<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <?fontfamily><?param Helvetica><HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Hi everyone,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I got a call today from a lady who told me that = there is evidence of mice in the piano, or past mouse activity.  I'm going = over to take a look at the piano tomorrow.  Actually, she's willing to pick = me up. She drives Mercedes, an old one she tells me.  If the spelling is incorrect, blame my wife.:)  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Anyway, I won't do anything with the keys and = action of the bridal straps are missing until I learn that repair.  However, = I want to accomodate her the best I can.  She wants it tuned, but a couple = of keys will go down but not up.  I'm guessing there's a mouse nest in the = key bed, however, is there something I can do in order to give that key a quick = free up so it will go back up before I learn that bridal strap repair = etc?   Also, I read in one of our past journals some time back that lavender = placed inside the piano helps keep mice away.  Where do I purchase = lavender?  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I apologize if this is a question already exists = in the archives as one guy on here reamed mb about a while back, but i'ts a lot = easier than hunting down an archive. Thanks so much everyone. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Marshall</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=aartinamerica@optonline.net href="mailto:aartinamerica@optonline.net">Aart in America Piano = Services</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, February 16, = 2006 7:15 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> harpsichord</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><B><BR><?/fontfamily></B> <BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Hi Blaine.<BR><BR>Thank you so much for taking the = time to compose this very informative and helpful email.<BR>The directions = you have provided are invaluable!<BR><BR>I'll let you and the other good = folks on the list know how it comes out.<BR><BR>Very best regards,<BR><BR>Aart<BR><BR>Aart in America Piano = Services<BR>Hoboken, N.J. 07030<BR>201 406 2594<BR><A = href="mailto:aartinamerica@optonline.net">aartinamerica@optonline.net</= A><BR><BR>On Feb 16, 2006, at 9:01 AM, Blaine Vesely wrote:<BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE>Aart,<BR>I get pianotech in digest form and have minimal = time to read everything, but your post prompted this email.  Don't = even worry about taking inharmonicity measurements with a SAT2 since = the machine does not go below 2.0 I think.  A harpsichord = modelled after an old Baroque French Double (sounds like this is the kind you = will be working on) will not have much inharmonicity.  Just use the = 4th octave settings on your SAT to tune from B4 to the bottom of the harpsichord.  A4 will be more toward the treble than the bass = side of the keyboard assuming a compass of F to F.  Probably the = second A from the top of the range on the keyboard.  When you tune the = C5 to top of the keyboard, you may have to insert some stretch alittle, = but not much.  You can use the individual settings and tune the notes = directly, like set machine to D5 and tune D5, D#5 and tune = D#5.  This gets you in the ballpark pretty much.  Then use your ear to = test if some stretch is needed.  On a French Double, you will have = two 8 foots and a 4 foot.  I usually tune the top manual.  It = will only operate one set of 8 foot strings.  You must make sure = the top keyboard is coupled.  Slide the whole keyboard front or back = and it will couple the keyboard to the jacks.  When you get the top = manual tuned, then play the bottom manual.  Make sure you only have = the second set of 8 foot strings coupled, and not the 4 foot.  = Tune unisons using the bottom keyboard.  Usually the 8 foot = strings are the tuning pins closest to the player.   Then turn off = the 8 foot (lever that moves the jacks) and turn on the 4 foot and = tune.  The top 4 foot strings are hard sometimes to hear and you may have = to uncouple the top manual and tune octaves with just the 4 foot, = usually it is only the last several strings because they are so quiet and = high pitched. <BR><BR>Concerning tuning pins, if you have to = replace a string, you really have to back out the tuning pin all the way if = it has tapered tuning pins.  If it has what look like miniature = tuning pins that are straight, then put coils on a dummy pin and then copy = what the other strings look like.  I have not done any stringing with = pins that have no becket, to if that is the case, you will just have to = practice and when you get comfortable with it, go back to the customer.  The pins generally for harpsichords that are of a traditional nature are designed to get tighter when tapped in and = thus tapered.  So take the pin out, put the string in (you might = want to take the jacks out) and cut it maybe 8 inches longer than the = tuning pin.  Copy the way the string is on the pin and it helps to = maintain adequate tension when coiling the string on the pin, and drive the = pin in the hole.  I have also been told that when you bring the = string up to tension that you should leave it a little bit under pitch, maybe = 50 - 100 cents for a few minutes.  Someone told me that it does = something to the molecules in the iron strings and makes it stronger.  = Then bring it up to full tension.  Oh yes, the low inharmonicity and = lower pitch when stringing thing I just talked about applies to instruments = with red, yellow brass and iron strings.  If you know that the = instrument has steel strings or has strings that are wound, then there is = probably more inharmonicity and will need some stretch eventually in = tuning.  One way to tell iron from steel is that when you bend or kink iron, it = will be easier to bend and will give you a definite kink.  Steel is = harder to put a kink in it.<BR><BR>Some fast thoughts, have fun with it.<BR><BR>Blaine Vesely, Piano Technician<BR>Kent State University<BR>School of Music<BR>Kent, Ohio 44242<BR>office: 330-672-2898<BR>fax: 330-672-7837<BR>email: = bvesely@kent.edu<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></H= TML>