[CAUT] When to restring...

[David Love]

When it either renders poorly, is breaking strings, has bridge and capo
deterioration, sounds like crap even with new hammers (assuming reasonable
soundboard health).  

 

My approach is to never leave anything undone that I might regret later.
All full restringing jobs get plate removal; examination of the pinblock
(not always replacement if I can limit the size increase to 3.5s or
lo-torque 4s); resurfacing, pinning, notching of the bridge (and often
recapping of capo section); new agraffes (I like to replace rather than
recondition for various reasons); reshaped capo bar, new WNG perimeter bolts
(adjustable).  Cosmetics on the soundboard and plate will depend on
condition and age and how clean I get things to come apart.  On older pianos
if I strip the board I put a coat of epoxy on it to stiffen it-never met one
that didn't benefit from it).  I always replace the cardboard/felt piece in
the tenor section with a length of brass half round.   I always analyze the
scaling.  

 

David Love

www.davidlovepianos.com

 

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Paul T
Williams
Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2010 9:21 AM
To: CAUTlist
Subject: [CAUT] When to restring...

 

Hi all, 

When do you all decide when to restring a grand?  I have now in the shop a
S&S M from the 60's from one of our classrooms.  Besides an action overhaul
with new hammers, shanks and flanges, I'm considering restringing.  It is
original (I think) with lots of corrosion on the plain wires.  The bass
isn't the worst I've heard, but a new set of strings there is probably a
good call.  I haven't yet checked the bridge pins, but it's riddled with
false beats throughout, so I'm thinking of loose bridge pins and poor
termination points.  The downbearing is fine and the board and pinblock are
fine as well....for it's age and vintage. 

Typically, when I restring, I replace bridge pins as well as agraffes and
tuning pins.  Do you go this far? not as much? farther?  I'm not in any
hurry on this one as I put a "loaner" grand in the classroom for fall
semester. 

Thanks for any input. 

Best, 
Paul T. Williams RPT
Univ. of Nebraska 
Lincoln, NE

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/caut.php/attachments/20100803/ee5da6db/attachment.htm>