> David wrote: ... criterion before 1900
> Lance wrote: ... ghosting might be useful for prefabricated plectra

With hardly any comment from our professional harpsichord makers, here is my
personal view as repairman. 

Plectra length is certainly important, and indeed I know of no harpsichord
era source on this matter.

Amateurs may be interested in knowing Frank Hubbard's directions from c.1970
for his kits. Some of Hubbard's concepts are valid for any harpsichord, of
course:

- I do not recall Hubbard having specified the plectrum length, although
following his harpsichord design, with the relative positions of strings and
tongue thickness, inevitably one ends with plectra about 4mm long for the 8'
and almost 1mm shorter for the 4'. 

- Plectra should be cut, and tongue position regulated, so that:
	- the tongue in action does not interfere with the opposite string
	- when the register is off there should be no ghosting
	- when the register is ON, when the plectrum reaches the string,
		it should overlap it by 1.5 its diameter.

Interestingly, Hubbard did NOT (and I would be interested to know if any
historical or modern maker did):
	- specify plectra length
	- require the plectra length to be absolutely uniform
	- set lengths so that all the plectra ghost simultaneously.

Best
CDV



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