<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><DIV><DIV>On Oct 26, 2006, at 8:44 AM, Anne Acker wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Barbara,</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><BR></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">I was told you were making inquiries about all this over on this list so I hopped over</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">You know you have my direct email.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Don't be shy!</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Anyway,<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>an experienced professional harpsichord builder and technician works considerably faster than the quotes I've seen.</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">I can do a 3 register double manual instrument in 8 hrs.</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">I generally allow 2-3 hrs. per register. <SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>2 usually does it.</FONT></P> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>Hi Anne,<BR><DIV><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>Thanks for joining us, even if only temporarily. It is good to get the perspective of someone who is actually a professional, as opposed to those of us for whom it is a part time (very part time, maybe 5% tops in my case, in a good year).</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><SPAN class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </SPAN>I wonder if you might be willing to answer a few other questions on the subject of harpsichord voicing?</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>1) Black versus white delrin material, any comments on the differences, preference?</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>2) Plectrum profile side view: Do you prefer</DIV><DIV>a) even taper from tongue to tip, coming to an almost point?</DIV><DIV>b) a more gradual taper that stays thicker than the above up to a wedge cut at the end?</DIV><DIV>c) a fairly parallel profile from close to the tongue to the wedge cut? (the wedge cut being for return passage to under the string)</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>3) Plectrum top view: Do you prefer</DIV><DIV>a) Triangle, coming to an almost point?</DIV><DIV>b) Fairly parallel starting as close as convenient to the tongue with a quick angle inward, then parallel to the tip?</DIV><DIV>c) Somewhere between those two, tapered, but not to a point?</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>4) Plectrum cross section: Do you prefer</DIV><DIV>a) rectangular, square sides, flat bottom?</DIV><DIV>b) rhomboid, flat bottom, sides tapered inward?</DIV><DIV>c) triangular, sides angled in coming to a point or nearly so?</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Any comments on how these variations affect touch and tone would be most appreciated. And, obviously, any alternatives to what I presented are welcome.<BR><DIV><DIV>Regards,</DIV><DIV>Fred Sturm</DIV><DIV>University of New Mexico</DIV><DIV><A href="mailto:fssturm@unm.edu">fssturm@unm.edu</A></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV></DIV><BR></DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV></BODY></HTML>