[CAUT] pre-stretching new string?

[David Ilvedson]

Conrad,

Could expound on 

>-used needle nose to make similar adjustments to string on both sides of 
>the bridge

I have to admit I've had problems with instability with broken string repairs and am going to try all of this stuff...

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Conrad Hoffsommer" <hoffsoco at luther.edu>
To: "College and University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org>
Received: 6/6/2007 4:24:57 AM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] pre-stretching new string?


>Cauterized folks,

>I gotsta disagree a bit with my friend Herr Brekne. It seems 
>counterintuitive to make a kink on a string that will later move across 
>a bearing point, and my recent experience might be anecdotal, but it 
>seemed to work for me.

>I just had to do a string replacement the same day as a guest recital 
>for a music educator's conference we had here.

>Monday morning, I got back to my room to find a post-it note saying 
>EMERGENCY!. Hamburg D had popped a string on G#6.  The left (tied) 
>string of loop and tie unison. Artist said he was practicing until noon, 
>so I said, "I'll be back". [Austrian accent, of course]

>Went back at noon with pre-made loop in hand, installed and proceeded to 
>try to make it stable before 8PM recital.
>-tucked German tie tail under other strings between hitchpin and 
>aliquot, after being sure that I'd made the coil in the right direction 
>to force the tail flat against the plate. (the other way would have had 
>the tail climbing the strut)
>-made tuning coil tight
>-pushed in becket
>-seated hitch loop
>-pulled up to pitch
>-spaced strings
>-pushed down on section between hitch and aliquot to have string come 
>off straight in both directions
>-used needle nose to make similar adjustments to string on both sides of 
>the bridge
>-pushed down on counterbearing section to form that kink
>-pulled new string up to level unison
>-pulled back to pitch
>-pushed string sideways as it comes off tuning pin
>-pulled string a little sharp (nothing scientific, just what seemed right)

>Came back at 6PM and touched up what was then real close. Did not stay 
>for Chopin.

>Went home.

>Next morning, came in and checked. Just a fuzzy unison. Touched it up. 
>Two master classes on it yesterday.

>I just checked this morning and found a very clean unison.

>I guess I did something right... ;-}

>Or did I forget a step?

>Or have I committed a bad, bad sin?

>Conrad


>Richard Brekne wrote:
>> In reply to the comments about bending the wire around the bridge 
>> pin....  I have to agree with Ron N's statement about throwing away the 
>> string stretcher.  At least if its going to be used to do anything like 
>> this.  I have never understood the reasoning behind this idea.  It would 
>> make some sense I suppose if the kink made had something close to a 
>> static position relative to the bridge pin... but it doesnt really. And 
>> how is the perceived need for this procedure justified ? There is 
>> nothing beyond what I guess I'd have to call suspicion behind these 
>> ideas.  The only reasoning I've read hear and other places that looks at 
>> any of the mechanics involved really point in the other direction... 
>> that one is bound to damage the bridge pin hole surface area, that the 
>> kink will move around anyways, and that the wire will conform to the 
>> termination all it ever needs to do just by virtue of the tension 
>> applied to it. 
>> 
>> When I use my string stretcher... its in the middle of the string... and 
>> I push in a direction away from the bridge pin... not towards it. 
>> 
>> I noticed another little tidbit just the other day pulling up tension on 
>> the back scale.  That little click noise often heard in new pianos we 
>> associate with the need to seat strings. I heard the exact same noise 
>> quite often on an older D. I'm wondering whether or not what we are 
>> hearing is the string breaking the friction hold and rendering through 
>> the pins.  I'm also wondering whether or not the perceived benefit has 
>> more to do with the resultant relative tension levels of the string at 
>> the three segments involved... speaking length, bridge surface span, and 
>> backlength.
>> 
>> As far as stretching for stability is concerned.  I do this because I 
>> notice it works to some degree. But I push away from the bridge pins 
>> both fore and aft of the bridge. I also squeeze the backlengths of the 
>> new string together a bit with some wide flat faced nose pliers, and 
>> squeeze the coil as Ed mentioned.  Regardless however.. I always end up 
>> needing to pull the string up to pitch again the next day.  I can get a 
>> string to hold through a concert if I have to... but seems like there is 
>> no way of getting around the need to come back at the string after a day 
>> or two.
>> 
>> Cheers
>> RicB
>> 
>>