Schraffed bass strings

[Eric Leatha]

>Has anyone out there had much experience with the schraffed bass strings
>from Mapes? I just put a set on a lovely Bosendorfer 200, and found that
>at least 4 of the new strings are dead as a doornail. All 4 are in the
>lower bass, which leads me to wonder if perhaps I'm twisting the strings
>too much. I twisted them as I would a normal set of bass strings, ie, 1
>full turn on the bichords and one half turn on the monochords. Do the
>schraffed strings want less twist than normal ones?
>
>Thanks,
>        Steve
>
>Steve Brady, RPT
>University of Washington
>Seattle, WA
>
>
>
Steve.

I have heard it rumored that schraffed strings do not require the twist we
so frequently deliver.  I'd let down tension on one of those dead strings,
let it untwist and bring it back up and listen to what happens.
'Minds me of the time I had a dead string on a Baldering grand.  I let down
tension, pulled the loop off the hitch pin and the string flopped around
like a trout in death-throws.  There must have been 27 twists in that
string.  I gave it one and brought up tension- it sang.  Maybe there is
truth to that rumor.
However, I occaisionally get dead bass strings and Schaff (or any other
manufacturer I would hope) gladly replaces them gratis.

By the way, the estimating and appraisals class at PacNW was invaluable.  I
had a call just this evening concerning an appraisal.  Those forms really
organize and streamline the process!


       A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write,
if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself.  What a man can be, he
must be.
-Abraham Maslow
 Motivation and Personality, 1954

Eric Leatha, RPT
Portland, OR
tunrboy@teleport.com