[pianotech] Bass string maker problem

[Ron Nossaman]

On 1/17/2013 4:16 AM, Encore Pianos wrote:
> My experience also.  Last set was perfect, except for one string.  I checked
> my measurements for that string.  Oops!

That's the one. Checking all measurements three or more times from both 
directions usually catches those for me, but then one day it's surprise 
time. I even use a simple little spreadsheet input form that I measure 
hitch to bridge pin and hitch to agraffe with the speaking length 
calculated as the difference. So when I look at bichord pairs and see a 
5mm difference in speaking lengths, which is my typical screw up, I have 
an easy cross check. That doesn't help on monochords, but I'll take 
whatever help I can get. Charting speaking lengths is a quick and easy 
visual indicator of suspicious discontinuities too.

You probably already know this, but though it's functionally a non-event 
for the small distances involved, different string makers handle the 
hitch differently. One will use the back of the pin, and another the 
center, and their respective supplied measuring tapes read differently 
as a result. So they need to know hitch size as well. Seems overly 
complicated to me when the back of the hitch pin is where the loop seats 
in all cases regardless of hitch size, but that's the way it is. They 
also handle elongation a little or a lot differently. Some not at all.
Ron N