When to replace a string, how to clean the wheel, dealing with sticking, dust, playing advice...

[Zach Most]

Forgive the rookie questions (that may be answered in Doreen Muskett's book)- Short of it breaking, how do you know when to replace a string?  I have two that are just getting quieter and quieter, despite re-doing the cotton and playing with rosin.  How many hours of playing do your gut strings typically last?

What do you recommend for cleaning the wheel?  I've read you can take 600 grit sand paper to it without doing much harm, but I've been hesitant to use anything but a soft, clean cloth so far.  What if you get a little oil on it?  Are there any solvents you can use to get it off without damaging anything?

I'm seeing a buildup of fine dust on the soundboard around the wheel.  It's the color of my cotton, so I'm guessing that's where it's coming from.  Is there an easy and safe way to clean that up?

I have just one key that sticks every once in a while.  Would you guys use teflon powder on that, use graphite, or give it a light sanding?  Something else?

Is it acceptable to ask for playing advice here too?  I posted a video on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgh9Ddu1HWc   There's a lot to learn, but I'm enjoying the instrument so far.  Getting all the different coups down has been surprisingly difficult.  I've watched some videos on them, but I'm still having trouble getting them remotely as clean or consistent as the experts.  Any advice on how to get the knack?

  Zach

[Alden F M Hackmann]

Zach -

Ever so briefly -

To get the coups, or just to keep from getting carpal tunnel syndrome, don't bend your right wrist. Rearrange your gurdy on your body so that your right elbow is closer to your body, so that when you turn the crank, you are moving your upper arm back and forth as if you are a choo-choo train. ;-) Your wrist should be straight in both dimensions - not bent in, not bent out, not bent up or down. The power of the coup comes from the muscles of the upper arm, not the wrist or the lower arm. Your wrist may get a little bit involved, but not much.

I'll try to get my anatomy students to draw out or animate the motion showing which muscle groups are involved. ;-)

Alden F.M. Hackmann dark...@u.washington.edu

"Beati illi qui in circulum circumeunt, fient enim magnae rotae."

[Scott Gayman]

So many questions, but all good ones.

How old is your current string? You should replace a string whenever you feel it necessary, but usually, for the nonprofessional, every 6 months or more depending on use and wear.

You really don't need to clean the wheel. Bows are hair and require much more care than a wheel so "cleaning" them is not really a necessity. However, if you do get finger oils on the wheel, the fast repair is to lightly clean the wheel with an alcohol wipe (the medical type not the hand wipes which may contain aloe or some other oil) and then wait for it to dry. The instrument will sound really rapsy for a bit but it will return to normal shortly. Remember to avoid getting the wipe on the finish and you are just removing the surface oil not trying to scrub wheel.

As for sanding, make sure you do so lightly and only enough to remove the problem.

Use a clean cotton clothe to get the dust off the instrument. Never use a solvent or an alcohol on the instrument. You could destroy the finish or soften the glue (although this is much less likely then damaging the finish) .

Start with graphite and work your way to sanding. Remember that the keys swell as the weather changes. Also, don't use powdered teflon in a way that it can get on the wheel, Alden refers to it as "wheel death" for a reason.

You are on the right track and asking good questions. The videos also help for diagnosing playing issues.

I concur with the others about your right hand. I often tell people that the action of rolling your arm back that far is unnatural and your bodies reaction is to break the wrist and bend it around. The action of bending the wrist makes playing the coups much more difficult or impossible. Keep your wrist straight and use your fingers and arm to get the coups.

Keep asking questions,

Scott

Zach Most <clermo...@yahoo.com> wrote:

>--
>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
>Groups "hurdygurdy" group.
>To post to this group, send email to hurdy...@googlegroups.com
>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
>hurdygurdy+...@googlegroups.com
>For more options, visit this group at
>http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy
>
>The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster.

[Zach Most]

My current string came with the instrument, and has been played on for about 6 months.
  So graphite- do you guys use a powdered graphite, or is just rubbing on the key with the side of a soft pencil a better choice?  Seems like it would be more controllable, but I don't have a feel for the quality of that graphite for making the keys slide better.
  The warning about teflon is forboding.  What does it do to the wheel?  I've seen folks selling a liquid suspended teflon.  Does that just reduce the risk of the dust getting on the wheel?
  Zach

---

From: Scott Gayman <vonh...@aol.com>
To: hurdy...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wed, April 13, 2011 10:26:08 PM
Subject: Re: [HG-new] When to replace a string, how to clean the wheel, dealing with sticking, dust, playing advice...

>hurdygurdy+unsub...@googlegroups.com

>For more options, visit this group at
>http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy
>
>The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm.  To reduce spam, posts from new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "hurdygurdy" group.
To post to this group, send email to hurdy...@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to

hurdygurdy+unsub...@googlegroups.com

[Scott Gayman]

Try to always use a suspended powder (eg. Soft pencil lead and suspended teflon powder) . An art pencil works well for graphite and Neil Brook's "slippy stuff" is good for teflon. Always apply the graphite/teflon with the head pointed down so it does not want to drift toward the wheel.

Scott

Zach Most <clermo...@yahoo.com> wrote:

>>hurdygurdy+...@googlegroups.com

>>For more options, visit this group at
>>http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy
>>
>>The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at
>>http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new
>>subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster.
>
>--
>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
>Groups "hurdygurdy" group.
>To post to this group, send email to hurdy...@googlegroups.com
>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to

>hurdygurdy+...@googlegroups.com

>For more options, visit this group at
>http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy
>
>The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at
>http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new
>subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster.
>
>
>
>
>
>--
>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
>Groups "hurdygurdy" group.
>To post to this group, send email to hurdy...@googlegroups.com
>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to

>hurdygurdy+...@googlegroups.com