Harpsichord

Hi everyone,

I was tuning the piano in a high school choir room, when I saw this harpsichord. I asked the choir director about it. There was a story! Anyway, someone did some work, it doesn't stay in tune. I didn't have time to really look, but snapped this picture of the worst of it. Does one ever shim a harpsichord soundboard? I haven't considered it before, maybe because I've never seen one in such a state. 

Thanks,

Barb Richmond

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Barbara Richmond, RPT
Bloomington, Illinois
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It is possible to shim a harpsichord soundboard, but the cracks are probably more of a cosmetic problem than an acoustic problem.
I would not be in a hurry to assume the tuning instability was caused by the cracked soundboard.
My first guess would be that the tuning instability and the wide cracks were caused by low humidity.
I would also want to check very carefully for structural instability in the treble cheek and soundboard.
See if the gap is closing and binding the registers.
School music departments often have no idea how to care for a harpsichord.
A college in Louisiana ruined a Sutherland harpsichord because they had no understanding of the effects of close spotlights on a harpsichord tuning.
When I tuned for the Charlotte symphony I tuned 90 minutes before each use of the harpsichord, monitoring for constant pitch drift as the heat was off and on, causing a fine instrument to drift 20 cents overnight.
My harpsichord has two small DampChaser rods and a humidistat inside the instrument, which helps limit the reaction to humidity change.

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Ed Sutton
ed440@me.com
(980) 254-7413
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Original Message:
Sent: 11/18/2022 1:14:00 PM
From: Ed Sutton
Subject: RE: Z-box soundboard

It is possible to shim a harpsichord soundboard, but the cracks are probably more of a cosmetic problem than an acoustic problem.
I would not be in a hurry to assume the tuning instability was caused by the cracked soundboard.
My first guess would be that the tuning instability and the wide cracks were caused by low humidity.
I would also want to check very carefully for structural instability in the treble cheek and soundboard.
See if the gap is closing and binding the registers.
School music departments often have no idea how to care for a harpsichord.
A college in Louisiana ruined a Sutherland harpsichord because they had no understanding of the effects of close spotlights on a harpsichord tuning.
When I tuned for the Charlotte symphony I tuned 90 minutes before each use of the harpsichord, monitoring for constant pitch drift as the heat was off and on, causing a fine instrument to drift 20 cents overnight.
My harpsichord has two small DampChaser rods and a humidistat inside the instrument, which helps limit the reaction to humidity change.

------------------------------
Ed Sutton
ed440@me.com
(980) 254-7413
------------------------------

Thanks, for the  information, Fred!

Yeah, I haven't gotten enough details  about what they are experiencing. I'll talk with her some more.

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Barbara Richmond, RPT
Bloomington, Illinois
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-18-2022 13:42
From: Fred Sturm
Subject: Z-box soundboard

I agree with Ed about the soundboard. 

With respect to "it doesn't stay in tune," in what context? Harpsichords will typically move 100¢+ in response to seasonal RH changes, and easily 50¢ very rapidly in response to temperature change (Hot or cold air blowing on the strings, for instance). In a stable environment, harpsichords should be pretty stable with respect to tuning. So unless you have observed it having tuning instability in a stable environment, you shouldn't assume there is a problem with the instrument.

This isn't what I call a Z-box, since it has a bent bent side rather than a straight one. Also a solid spruce soundboard rather than plywood. The early Zuckermann kit, with plywood sides is the one called Z-box, either affectionately or derisively. 

Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm@unm.edu
http://fredsturm.net
www.artoftuning.com

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." John Dewey

Original Message:
Sent: 11/18/2022 1:14:00 PM
From: Ed Sutton
Subject: RE: Z-box soundboard

It is possible to shim a harpsichord soundboard, but the cracks are probably more of a cosmetic problem than an acoustic problem.
I would not be in a hurry to assume the tuning instability was caused by the cracked soundboard.
My first guess would be that the tuning instability and the wide cracks were caused by low humidity.
I would also want to check very carefully for structural instability in the treble cheek and soundboard.
See if the gap is closing and binding the registers.
School music departments often have no idea how to care for a harpsichord.
A college in Louisiana ruined a Sutherland harpsichord because they had no understanding of the effects of close spotlights on a harpsichord tuning.
When I tuned for the Charlotte symphony I tuned 90 minutes before each use of the harpsichord, monitoring for constant pitch drift as the heat was off and on, causing a fine instrument to drift 20 cents overnight.
My harpsichord has two small DampChaser rods and a humidistat inside the instrument, which helps limit the reaction to humidity change.

------------------------------
Ed Sutton
ed440@me.com
(980) 254-7413
------------------------------

Thank you, Ed. I'll schedule a time to have a closer look.

------------------------------
Barbara Richmond, RPT
Bloomington, Illinois
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-18-2022 13:13
From: Ed Sutton
Subject: Z-box soundboard

It is possible to shim a harpsichord soundboard, but the cracks are probably more of a cosmetic problem than an acoustic problem.
I would not be in a hurry to assume the tuning instability was caused by the cracked soundboard.
My first guess would be that the tuning instability and the wide cracks were caused by low humidity.
I would also want to check very carefully for structural instability in the treble cheek and soundboard.
See if the gap is closing and binding the registers.
School music departments often have no idea how to care for a harpsichord.
A college in Louisiana ruined a Sutherland harpsichord because they had no understanding of the effects of close spotlights on a harpsichord tuning.
When I tuned for the Charlotte symphony I tuned 90 minutes before each use of the harpsichord, monitoring for constant pitch drift as the heat was off and on, causing a fine instrument to drift 20 cents overnight.
My harpsichord has two small DampChaser rods and a humidistat inside the instrument, which helps limit the reaction to humidity change.

------------------------------
Ed Sutton
ed440@me.com
(980) 254-7413
------------------------------