Unstringable C8, was Steinway 78183

[William Monroe]

Hi Greg,

I just went through this with an S #342xxx.  Almost Exactly.  C8 broke 
during pitch correction.  Polished Capo, went to replace C8, then B7-C8 
shared string snapped next to it!!  Replaced it with no. 12.5 up to pitch 
fine.  Back to C8.  Pull up to pitch - SNAP!  Again - SNAP!!  After 
consulting, replaced with 12.5, pulled up to pitch while massaging the 
speaking length with a maple dowel.  Made it.  Not excited about tuning it 
again.

Current NY S&S says no. 12.5.  The one I worked on miced there and was 
marked as such.  Unfortunately, it doesn't matter what gauge wire you put 
on, Break% will still be the same.

Try massaging and see what happens.  Lubricate the bearing bar with a breath 
of ProLube as well.

2.5" seems long to me.  I don't have an S now, but the "O" that I have has 
note 88 at 46mm (1.81")??  Not sure what's going on there.....

Also had the same situation as you on the S where the Capo lowers noticeably 
at C8, lowering string height and increasing that bearing angle.  I think If 
I had it in my shop I'd grind that Capo down (up) to get the string line 
level, shape it, and see what that got me.

I'll be curious if someone has an S to measure or knows the speaking length.

William R. Monroe


>
> Dear fellow listers: What is the "normal" speaking length for C8 in a 
> Steinway S?
>
> Amazing coincidence.  I was working on a Steinway S, s/n 48xxxx, last week 
> which was missing the top shared string of C8.  I replaced it with no. 13 
> wire, and it broke at about A#7 in pitch while pulling it up.  So, 
> assuming it was me, I tried it again.  Bang!  Broke at the V-bar.
>
> I shoe-shined the v-bar to remove grooves and tried again.  Bang!  Broke 
> at the v-bar.
>
> I tried no. 12.5 wire, with graphite at the bearing points.  Bang!  This 
> time at the bearing between the tuning pin and the v-bar.
>
> I tried no. 12 wire.  With squinty eyes and going very slowly, I pulled it 
> up to within about 20 cents of C8 and the pitch stopped rising even though 
> I was moving the pin.  So I left it flat.
>
> John Travis' "A Guide to Restringing" shows 12.5 wire for B7 and C8 for an 
> S.  The plate of this 20 year old, factory original S is clearly marked 
> 13.
>
> The C8 speaking length on this one is 2.5 inches.  I checked a few other 
> pianos in the vicinity, including a S&S D, and found 2 inches for no. 13 
> wire at C8.
>
> The v-bar on this S curves down visibly at the right end, which appears to 
> increase the wire angles on both sides of the v-bar, getting worse as you 
> go from about A7 to C8.  The left string of C8 is holding at pitch, but 
> had been replaced by someone else earlier.
>
> I don't know if it is just too long a speaking length, or too much string 
> angle, or a combination.  I only know it doesn't work as is.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Greg Graham
>