Harpsichord

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan

Hadn't heard about using veneer for this before. Thanks Jim!

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan

FWIW, I restrung several instruments under Bill Dowd's supervision some time back. He insisted on using shims of archival, acid free, rag paper. We put it in the holes exactly as Fred suggests above. Never had a problem with it. Glue will seep into the wood around the pin and stain it, I would think. 

Hadn't heard about using veneer for this before. Thanks Jim!

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan

"…archival, acid-free rag paper…." Who knew?!?!  Thanks Dave!

FWIW, I restrung several instruments under Bill Dowd's supervision some time back. He insisted on using shims of archival, acid free, rag paper. We put it in the holes exactly as Fred suggests above. Never had a problem with it. Glue will seep into the wood around the pin and stain it, I would think. 

Hadn't heard about using veneer for this before. Thanks Jim!

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan

"…archival, acid-free rag paper…." Who knew?!?!  Thanks Dave!

FWIW, I restrung several instruments under Bill Dowd's supervision some time back. He insisted on using shims of archival, acid free, rag paper. We put it in the holes exactly as Fred suggests above. Never had a problem with it. Glue will seep into the wood around the pin and stain it, I would think. 

Hadn't heard about using veneer for this before. Thanks Jim!

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan

Illuminating as always, Fred. Thanks!

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan

What has not been specified here is whether the pin is a historic smooth tapered pin or a modern zither pin.

With historic smooth pins the paper shim makes a beautifully tightened pin, very nice to tune. I would hesitate to use CA glue on a historic pin.

I have no experience repairing loose zither pins on harpsichords. CA swabbing might be fine. But remember that harpsichords don't need high torque.

Illuminating as always, Fred. Thanks!

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan

Good point, Ed, about failure to specify which pin type. My bad. It is historical tapered (no threads or becket hole, for those just joining our program already in progress).

What has not been specified here is whether the pin is a historic smooth tapered pin or a modern zither pin.

With historic smooth pins the paper shim makes a beautifully tightened pin, very nice to tune. I would hesitate to use CA glue on a historic pin.

I have no experience repairing loose zither pins on harpsichords. CA swabbing might be fine. But remember that harpsichords don't need high torque.

Illuminating as always, Fred. Thanks!

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan

Good point, Ed, about failure to specify which pin type. My bad. It is historical tapered (no threads or becket hole, for those just joining our program already in progress).

What has not been specified here is whether the pin is a historic smooth tapered pin or a modern zither pin.

With historic smooth pins the paper shim makes a beautifully tightened pin, very nice to tune. I would hesitate to use CA glue on a historic pin.

I have no experience repairing loose zither pins on harpsichords. CA swabbing might be fine. But remember that harpsichords don't need high torque.

Illuminating as always, Fred. Thanks!

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan

Perhaps I misunderstood Ed. These smooth pins are tapered for the bottom few millimeters, but not along their entire length.

Good point, Ed, about failure to specify which pin type. My bad. It is historical tapered (no threads or becket hole, for those just joining our program already in progress).

What has not been specified here is whether the pin is a historic smooth tapered pin or a modern zither pin.

With historic smooth pins the paper shim makes a beautifully tightened pin, very nice to tune. I would hesitate to use CA glue on a historic pin.

I have no experience repairing loose zither pins on harpsichords. CA swabbing might be fine. But remember that harpsichords don't need high torque.

Illuminating as always, Fred. Thanks!

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan

Illuminating as always, Fred. Thanks!

Greetings,

I am no expert at harpsichord servicing, but do have three in my care here at CalArts.

One of them has developed a loose tuning pin. I am advised that the prevailing fix for this is to remove the pin and add a paper shim inside the hole.

In the early, "dark" days of my career as a piano tech, that is what I was taught to do to fix a loose pin on piano (only with sandpaper). Ever since someone out there "discovered" the utility of using thin CA glue for this fix instead, which is much less labor intensive, that has been my SOP. 

Wondering if anyone has either tried this on a harpsichord, or can think of a compelling reason NOT to try it.

Thanks,

Alan