Lots of broken strings

[PAT A RALPH]

Wim ---  I DISAGREE COMPLETELY WITH YOUR ANSWER.  EDUCATE THE PEOPLE SO THEY
DO NOT DESTROY THE PIANOS!!!!

Ken

----- Original Message -----
From: <Wimblees@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2000 9:56 PM
Subject: Re: Lots of broken strings


> In a message dated 2/13/00 3:16:19 AM !!!First Boot!!!,
pryan2@the-beach.net
> writes:
>
> << I was sent to tune a nice U1 Yamaha piano in a Gospel-type church which
had
>  six broken bass strings.  All had broken at the v-bar and showed no rust.
>  The pianist was very upset about it (actually the price of replacement),
as
>  broken strings  have become a regular occurrence.  I chided her that she
>  must be playing with a heavy left hand, but when I tuned the piano, I
found
>  the wound section to be 20 to 31 cents sharp.  My question is, could
>  someone have tuned this piano that sharp, or did the missing strings
shift
>  the balance of pressure on the bridge or something to that extent (a la a
>  violin)? Should I look elsewhere?  The middle and treble sections of the
>  piano were  tuned to accurate pitch.  Secondly, is 20 to 31 cents sharp
>  enough to break a good wound string?  I always thought they were made to
>  withstand a lot more stretching than that.
>
>  Phil Ryan
>  Miami Beach, FL >>
>
>
> The loss of the strings could have sent the bass section sharp by that
much.
> And the increase in tension, along with the heavy hand, contributed to
more
> broken strings. If this was the Midwest, the treble would be flat, and the
> bass right on. Since the treble is right on, and the bass was sharp, it
would
> indicate the whole piano might have been tuned 10 - 15 cents sharp at one
> point, and then dropped to its current level, except for the bass.
>
> Disconnect the right pedal, decrease hammer blow, adjust lost motion half
the
> amount. If needed, add a thick cardboard punching under each key to reduce
> key dip. All four of those things will reduce string breakage, but only if

> the player reduces the pounding.
>
> Willem Blees