3:31 PM
  Subject: Re: [CAUT] FW: Harpsichord popping strings


  So no copper/brass or whatever they are in the bass sections? I've been downsizing the string guages on size on replacements, and now about 1/3 have been replaced.  Perhaps it was too beefed up at the beginning to handle it. 

  I'll check the edges at bridges etc. 

  It's very random where they break, so i'm still mystified why this is happening.  I wish I had time to really check it out further,....but then again, not. I really don't like these things!  I'm learning more and more by force <G> 

  Perhaps a complete restringing with steel and a lighter guage might be in order, but when to do it is a real challenge!  They're used so seldom, that it's hard to justify spending dozens of hours on it. 

  Thanks, though, Jim.  I'll look further into it. 
  Paul 




        From:  Jim Busby <jim_busby at byu.edu>  
        To:  "caut at ptg.org" <caut at ptg.org>  
        Date:  10/11/2010 12:42 PM  
        Subject:  [CAUT] FW:  Harpsichord popping strings 


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  Paul, 
    
  Of course there is the obvious “check for sharp edges at the bridges, etc. etc.” and I use a very fine 1200 grit polishing cloth for that, but in our case it was what I said below… 
    
  Jim 
    
  From: Jim Busby 
  Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 11:36 AM
  To: 'caut at ptg.org'
  Subject: RE: [CAUT] Harpsichord popping strings 
    
  Hi Paul, 
    
  Fred is the man to ask here, but I will tell you that we had the same problem and how it was “solved”. 
    
  First, make sure that the wire size is correct. I found that makers will try a size bigger/smaller without batting an eye. We finally asked the builder, who reluctantly told us to change the type of wire to steel (different size too), then voice it down to where it matched. On this harpsichord we found that several strings were NOT the right size and correcting/changing size made them break less (or not at all, so far) and that changing to steel worked 100% of the time, but I found that the tone difference was too great. I didn’t like it, but was able to voice it to where the artist likes it. Also, on the few I changed to steel, they go out of tune WAY more when compared to their neighbors. But hey, the builder made the recommendation (to steel) so go figure. 
    
  Good luck Paul. 
    
  Regards, 
  Jim 
    
  From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Paul T Williams
  Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 11:22 AM
  To: CAUTlist
  Subject: [CAUT] Harpsichord popping strings 
    
  H Cauters, 

  One of our harpsichords pops strings all by itself!  I have to replace strings all the time and it's rarely played. I used to think it was excessive humidity in this sub-basement room, but now again, 3 more strings have popped in the last week or so and the humidity is very low.  Our other two harpsichords almost never break strings and also hold their tune much better than this one, and played about equally. 

  What's going on with it?  Any ideas? 

  Thanks 
  Paul 

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