Wurlitzer Bass string breakage.

[EBordeleau@aol.com]

In a message dated 95-12-11 19:27:03 EST, you write:

>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.  I measured the
>string with my Micrometer and with a string gauge.  I then proceeded to
>replace the string.  I pulled the string up to tension and as I when I did a
>test blow to make use I got the pin set,  The new string broke.  I tried
>again, remeasured to be sure I didn't make a mistake and then I used a 1/2
>size larger string ( because I was out of the other size.)  The second
string
>broke also.

Alan -

There's another consideration that no one else has mentioned.  On a lot of
these pianos, but especially on the spinets and consoles, the pinblock is
flat, and the overstringing is accomplished by using a fairly high pinned bar
for the wires to pass over at the top of the piano.  Because the tuning pins
are placed quite close to this bar, particularly on the bottom row, the wires
take a sharp angle from the coil to the bar, often times wrapping over the
coil.  If you raise the pitch, or give them a good test blow, you can snap
the wires right at the coil more often than not.  The manufacturers often
tried to "fix" this problem by leaving the pins high, with as much as 3/8" of
space between the bottom of the coil and the top of the plate.   Of course,
the pins flagpole, and get loose, so then we drive them in, exacerbating the
problem.

The solution I've used is to replace the tuning pin with a 4/0 x 2.5" pin,
and leave it sitting high, just like the factory did originally.  It'll
flagpole, and won't tune as well as you'd like, but it won't break wires
either.  Remember this wasn't a primo piano to begin with.  This is a good
example of competing compromises in many ways.

Good luck.
Ed Bordeleau
Pianoarts, Inc.