Breaking a String

[Matthew Todd]

In regards to No. 3, I remember when I was 15 I watched the piano tuner tune the piano in our church sanctuary.  On one note he was hitting, he had his hammer on a different pin, there was no pitch change, and did indeed break the string, so that was his fault.  He left me the bill, and I noticed he still charged for the string repair.  I will never forget that!

I guess in a way it is good to see how some people do things the wrong way, so you know how not to do it!


Matthew

Michael Magness <IFixPianos at yahoo.com> wrote: 

 On Tue, Jul 22, 2008 at 12:22 PM, Matthew Todd <toddpianoworks at att.net> wrote:
  I will be practicing string replacement on my Yamaha U-1.  But first, I need a string to replace.
  
 What is the proper procedure for breaking a string?  I think this was posted on the list not too long ago, but I can't find it.
  
 Thanks!
Matthew

 
Hi Matthew,
  
 The class I attended for learning piano tuning/technology was eons ago and an extension course of the University of the University of Minnesota.
  
 Our first class began with each of us coming to the front of the room and tuning a string beyond it's breaking point on an old upright that was there for that purpose. The point was to show us;
  
 1. That strings could be pulled beyond the acceptable pitch by quite a bit prior to breaking thereby removing the "flinch factor" from     pulling a piano to pitch.
 
2. We then backed off some of the wire on the corresponding string, pulled it around made a new becket and effected the repair, learning hands on, how to do the repair. In the unlikely event that pulling the string around the hitchpin didn't work, ie it broke again, we replaced it.
   
 3. Demonstrating that we, as technicians, don't break strings but rather strings break while we are tuning them, therefore we always should charge for repairing them.
  
 If you wish to knot a string there are some excellent examples in the archives.
  
 When you are ready to replace a bass string, I would suggest Mapes, they, many times, already have the scaling of most of the Asian makers, making measuring superfluous. Should you need to measure they can instruct you as to what, exactly they need. Usually core diameter, winding diameter, loop to beginning of winding and length of winding.
   
 I have called them using my cell phone while I'm still in the customer's home and ordered the string, so that I knew if I needed to measure it for them and so I could get a current price from them(copper fluctuates in price) to give the customer. 
   
 Last December, a week before Christmas, I called in a string order on a Monday, midday, and had the string that Friday, no special 
 shipping just parcel post, the way they always send them.
  
 IMHO all Mapes does is make strings, they aren't anymore expensive than the jobbers and I talk to the guy who's going to make the string. They've been at it for 4 generations making strings for all stringed instruments.
  The Mapes Piano String Company 
 #1 Wire Mill Road
Elizabethton, TN 37643
Phone: 423.543.3195
Fax: 423.543.7738
info at mapeswire.com
  
  
 Mike
-- 
I feel sorry for the person who can't get genuinely excited about his work. Not only will he never be satisfied, but he will never achieve anything worthwhile. 
Walter Chrysler 



 Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com
email mike at ifixpianos.com 

 
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