Harpsichord string breakage

[Ed Sutton]

Avery,
Sometimes those little coils of yellow wire go bad over the years.
Ed

----------
>From: Avery Todd <atodd@UH.EDU>
>To: caut@ptg.org
>Subject: Harpsichord string breakage
>Date: Wed, Nov 22, 2000, 8:14 AM
>

> List,
>
>    I have our Martin harpsichord in the shop right
> now to replace some broken strings. I've replaced
> one 8' and one 4' succesfully. My problem is that
> another 4' keeps breaking just as I get it to pitch.
> The keyboard is in the correct position and the
> wire is the correct one, all according to the scale
> sheet that came with it.
>    It's a .28 mm yellow wire. So was the other 4'
> and I had no problem. Three have broken already and
> I only have one left until we reorder. There might
> be some the same size in our Phillips harpsichord
> supply but I haven't checked that yet.
>    There are still 2 other strings besides this one,
> to replace. I've replaced quite a few strings over
> the years and have never had this problem before.
>    Any ideas what I might be doing wrong? I'm about
> ready to call in a "real" harpsichord technician.
>    Happy Thanksgiving all.
>
> Avery
>
> P.S. I've used the Prinz HT for a Vivaldi and a
>      Messiah performance. By request, am using 1/6
>      Comma Meantone next week for a Collegium Musicum
>      performance of Italian Baroque music.