[pianotech] String Breakage

[Garret Traylor]

Hi Matthew,
Try a little different technique.  For me, every time I service a piano that
I am not familiar with, I always bump or lower the pitch of each string just
barely and then go up for the target as lightly above and down.  This
technique will save you more times than not.  Pulling up from a static
position just seems to break more strings, particularly if they have not
been tuned in a while.  P22's do have their own particular issues as other
have pointed out.
Kindest Regards,
Garret 
-----Original Message-----
From: toddpianoworks at att.net [mailto:toddpianoworks at att.net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2010 9:34 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] String Breakage

List,

I was tuning a Yamaha P22 this morning, when a monochord string broke while
I was tuning it.

I use CyberTuner, and the note was almost in tune, just a tiny bit flat, and
as I turned the pin only one notch with my hammer to bring the note slightly
above pitch so I could settle it back to pitch, the string snapped.

Is there any rhyme or reason why a string breakage such as this would occur?

Matthew
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