Harpsichord

[John R Fortiner]

List:  Sorry to post this to piano techs, but I know that there are some
harpsichord "techs" on this list and this post is primarily posted to
them:
	Last week I was asked to tune a harpsichord that a dentist had
"constructed" ( what a crude word ) from a kit.  Actually, considering
that he had absolutely NO training in the area of keyboard instruments he
did a very good job - from the eyes of this piano tech.  His wife had
painted a Flemish landscape on the underside - GREAT JOB!!
	There were, however, a couple of things that caught my attention as
needing improvement:
	1.  The coils on the pins were nothing even close to tight - ( some
wraps were seperated from the previous wrap by as much as 3/16".  Is
there a coil lifter similar to the one that we use on pianos? or do you
who work on these instruments use a hook.
	2.  The coils were not level ( how did you ever guess )  Yes, I know we
use a steel tool to level the tops of coils on pianos, but what about on
harpsichords?  My own GUESS was that a piece of very hard maple with a
hole drilled in it to allow the wooden coil setter to slide over the pin,
but not the wire was a thought - and then again that wire is really small
stuff - so how is that done?
	3. What angle should the wire be making as it approaches the pins from
the bridge? ( I know that until the coil problems are ironed out that
this angle is going to be anything but correct.)
	4.  How far above the wrestplank should the bottom of the coils be?
btw I believe that the owner said the make was something like
"Hubber"????

Sorry again to those of you that are primarily piano techs, but to those
of you who work on these instruments, PLEASE RESPOND.  Thanks so much in
advance.

Waiting to learn from you, 
John R. Fortiner 
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