Trouble setting string

[Roger Jolly]

At 05:41 PM 22/12/99 -0800, you wrote:
>Dear List,
>This came in from Bill Gerow, who is not on the List.  He is referring to
>the Q & A question of "Sagging Center String" (PTJournal,Oct. '99) asked by
>Ed Carwithen.

Hi Jeannie,
                 With out having the piano in front of us to get a more
global picture, all I can offer is a couple of tricks for the odd badly
rendering strings.

The  main cause for poor rendering of strings is excessive friction, from
two main areas.
1. Corrosion, dropping the pitch about 20 cents, before pulling up to pitch
can help a great deal in cleaning up the contact points. Combine this with
a VERY light dab of Protech at the bearing points. Work very well most of
the time if rust is the problem.
2.  Pressure bars are badly grooved.  This greatly increases the contact
area, and therefore friction. Use a blunt screw driver and move the string
out of the grooves, left and right, the action will wear off some of the
shoulders of the grooves, and reduce the friction, again a light dab of
Protech. 

Be very cautious with the lubricant, dry any excess with paper towel.

Noting that Bill is a Canadian, the Heinzman's, that I'm sure he will see
many,  has the aggraffs cast into the plate, they are notorious for
difficult string rendering when rust is present.  
In extreme cases,  I have removed the action, and used WD40 applied with a
diabetic needle to the upperside of the plate agraff hole. Make sure all
excess is dried up.
Reinstall action, tune by dropping the pitch to break the friction before
raising.

PS This is the only use that I have found for WD40 in piano work.

Roger





>
>
>I read with interest Ed Carwithen's question concerning "moving Strings".  I
>am not an RPT, and this may have something to do with my tuning problems as
>well - HOWEVER-( I only failed my tuning exam by one mark) I have tuned at
>least 1000 pianos and seem to have difficulty with a handful of them. The
>fact that the strings either 1) go over the capo bar at such a steep number
>of angles or 2) the angle is so slight that the same thing results. In the
>"Waterfall" situation I sometimes have to move the hammer a distance of "10
>minutes" before I notice a pitch change. I am banging the key and NOTHING
>happens. Now regarding Ed's comment -- I have had the same thing happen to
>me. I use a Yamaha scope but the tuning boxes are not the question -- the
>inability for me to set the note and have it there when I tune its companion
>string -or perhaps it is a new string combining with the next note. I
>usually use jerky movements again coming from above pitch to where I want
>it. These tuning experiences drive me crazy - however I don't want to loose
>a regular customer.Even the customer commented on how long it took
> Steinway 1900's- split tenor bridge. I will seek out some advice from other
>RPT's in my chapter but any insight would be VERY welcome.
>
>Bill Gerow --Ottawa Chapter
> 
Roger Jolly
Saskatoon, Canada.
306-665-0213
Fax 652-0505