tapping strings

[Ron Nossaman]

>Ron N qualified his remarks by defining his conceptual model as having the 
>theoretically ideal downbearing configuration, positive on both front and 
>back, but not too much.  Sorry mate, I haven't seen one of these creatures 
>in much too long a time.  So let's try a different model:
>
>Let's suppose I have front bearing of  (-).006" with positive net .004" 
>(rear bearing + .010") as measured with Lowell gauge.  (From the point of 
>view of assessing termination characteristics, these numbers are deceptive, 
>but that's for a different posting).
>The tendency for the string to ride up the pin will be resisted by the 
>pin's cant, but we can assume that, at some point in time, that string will 
>come up.  Let's say I get a little tell-tale twang.  My options are to tap 
>string for temporary (?) improvement or to allow string to remain at the 
>equilibrium point it has arrived at, thereby maintaining greater tuning 
>stability.  As far as where you tap, I suspect its a bit like the 
>accelerated action dichotomy, in that you could tap the string somewhere on 
>the bridge, using greater force, or right at the pin, using less force.  As 
>with most other aspects of piano work, with proper care, I don't believe 
>tapping NEED be injurious.
>
>David Skolnik

David,
This is precisely the reason I qualified my remarks with the premise of
positive bearing. My comments on string seating have also, for the most
part, been addressed to the practice of seating strings to cure false
beats. With a negative front bearing, the example you give here isn't a
working piano and you probably aren't describing false beats as a "twang".
There is no mystery as to why the string isn't well seated on the bridge in
this case, but it is relevant in one regard. Seating the string won't fix
this problem either, but it is unlikely that damage will be done to the
bridge cap in the attempt - in this case.
 
Ron N