Fortepiano Wire (was Re: Brass wire)

[Jeff Tanner]

Hi Avery,
I tried twice to splice it and both times the wire broke where it crosses
the loop, just as I got it almost to pitch.  We happened to have a few
premade strings with loops from the manufacturer, and one of them was close
enough to the correct diameter to use for the concert.  So, I replaced it.
The performers created a break about halfway through the program and I went
in and touched it up in my blue jeans and flannel shirt. (Had I known....)

But we don't have a full compliment of replacement strings for our
instruments, and I'm wondering the same thing you are.  Is there a source
for bulk wire we can use?  We have altogether about 7 instruments which use
brass, phosphor bronze and iron wire, and maybe it's just the piano
technician in me being spoiled by having bulk wire available, but the way
our budget works, it would seem more prepared, and maybe more cost
effective to have rolls of wire handy.

APSCO had brass wire coils it the catalog, but phfft, how much good is that
now?

One more question for the historical instrument pros out there.  How much
thinning does this wire do in the stretching process and how much should we
allow when micing the wire for replacement?  I couldn't find my micrometer
yesterday (yeah, I found it AFTER the concert), and the wire I installed
(the smallest we had) felt slightly larger than what came off, but after it
stretched to pitch the difference didn't seem to be as much.  I still
haven't measured the wire that came off, but I will before we order more
wire, and I need to know how to do that in the future.

Jeff

>Hi Jeff,
>
>Well, what did you end up doing? :-) I'm actually asking this because of
>your original post. We should be getting our new Fortepiano sometime
>in the next six months or so and your post made me wonder about what to
>do about this kind of thing. Are there sources, other than the builder,
>where we can order wire to have on hand for this eventuality? We order
>our replacement harpsichord strings to have on hand from the builders.
>
>Hopefully, I'll be retired before this type of thing starts happening
>but just in case.......  :-)
>
>Thanks.
>Avery
>