Wrong String was "O" vs "M" Discussion

Alan R. Barnard mathstar@salemnet.com
Wed, 25 Sep 2002 11:44:07 -0500


Ordered wound string for a 1910 "O." It was for the D18 bichord. This was
the one where my customer insisted on a genuine Steinway string, so I
ordered it through S&S--not knowing that Mapes makes their strings, anyway.

The string came tagged S&S "O" String #30.

I didn't spot the error until I installed the string and saw how short the
wrap was, looking closer it was too thin also.

Don't know if I ordered wrong or Steinway passed it along wrong or Mapes
heard it wrong BUT ...

The D30 on this "O" is a plain string trichord, so I assume all of them are
this way--no wound strings on the tenor bridge.

Even if there were wound strings as high as #30 in a Steinway, wouldn't they
likely be quite thin and a trichord?

So the question is, even if it was ordered wrong, wouldn't Mapes find the
error when they looked up the specs in their S&S stringing scale records???
How could they produce a wound #30 if the piano doesn't have one?

Who, in your opinion gets stuck with the bill to make the correct (#18)
string?

This is NOT a rag on Mapes. I think they do a great job. But this deal went
funky somewhere ...

Alan R. Barnard
Unstrung in Salem, MO


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