Winding a String onto an Historic Tuning Pin

This Video was made in order to provide help to someone who was having difficulty securing their wire to historic tuning pins. "Historic" meaning tuning pins without holes drilled into them. Their instrument in question is a Zuckerman Italian virginal. As fate would have it I had just finished restraining a Zuckerman Italian virginal That very same evening. After sending this video to them on Facebook Messenger I decided to upload it to YouTube that way it may be of help to others who are in the same situation.

The key to putting wires onto tuning pins without holes is to make sure that the surface of the pin is lightly scoured with a soft file or fine grit piece of sand paper and to maintain tension on the string and the pin As the winding is made. The string must wrap over itself and grip the pin , surface tension will ensure that the winding remains secure on the pin. The excess wire is then detached and discarded.

For wire of exceptional thickness such as the kind used on square pianos, the wire can be prevent over a tapered metal form, such as the end of needle nosed pliers period from there the wire which is pre bent and pre wrap can't be threaded onto the pin. That is a subject for a different video however.

Lastly, if one prefers to put their wire onto tuning pins with holes one can order historic shaped pins with holes predrilled into them from a variety of different sources, including Zuckerman harpsichords International. Or if one is feeling adventurous they can drill a hole into their own tuning pin if they like. While not historic, it can make the job of restraining and instrument much easier. It is exceptionally useful For the thick gauge red brass wires in the base of harpsichords and clavichords.