strings o spinet

[David ilvedson]

A couple of days ago I came across the first tenor string 
broken.  With time constraints, I removed the good part from 
the hitchpin and tied a single string hitchpin loop and it 
worked just fine.  Only two strings for the note but the 
tri-chord damper fell right in between and the tone worked with 
the bass note well enough. I do remember as I brought it up 
hoping it doesn't break and I've done this work for nothing.  

David ilvedson



> Date:          Wed, 11 Nov 1998 11:10:22 -0500
> From:          Clyde Hollinger <cedel@redrose.net>
> To:            pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject:       Re: strings o spinet
> Reply-to:      pianotech@ptg.org

> Michael Jorgensen wrote:
> > 
> > Speaking of non traditional coils, I know an old Story and Clark grand
> > with only 3/4 turn around the pin on a bass string with a good sharp
> > bend at the becket.  This holds fine and has been like that for atleast
> > a dozen years.  
> 
> If a string breaks at the coil on an old mostly-worn-out upright I'm
> tuning, usually in the high treble somewhere, I usually unwind enough
> wire off the other tuning pin to re-use the same string.  I usually end
> up with 1 or 1 1/4 coils on each pin.  And yes, the tuning seems to hold
> just fine.  I do this because it won't go out of tune as drastically as
> a new string, I'm not very good at knots, and I think it's faster and
> therefore less cost for the client.  But I do wonder sometimes -- is
> this considered poor craftsmanship, considering what kind of pianos I do
> this in?
> 
> Clyde Hollinger
> 
> 
> 
David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA
ilvey@jps.net