But now I no longer have any excuses.
If you'll recall, I've built two Flemish harpsichords, and they were pretty easy. As a result of that previous building experience, the actual physical winding of string is less of a challenge to me than might ordinarily be true. Plus, one key, one string. Or couple the 8' and 4' together, the concept being the same. But even so, one string, one jack, one plectrum for each pitch. The stringing schedule was clearly spelled out on a chart (as I recall). Piece of cake.
That's a different animal from this fretted clavichord. With this instrument, the trick is deciding which gauge goes on which tuning pin. The table which was to serve as a guide to stringing was quite confusing to me. Writing to the author of the manual was less than enlightening, but with those insights in concert with my more analytical husband's ability to translate things for my right brain, I think I've got it.
My first bit of confusion came with the use of the term "course." A simple definition I came up with is: a collection of pairs of strings of the same gauge. Adding to the mix is that one set of instructions has to serve two different ways of stringing the instrument. The manual says that eight courses of string will be supplied in individual, labeled envelopes with the notes for which they are intended written on each one. That is not so. First, all strings are twist-tied and labeled only with the gauge on the twist-tie. All were packaged together in one plastic bag without further labeling or identification. Second, there are only seven gauges. I had to write for clarification. Turns out, the eighth gauge is for wound strings for the eight lowest bass notes, "which obviously (I) did not order. Ignore that." All righty, then. That's helpful to know.
Clarifying in my mind what is meant by the term "course" (simply put, gauge), I then had to decide what gauge goes with which note, and by extension, which tuning pin. Again, my strong reliance on visual learning kicked in, so I either needed a better, clearer chart or a diagram. Hubby and I did a lot of out-loud thinking and came up with something I can work with.
Are there other visual learners out there like me? If so, I've drawn a diagram of the pin block, showing what gauge goes where and to which "course" they belong.
My husband then took it to the next level and created a prettied-up version on the computer with full color coding which tells me what I need to know at a glance.
Now I can lay a diagram next to the pin block and quickly and easily see what gauge to use next. Stay tuned for a post dealing with tangent placement. I'm hoping it will be relatively easy since the blueprint shows where to place each one. Onward and upward!
