String Splice Time

[Ron Nossaman]

>Hi List. Situation: Tuning piano in private home. Bass string breaks at
>coil. Best solution - splice. How much time does it take you to go out to
>your car, get appropriate tools, complete splice, put tools away?

Hi Terry, 
Start to finish, maybe 15 minutes - 10 if the gods are smiling, 20 if I'm
already running behind.


>How long does it take you to get tools, custom make a universal bass string,
>put tools away?

N/A I don't use them.


>Also, when splicing (which I have just started to do on a regular basis) how
>do you ensure that the knot is as tight as it will go, i.e. that the knot
>will not compact anymore with a resultant drop in string tension/pitch?

Alan Crane showed us a neat little trick to help here. Massage the knot
with your needle (or chain) nose pliers once it's under tension. Pull to
pitch, massage, pull to pitch, settle coil, massage - repeat until pitch
doesn't change after the massage. It works very well.


Ron N