string breakage at becket

Rolf von Walthausen & Nancy Larson pianos@traverse.net
Tue Oct 16 19:45 MDT 2001


List:
I've been been servicing a Steinway D in a teaching studio that has had
a string breakage problem at the tuning pin becket since it was restrung
4-5 years ago.   There is no apparent rust or corrosion visible.  The
stings usually break during tuning -- only sometimes during playing --
but never at the usual breakage points.  The only problem I can see is
that the pins were never tapped down into the block far enough,
measuring an inch or more from plate to top of pin.

Does anyone know if this could be the source of the breakage problem, or
is it simply a case either of poor quality wire or nicks in the wire
near the becket from a careless stringer?   I'm preparing to tap the
pins down to their correct height (there's plenty of room to do so
without going into the action cavity) but would like to restring first
if excessive pin height is not causing the breakage.

Thanks for your help.

Rolf von Walthausen
Interlochen Center for the Arts



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