Wound Wire breakage in churchs

[Brian Trout]

Hi Phil,

Frustrating, isn't it?!!

There are a bunch of possible solutions, most of which have been suggested.

1)  File, voice, needle hammers - good idea, it may help.
2)  PA system, and a monitor speaker just for the pianist - good idea, if
you can get them to do it.
3)  Adjust letoff to rob power from the action - I've done this one, it can
work.  But I've also been told that if taken too far, it can cause jacks to
start breaking.  (On my customer's, it took the piano from one or two broken
strings a month, to one or two a year.  Certainly worth exploring.)
4)  Do nothing but keep replacing strings as they break, and explain why
they continue to break - frustrating and annoying for both you and the
customer.
5)  Replace all of the wound strings with a set that are made for just such
situations.  (I believe they are strings made in a lower tension scale.)
They will not give the same characteristics of sound (I've been told), but
will not break as easily.  One or two people on the list have recommended
Danny at GC Piano, and perhaps Mapes as possible sources for the redesigned
bass string scale and strings.  I'm sure there are others who can do the
same job.  Not having personal experience, I can't personally recommend.

Other than that, I can't think of any practical solutions that the
technician could do, other than perhaps a little chat with God.  ;-)

Good luck, Phil,

Brian Trout
Quarryville, PA
btrout@desupernet.net

----- Original Message -----
From: Phil Bondi <tito@PhilBondi.com>
To: Pianotech List <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 16, 1999 2:24 PM
Subject: Wound Wire breakage in churchs


> Recently, I have been called to tune pianos in churchs where there was
broken
> wound wire. I replaced the wound wire in one piano(Samick Grand), tuned
and was
> on my way. 2 weeks later I am getting a call from that same church that
there is
> another broken wire in the piano.
>
> I'm tempted to adjust let-off as to deny power to this obviously hard
player.
>
> what would you do?
>
> Rook
>
>