spray painted strings

[kam544@flash.net]

List,

One correction: This was a small Victor grand in a school auditorium I
tuned Friday, not the Hardman grand I previously mentioned.

In response to the replies thus far posted:

>...**Ummmm Very carefully..........:-)
>It is negative 2 currently...
>John R. Fortiner

Good answer, John, but most likely as cold as the
temperature you report......Brrrr  :)
(It definitely is warmer where I am.)

>My question would be does the paint on the speaking length of the string
>affect the tone or vibrational quality of the string?

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough, Doug.
This was just the tuning pin area only.

>...someone had sprayed the whole
>interior of the case with gold sparkly spray paint... Quite the mess...
>Doug Mahard

You must have been astonished!

>Unless they´re made of gold...hmmmm
>Kristinn

Not on this Victor, Kristinn.  However, you might be surprised to know that
Schomacker Piano Company of Philadelphia gold-plated their strings.
For more go to    http://www.ptg.org/archive/pianotech.php/
      Search word - schomacker

>Were any strings ever spray-painted before being installed in the piano?...
>Clyde

That would be quite a trick, Clyde, to then remount them in the piano after
doing that.  Might qualify for John's answer...very carefully  :)

>...The only suggestion I can remember were some kind of bullet
>shells (shotguns?).
>Diane Hofstetter

&

>There used to be a guy around here that would put 30-06 shells on the
>tuning pins and spray away.  It kept the paint off the pins above the
>coils, and the pianos he sold usually had the pins driven so the coils were
>on the plate.
>dave porritt

Now this satisfies my wondering and would certainly explain how this is
accomplished.

Thanks to all who took the time to reply.

Keith McGavern
Registered Piano Technician
Oklahoma Chapter 731
Piano Technicians Guild
USA