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 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] 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.
