In a message dated 2/27/99 11:25:56 AM, Ron wrote: <<"I've heard a considerable number of rather vague references to accommodating the "natural" curve of the wire when stringing. Frankly, this sounds to me just like all the other mythology and Voodoo surrounding pianos, including magic soundboard varnish, what flavor tuning tip you use, duplex optimization, etc.">> Ron; Now that Jon has explained his "natural curve" as being handmade rather than what happens as it is drawn and rolled into coils I have a few thoughts about the mythology involved here. The comments that I have seen, I thought were referring to the 'natural' "natural" curve as the wire is fed out for restringing, i.e., such comments as "always form coil on the pin 'with' the curve"...........it has always seemed to me that one could do this on only one pin as the other pin would have the wire coming to it in the exact opposite curve. That is, unless one turned one coil CW and the other CCW, one of the coils would of necessity be formed opposing the "natural" curve. So if my postualtion is correct, which note suffers from being coiled in the manner it was coiled? I submit, neither. Even in Jons explanation of 'natural' curve the two ends of the wire will be coiled in opposing directions to a perhaps greater extent than ones which were installed less meticulously as both 'might' be coiled against the "natural" curve. In the very least the speaking length would be formed 'against the curve'. So if my postualtion is correct which note suffers from being coiled/formed in the manner it was coiled/formed? I submit, neither. Well, Jim, you might ask..Why does changing the wire sometimes cure a "funny" noise problem? It could be from several reasons; forming a new groove on the capo as you pull the new wire to pitch, or even it was a bad piece of wire that was causing the "funny" noise. We like to think of music wire as being high quality and for the most part it is but.....there can always be a "bad" spot in the wire maybe where the drawing was stopped to fix the machine or a portion was too hot/cold as it was drawn, etc. Each of these, and others, could cause a "funny" sounding string...couldn't it? This, in my opinion, myth belongs with some of the others such as "a tuning pin without three coils will not hold tune" or "if you can slip a business card in between the plate web and the pinblock" the piano ought to be burned, or there is a definite and specific set of specifications for regulating S&S pianos, or even all coils should end 1/8 inch above the plate. Of course this is all just opinion as I know of no study done on the subject. My view. Jim Bryant (FL)
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