Abe, Can you post a picture of your wheel and bridge area somewhere (or send me one)? Before you start sanding or modifying your instrument, we should look for other causes. While it's possible that humidity has done what you describe, it doesn't sound like it to me.
Just to be clear, have the drones stopped sounding as well, or just the melody strings? If all the strings have stopped sounding, I'm guessing that rosin is your problem, in part because your description sounds like you're using the rosin in a way that won't help. Note that with the liquid rosin, there are two uses: (1) to get the strings to hold cotton better, (2) to apply it to the wheel to give a rosin coating. Your description sounds like you are trying to rosin the instrument (use number 2) by painting the stuff on the strings (as for use number 1). If that is the case, that's your problem right there: you are getting zero rosin on the wheel. (If I'm misreading your description then obviously what I'm writing doesn't apply.) Before you modify the instrument, I would highly recommend that you get a smooth block of solid rosin and apply it directly to the wheel while turning, keeping a smooth surface on the block to the wheel and gently moving it back and forth across the face. If my guess is correct, you will find that that will solve the problem directly. -Arle On Nov 27, 2011, at 08:05 , Abe wrote: > Hi All, > I'm looking for advice. I cannot get my tekero to sound good on a > regular basis. It seems like every time I sit down it sounds totally > different. And now that the dry Vermont is setting in sometimes the > instrument won't make noise at all (I just got a humidifier). I've > tried cottoning and re-cottoning, using varying amounts of rosin, and > I started to sand the bridge down for better string contact. However, > I don't want to go overboard. And am a little confused b/c it's not > just one string but all of them that stopped making noise. Could a > shrinking instrument compromise all the strings contact/pressure? > Should I continue to slowly, very slowly, sand down the bridge on the > melody string and see what happens? I'm getting a little more sound, > but not much, as I sand it down. I'm going very slowly. > > Also, someone gave me liquid rosin w/ acetone as the base...Any idea > how to apply this stuff/how much to use? So far I've been applying it > to a non cottoned string with a piece of plastic underneath. Then I > wait a few seconds for it to dry, then I turn the wheel. > > Thanks for helping a new player. And if you know of a good DVD/book on > set up that would be great. Finally, if anyone is willing to talk to > me directly I'd really appreciate it. I will gladly give you my > number. > > Thanks, > > Abe > > -- > 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. -- 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.
