[CAUT] Mapes single bass string...

[David Ilvedson]

I don't usually have those kind of problems with Mapes...

David I.



----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Alan Crane" <alan.crane@wichita.edu>
To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org>
Received: 10/3/2005 5:32:54 PM
Subject: [CAUT] Mapes single bass string...


>I'm frustrated (and its past quitting time on a Monday...)...

>Here at WSU, we have an 1898 Steinway grand in one of the practice rooms.
>Recently, a bass single-string decided to break at the speaking-side 
>bridge pin (of all places!).

>I'd been ordering replacement strings from Arledge and was very 
>pleased with the results (albeit at $30 or so per string incl. shipping).
>I decided to order this one from Mapes and, rather than trusting them 
>to have a scale stick for something that old, I phoned in the 
>measurements I'd taken with my Arledge tape measure and micrometer:

>Hitch to speaking bridge pin:   138mm           what I got back 
>was:    135mm to the beginning of the wrap!
>Hitch to agraffe:               1341mm  what I got back 
>was     1474mm to the end of the winding!

>Well, I looked at the flyer that came with the string they sent and 
>noticed that Mapes wants different measurements than Arledge...
>no surprise except that they never said anything on the phone when I 
>gave them the measurements the first time so I just assumed that they 
>were comfortable with that data format.

>Instead of asking that they make another string gratis, I just phoned 
>in another order for the same string but, this time, gave the 
>measurements they requested in their flyer:

>Hitch to winding:               5 3/4 inches    what I got back 
>was     5 1/4 inches  (which doesn't quite clear the bridge pin)
>Length of winding:              45 5/8 
>inches           "               40 3/4 inches  (hitch to end of 
>winding was 46 1/8 inches)
>** also, this time the core dia. had dropped from .049" to .047"
>         and the outer wrap O.D. (which on the first replacement was 
>the correct .178") was anywhere from .055" to .064" along the length 
>of the winding.

>I know some of you out there have no problems ordering from Mapes and 
>I'd like to patronize them now & then too.
>Their turn-around time is very short... (I'd like to say I like their 
>strings too but I haven't been able to install one yet...).
>I just need to know what I'm doing wrong here.
>Any hints??



>Regards,

>Alan B. Crane,  RPT
>School of Music
>Wichita State University
>alan.crane@wichita.edu 

>_______________________________________________
>caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives