Victorian Pins WAAAAAAY tight!

[Dave Nereson]

----- Original Message -----
From: Greg Casper <gcasper@pacbell.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2002 5:25 PM
Subject: Victorian Pins WAAAAAAY tight!


> Hey everyone:
>
> I've got a customer with an 1896 G. Challenger & Co. vertical. We're
> replacing bass strings, 'cuz they was bad! Anyway, when I was releasing
> tension on the stings, the pins were EXTREMELY tight... in fact, I ended
up
> only giving each pin about a quarter turn and then cutting the strings
once
> the tension was down.
>
> Question is... what might cause this and how do I deal with it when I go
to
> install the new strings? It seems to be the same all the way up the
> pinblock, as I also relieved tension on some upper strings to keep from
> overloading that side of the plate, and they behaved the same way.
>
> Ideas or suggestions gladly accepted.
>
> Thanks
>
> Greg Casper
> San Jose, CA
>
    Pretty rare for a piano that old to have still-tight pins, even if it
was never tuned regularly.  Or do pianos that come to a humid climate when
they're new, and stay in that climate, retain tight tuning pins?  (I don't
know; I've always lived out West).
    Main reason for post:  I and many other techs have restrung the bass
only on old pianos, uprights or grand, without letting the tension down in
the treble.  It doesn't hurt to do so -- just not usually necessary if you
tighten plate screws first.
    --David Nereson, RPT, Denver