Sorry for the typing slips and half formed sentences; it was a little late at night, and I was being called away from my computer (not actually the effect of the wine I was talking about). I hope, nevertheless, you could decipher my meaning.
I will try to carry out a systematic test with hygrometer in the case and hygrometer on the wall (taking account of any difference due to the two sensors), and I will report on my findings. This should not be difficult, as you can read the value of both meters from the one on the wall. I have noticed that my gut strings almost always need retuning when I take the lute from the case. Usually, the top strings need tuning up, but about an hour later, I usually have to tune them down again. I don't know whether this shows that the temperature is lower and the humidity higher in the case. Curiously, the bass strings often need to be tuned down, so I don't think this can be the reason. Bass strings, Pistoys and Venice as well as gimped Pistoys, behave slightly differently when compared to lower twist strings, and often need to be retuned in the opposite direction. regards Anthony Le 18 sept. 07 à 00:01, Anthony Hind a écrit : > > Le 17 sept. 07 à 18:49, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> a écrit : > >> On Sun, Sep 16, 2007, Anthony Hind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: >> >>> I don't think it is very easy to generalize, about this sort of >>> thing. What seems to be important, is constant temperature and >>> humidity; and while a case may slightly slow down the speed of a >>> change, it is probably better to have a lute on the wall with the >>> correct temperature and humidity, than a lute in its case in bad >>> conditions. >> >> true, but, note one thing, if a cased lute exists in a room with well >> controled conditions, once the case and the room are in agreement, >> the >> case moderates changes that either dont occur, or are considered >> trivial. >> The case will of course provide some degrere of physical protection >> for >> the lute, keeps it from dust, and acts as a barrier to whatever spore >> molds exist (outside and in). > > Dama > I have to say that I keep my wine in a cellar in cellular dense > polystyrene, but this is because wine can be damaged by small > vibrations as well as penetrating light, and the polystyrene most > certainly does save the wine from some temperature fluctuation. > > However, I have the impression that lute- cases are made mainly to > protect lutes from accidental blows (while carrying them), and the > fact that most are black, shows that they are not designed > specifically to protect the lute much from heat fluctuations due to > sun, even if they may do so to an extent. > > I would not be surprised if the case is made, as it is, more from > tradition than from any serious thought about protecting the > instrument from temperature and humidity fluctuations. Perhaps, > someone could come up one specifically designed forthis purpose > > >> >> It might be an interesting experiemnet to obtain two instruments that >> monitor atmosheric conditions and place one in a case, the other >> next to >> the case; record for a week, and see how the case moderates the >> changes. > > > Well actually, I should be able to tell you that, as I have a > hygrometer+ thermometer device on the wall, and a slave device in the > case. The slave device sends information to the master meter. The > meter rings when the slave goes below a certain pre-set degree of > humidity. > > I can say that the measure is not identical within the case, and on > the wall. Unfortunately, I am whether this is not just a defect of > the meter. There also seems to be a variation when I put the master > and slave side-by-side. I have not tried to see whether the > difference is constant (ie the slave might always read + 10%, or > whatever). > > If I insist on the fact that the case is not a guarantee, it is not > from a doom-prediction, but because I had the unfortunate experience > of finding a crack in the ebony of one my almost new lutes, although > it was in the case; while years ago, I did have a lute on the wall > (but with no ebony veneer) with no ill-effect. > I have still kept the lute in its case, but as the repaired crack > reappeared, even though I used a humidifier (possibly, according to > the lute maker, just because I did use a humidifier), I am much less > confident of the efficiency of this method. > Regards > > Anthony > > >> -- >> Dana Emery >> >> >> >> >> To get on or off this list see list information at >> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > >
