newbie question: stocking strings

[David Ilvedson]

And don't forget to keep the wire clean...;-]

David I.

On 16 Jan 2003 at 12:21, tune4u@earthlink.net wrote:

> You don't want to have to reschedule a tuning (and start over) or tune
> a piano that the owner can't play, all for lack of 15 cents worth of
> wire! Unprofessional, IMHO, and not profitable.
> 
> Does using the right size matter. YES. Unless you like whiny, howling
> unisons. Relative to everything else a tuner needs to have on hand,
> piano wire is cheap.
> 
> I'm sure that everyone on the list will agree that it is a great
> temptation to start compromising on those "cheap" pianos you
> mentioned. But maintaining your professionalism will pay off in the
> long run. Make every piano sound the best it reasonably can and try to
> educate your clients--the art of that is educating them without
> insulting them or their pianos! Some will upgrade, eventually. Some
> will pay you $$$ to improve their pianos. Some will refer you to
> people with better pianos. I say, just because it's a shlock piano,
> don't be a shlock tuner!
> 
> And a large part of your business is going to be on shlock pianos--at
> least in the early years.
> 
> For plain wire, stock every size and half size from 12 up to 20.
> Schaff sells a "starter kit" with most of these sizes (catalog p. 36).
> 
> Wound strings are another matter. I haven't gotten into using
> universals. I splice them when I can, send the old one to Mapes when I
> must. If it is a bichord, they can play it on one string--although
> this is hard on action parts and should be limited--and if it's a
> unichord .... well, they can do without for a few days but you can
> still finish the tuning ... <G>
> 
> *** Pay a little extra and buy enough brakes to put one on each and
> every coil! This is not an option for anyone wishing to maintain their
> sanity.
> 
> *** Keep your fingers and other body parts out of the way of wire
> under tension. Carry band-aids in your tool kit. Wear safety
> glasses--always, always, always when doing string work -- never, ever
> make an exception to this rule! (Did I say that strongly enough? There
> are plenty of wonderful blind tuners in this business, but you need
> not join that club.)
> 
> Learn patience.
> 
> And yes, you must carry (in your car, not your primary tool kit) at
> least the following: 2 1/2 lb sledge, heavy pliers with wire cutter,
> coil maker (purchase or make one), coil lifter, sting spacer/lifter,
> tuning pin setter and/or punch, and stringing hook.
> 
> Other tools are more optional but very useful: pin crank, string
> stretcher. The Sciortino Insta-Coiler is expensive but I really like
> it when it works. Unfortunately it works beautifully about 1/2 the
> time and not at all the other half. I'd wait on that one.
> 
> It's okay to be frugal, but it's a pain to be unprepared and looking
> like a tooner. Check ebay for used tools.
> 
> Hope it helps.
> 
> Alan Barnard
> Salem, MO
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Charles Neuman" <piano@charlesneuman.net>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2003 11:02 AM
> Subject: newbie question: stocking strings
> 
> 
> > I don't want to be one of those guys who doesn't fix broken strings.
> > But where do you start, in terms of stocking treble strings? Should
> > I really have every size (that's quite a big initial investment), or
> > are there common sizes I should start with?
> >
> > Also, how bad is it to be about .003" off? That is, if I stocked
> > sizes that are .005" apart, then I'd be plus or minus .0025" at
> > most. I'm expecting some negative responses to that, but I like to
> > hear them. I assume levelling is an issue, not to mention tone and
> > tension. But for a cheap piano, does it matter really?
> >
> > Charles Neuman
> > Long Island
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> 
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