New bass strings, some dead, a happy ending

[Mike Spalding]

List,

Here's how it ended.  I e-mailed James Arledge about the dead strings.  
4 days later (!) I had the replacement strings, installed them, problem 
solved. 
In an ideal world, mistakes would never happen.  In the world I inhabit, 
stuff happens all the time, and the supplier who deals with it 
effectively gets my business.  I hope my customers see me the same way.

peace

Mike

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Re: New bass strings, some dead
Date: 	Fri, 03 Aug 2007 23:37:58 -0500
From: 	Mike Spalding <mike.spalding1 at verizon.net>
To: 	Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
References: 	<00af01c7d581$1f097740$6401a8c0 at DFCX0Y11>, 
<00b201c7d5d5$0cd7fb60$0301a8c0 at DESKTOP>, 
<b06f90340708031328j6c2852d8se13d78467cfbcd2b at mail.gmail.com>, 
<109b20ea.dd64.4e7d.8403.f8ba8e6c3ca8 at aol.com>, 
<b06f90340708031948k4b28f375qe5ceeb7bd5414234 at mail.gmail.com> 
<7ae99d60.e969.4180.87c5.a6b32323680c at aol.com>



Thank you to everyone who chimed in to answer this one.  I've been away 
from the computer today, and just got home to find all your contributions.

As it happens, these are Arledge strings.  And James does not "suggest" 
that the strings should not be twisted at installation, he "directs" 
that they should not.  From his website:  "*Important!* Arledge bass 
strings DO NOT need to be twisted when installed. Doing so could cause 
undesirable effects."

Several of you advised me to contact the string maker, which I certainly 
intend to do.  I only wanted to ask if there was anything you thought I 
should check before doing so.  As twisting is the only topic which came 
up, I guess it's time to call Mr. Arledge.

cheers

Mike

PS  What I recall from his class years ago, and a tour during the 
Nashville convention, is that he rotates the two ends of the core wire 
with independent computer controlled servo motors, so as to carefully 
control the twist in the core throughout the wind.  He is able to create 
a counter-twist in the core, uniform over the length of the string, 
which actually tends to tighten the windings when the core is released 
from the lathe chucks.