Why Strings Break

[Tom Cole]

JPIESIK wrote:
> 
> I thought that strings break during a tuning for a variety of reasons,
> most that we cannot control. Can we *completely* avoid string breakage
> during a tuning by using a particular tuning technique as I was told?


Hi, John,

I like your quote that "strings __should__ never break during a tuning
if you are using the proper technique." That's the theory and then
there's the brown beasts we encounter on a daily basis. Case in point: 

A while back, I was called to tune a Chickering Quarter Grand which had
been restrung about 20 years ago by a "very highly-respected technician"
in another area and since then was frequently serviced by a similarly
"highly-respected local technician". My first time tuning her piano, I
broke two of the smallest bichord strings.

The customer was incredulous: "I just had that piano restrung 10 years
ago!" (her initial recall). "He was a very highly-respected technician."
Her words had that, "What have you done to break two strings, you
insect!" sort of spin on them but I calmed her down and made
arrangements to do the repairs - at her expense, of course. Mind you, my
sister works for her husband so I was spared the tarring and feathering
for the time being.

Come the return visit, one of the replacements broke even before I got
it up to pitch. Hmmmm! This piano had been, as Dave Sanderson would say,
inadvertantly rescaled. With Newton's kind assistance, I was able to
replace all of the tenor bichords with redesigned new ones (much lower
tension) and she's been a happy customer ever since. (Thanks Newton and
List.)

The point being that your own experience is correct. I might add, on the
subject of a "particular technique", that I'm very careful to listen for
a pitch change as soon as I move the pin. If not, then I will lower the
pitch slightly, to get the string to move, rather than pull it up any
further and risk breakage. Either the string is hanging on a bearing
point or my tuning wrench has "strayed". ;-)

Best regards,

Tom

-- 
Thomas A. Cole, RPT
Santa Cruz, CA
mailto:tcole@cruzio.com