Harpsichord - Baptism Under Fire

[Dorothy A. Bell]

Hi, Phil --
Another harpsichord tuning tip -- don't lift pitch above desired goal and then lower
it in, just gently pull it up to pitch and leave it -- with the low string tension
you don't have to "back it into the garage," and not doing so will be easier on the
strings --
Dorrie Bell
Associate Member, PTG

Phil Bondi wrote:

> Hi Clark
>
> > You weren't tuning it with the pliers, were you?! @#$#, that would be
> > like those types
> > tuning pianos with these things...a tuning handle is cheap.
>
> under the circumstances, I believe it was my only choice..a tuning lever has been
> ordered.
>
> > So who made this instrument, how many keyboards, registers, etc.?
>
> 1 keyboard - maybe 3.5 octaves - the maker was 'something' Pennsylvania - I don't
> remember, obviously.
>
> >Wire
> > is obtainable,
> > but so is knowledge and these things are pretty simple:
>
> perhaps .. but under the circumstances yesterday, it looked like Advanced
> Calculus.
>
> > Key levers in the middle
> > Key end pushes up jack
> > Plectrum plucks string*
> > Jack drops when key is released, tongue flips back to reseat plectrum
> > Damper damps
>
> Gee .. you make this sound like it's real simple .. perhaps it is .. thanks for
> the quick lesson.
>
> > *plectrum length and width is set in voicing, often these break and
> > sometimes they can
> > be adjusted either with a set-screw or by pushing out the plectrum
> > slightly from the
> > back. Some jacks are plastic and some are wood, some plectra are
> > delrin, others quill.
>
> ..and this is the hard part - this Harpsichord will be used for Concerts only, so
> my time learning the instrument will be on-the-job - not the friendliest of
> situations, I think you will agree.
>
> > end course.
>
> hardly!
>
> Rook