Breaking Strings

[TOM DRISCOLL]

Subject: Breaking Strings


>
> I've got a customer (a theater) whose has their Yamaha P22 tuned weekly 
> for a
> long running show. Over the last 9 months or so, bass strings have been
> breaking with increasing frequency; it's to the point now that I've 
> replaced 5
> bass strings in as many weeks. As many as 15 or 20 have broken so far.
>
> It seems to me that the cause is hard hammers. The piano has always been
> bright, but is a little more so than it used to be (this is a little hard 
> to
> gauge, since I see the change slowly over the course of a few years). 
> There are
> definitely deep grooves... I convinced the management to let me reshape 
> the
> hammers once - the string breakage slowed for a while, and then increased
> again. The piano is played pretty hard, seven or eight shows a week.
>
> Am I on the right track, or are there other causes for this type of 
> problem?
> Besides needing regulation, the piano is in good shape (no environmental 
> or
> humidity issues, etc.).
>
> I'm guessing that I need to convince the managemnet to A) let me do more 
> work
> on the hammers, B) let me replace the hammers w/ new ones, or C) continue 
> to
> pay for string replacements and muck up my schedule on a weekly basis (and 
> it's
> two strings every time they break one - I put on a universal, then follow 
> up
> with a duplicate when it comes in... thought about tying knots, but the 
> strings
> are breaking right at the end of the winding, mostly - knot much room).
>
> Thanks in advance for thoughts, pointers, sympathy(?)....
>
> Mike Byrley
> Chicago, IL

    Mike
]    A few thoughts and questions

    How old is the piano and from what factory?
    The Everett factory made p22 had a problem with bass string breakage.
    A combination of a rough  plate casting at the V-Bar and an acute angle 
from the v-bar to the lower row of tuning pins in the bi-chord area.
    If I remember the Thomaston Ga. made models did not have this problem.

    You can call yamaha with the serial #'s to figure out where your piano 
was made, or in the Everett-Michigan made models there is a "Kelly" name at 
the bottom of the plate near the pedals.
    The Thomaston models did have the prefix "T" before the serial #.
    I'm not sure if this is still the case .

    Also to consider, any piano that is played heavily will eventually be 
prone to string breakage.
     With as many broken as you have had I would restring the entire bass 
section--even the ones already replaced and install  new tuning pins.
    Mic. the old pins and move up to the next diameter .Yamaha can advise 
you on this.
    The reason to replace all the strings is for consistant tone.
    Spot replacement can result in unmatched windings and you will have tone 
and tuning problems.
    I would reshape and regulate and with a piano that is pounded as you 
describe , I would set letoff at 1/8th to 3/16 "in the low bass  to take 
some power away from those pieces of granite.

    Pitch the theatre on the cost savings of doing the whole job at once and 
good luck.

    What also can make sense is for the theatre to lease a piano and replace 
it each year.
    They will be able to budget their cost and never have a  worn out 
instrument and big repair bills.If you have a relationship with the local 
Yamaha dealer perhaps you could help arrange a proposal .
    Best of luck,
    Tom Driscoll RPT