Voicing an lold piano/Corte/Carl Meyer

[Joseph Garrett]

Carl said: "Corte:  Here's something you can try first.  Loosen the tuning
pin a half
turn.  Pound on the key hard a few times.  Then retune and check.  Sometimes
a big improvement.  If not, take off hitch pin and roll over a pulley of
about 3-4 inches diameter (depends on diameter) to the end and try that.
You could also just massage the string by bending to and fro every 2-3
inches to break out the corrosion.  After loosening of course.  Then twist
and reconnect.   Don't be afraid to use 2-3 turns.  What have you got to
lose.  Sometimes nothing works.  It usually doesn't last long either.
Bummer!

I once had a 7 ft grand with new bass strings that were disappointingly
dead.  Actually just sick.  Three full turns did wonders.  Consider the
length of the string when deciding how many turns.  Also make sure they are
twisted in the direction of the wrap.  We've all made that mistake."

Carl,
Have you lost it?!!! Your suggestion to "...roll it over a 3-4 inch
pulley....", will most certainly loosen the windings!!!! That's exactly the
opposite of what we are trying to accomplish! Taking a string off the hitch
pin and putting a loose loop in it, then running the "loop" up and down, the
full length of the string, will accomplish getting the crude out of the
sting and making the windings more flexible, (which is what "roll & twist"
really does).
Next you suggest twisting the sting 2-3 full turns! Yikes! If a string needs
that many turns, it is an incorrectly made string! Too many "twists" will
add a whole new set of problems, namely skewed harmonics! My "rule of thumb"
has always been: 1 full, (360 degrees), for all tenor strings, except on the
low tenor of small pianos with huge windings/core wire. After that 1/2 turn
on all the single bass strings. The whole idea of the "twist" is to tighten
the wrap, slightly, around the core wire. This, of course, assumes that the
wrap is firmly anchored at the "swage".<G>
To give that sort of advice, over the List, is asking for problems, IMO.
Flame Suit Tightly Zipped!
Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)
Captain, Tool Police
Squares Are I