Bass string breakage

[Larry Fisher]

>From: AlanL27@aol.com

>Subject: Wurlitzer Bass string breakage.

>I recently got a call to replace a bass string on a Wurlitzer Studio at a
>High School.
>I attempted to replace it with a universal bass string.

 The second string
>broke also.  I have never had this type of problem installing a universal
>bass string before.
>Alan Ladd
>Anderson SC


>From: hoplandr@cadvision.com (Ray Hopland)
>
>        I had a piano that had a bass string string would continually break
>at the upper bass plate pin.

 I bent the upper plate pin to the right slightly to
>decrease the angle, and after 15 or so years, the string is still holding.

>Ray.
>
OK Alan, the bass string has some bearing areas.  These are areas where the string bears down
on a pressure point.  These points create friction or drag.  If the friction is strong enough
to oppose the slight movement of the string across these areas, the
 string could break.  The movement is most noticable at the upper bridge/upper pressure
bar/v-bar/the point of contact with the plate nearest the tuning pin.  This is usually where
a string will break.  The v-bar cast in the plate is usually the culprit.
 It will have an unusually high spot, or sharp ridge that acts like a chisel when the string
is under tension.  I've used anything from a Dremel grinder, to a very small cold chisel, to
a hand file, to a piece of emery cloth to smooth the offending area o
ff.  The moving of the plate pin, as mentioned above, quite possibly moved the string off the
offending area.   What ever works and lasts long.

Holiday Salutations
                                     Larry Fisher, Metro Portland, Or.
                      Factory Preferred Installer for PianoDisc Products
                       phone 360-256-2999 or Email larryf@pacifier.com
                      live life with variety and stare adversity in the eye!!