"Ticks" on a Harpsichord

[Joel Rappaport]

Avery,
My best guess is that, given the smaller, more malleable strings on a
harpsichord, these ticks are caused by bends in the wire rather than
corrosion.  In this case, lubrication probably would not help.  Time to
restring?  But then, maybe someone with more harpsichord experience has
solved this another way.  Isn't the List great?
----Joel

Avery Todd wrote:
>
> List,
>
>    Borrowing the quotes below from a post by Les Smith (with apologies)
> I'd like to ask about doing this lubrication on a harpsichord. Our best
> one has developed the "ticks" Les mentions and I was wondering about the
> advisability of using this. The harpsichord ticks are on the front bridge
> where the strings pass over going to the tuning pins.
>    The problem is the same as in a piano, i.e. you turn the pin a bit
> before the string breaks loose and then it changes too much.
>    Any thoughts on this? Thanks.
>
> Avery
>
> >As you first lower the tension on the
> >string. you can often hear a slight "tick" as it breaks free from the
> >bearing point.
> >...even though the first thing I
> >do is to apply a small amount of a high-quality lubricant like Protek, to
> >those same bearing points.
>
> _____________________________________
> Avery Todd, RPT
> Moores School of Music
> University of Houston
> 713-743-3226
> atodd@uh.edu
> http://www.uh.edu/music/
> _____________________________________