[CAUT] Mapes single bass string...

[Chris Solliday]

Wayne Hicks was always very careful with the elasticity factor, but Wayne
retired and things haven't been the same in my experience at Mapes. I too
have reinvested in my knot tieing technique as a result, and that's been a
good thingexcept for the bleeding. I think we're in a bit of limbo here, so
if someone has had great, reasonably priced experiences somewhere, c'mon
down. Chris Solliday
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken Zahringer" <ZahringerK@missouri.edu>
To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 12:49 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Mapes single bass string...


> Hey, Alan,
>
> Before I started at MU, I did a fair bit of rebuilding work for a dealer,
> mainly stringing.  We used to get all our strings from Mapes and I loved
> them.  Then about 6-7 years ago we started having problems, mainly 1 or 2
> strings in each set being dead when brought up to tension.  We asked some
> questions, and apparently one of the old boys had recently retired.
Shortly
> after that I met James Arledge at convention.  I haven't bought sets of
> strings anywhere else since.  I get my singles from Schaff now; I don't
know
> if they make their own or get them from Mapes.  I have noticed some where
> the measurements were obviously not exactly right, but I've always been
able
> to make them work.  It seems like this usually happens when I take
> measurements from a neighbor string under tension, because the broken
string
> is long gone, and they don't figure the elongation correctly.  Either that
> or I just figured I messed up taking the measurements.  Anyway, my
> preference now is to splice the old string whenever possible, and replace
> only when absolutely necessary.  Then I know it will fit.
>
> Ken Z.
>
> On 10/3/05 7:32 PM, "Alan Crane" <alan.crane@wichita.edu> wrote:
>
> > 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
>
> -- 
> Ken Zahringer, RPT
> Piano Technician
> MU School of Music
> 297 Fine Arts
> 882-1202
> cell 489-7529
>
> _______________________________________________
> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>
>