Harpsichord string breakage

Stephen Birkett birketts@wright.aps.uoguelph.ca
Mon Nov 27 09:32 MST 2000


Avery wrote:
> No, it's Bb in the A-415 position. That's where the maker's instruction
> sheet says to put it. Here's a direct quote: "List for replacement of
> strings and plectra, with keyboard in the middle (A=415) position."
> 
In that case, design scaling is reasonable (e.g. > 2 s.t. to breaking for Rose
yellow brass), so your problem lies in either a mechanical reason (as several
have already offered suggestions for something which is causing a localized
point of high stress) or the wire you have is bad. Try restringing with the
remaining piece on a neighbouring note. If it breaks you're no worse off than if
you had put it on the problem note, since it would have broken there anyway. You
can conclude the problem lies with bad wire and order some more. If it doesn't
break on the neighbouring note you can conclude the problem is localized stress
and hunt out the cause.

Stephen

Stephen Birkett Fortepianos
Authentic Reproductions of 18th and 19th Century Pianos
464 Winchester Drive
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada N2T 1K5
tel: 519-885-2228
mailto: birketts@wright.aps.uoguelph.ca


This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC