[CAUT] Flight of the Broken Bass Sting? (was:: Adams 1/4 tone sharp piano)

[Jeff Tanner]

On Mar 25, 2006, at 1:01 AM, Jeff Olson wrote:

> I've broken a lot of grand piano bass strings -- always the string  
> and/or piano's fault, I assure you! -- and must confess to never  
> having observed them flying free of the piano.  I remember one  
> snapping back in my general direction once when the hitch loop  
> snapped, but it never quite made it to my face, strinking (I think)  
> the top of the partly opened lid before that.
>
> On the theory that confession's good for the soul, I suppose I  
> should also admit that I have trouble visualizing a bass string  
> flying free in the manner that seems to hold such terror on this  
> list.  Seems like there's a fair number of obstacles to doing that,  
> and I'm not sure that a bass string possesses the kind of mass/ 
> elastic energy -- or whatever physics/technical term applies -- to  
> achieve such flight in any case.
>
> But as someone who humbly bows before simple empirical fact, at  
> least when one slaps me in the face, I would certainly defer to  
> those who've personally witnessed a bass string take majestic  
> flight from a grand piano.  Any chance someone here might describe  
> such an event?  (I've got an old grand I'm seriously considering  
> popping some strings on for experimental purposes.)
>
> Best,
>
> Jeff

I wasn't there when it happened, but I replaced the bass string (G23,  
right unison), which during the church song service, flung itself out  
of the tail end of the piano, narrowly missing the minister standing  
on the platform, oh, 15 to 20 feet away.  And that was at 440.  The  
piano -- a Baldwin R of similar vintage as the M Eric is using.

Jeff Tanner
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