Seating/false beats

[Ron Nossaman]

Hi John,

One of the major points I tried to make with the never ending thread was the unlikelihood of strings being driven up pins by play. I asked four or five times if anyone had found a piano pounded sharp after the concert, but no one had. I really don't think
 it happens that way. Had humidity been high (or higher) since the piano was last tuned than it was when you tuned it this time? That would be the more likely cause. Heavy use, however, may increase the likelihood of strings STAYING up pins after a high h
umidity cycle because the wear track on the pin is wider and the contact area and corresponding friction between string and pin is greater.

This is the wrong time of year for this, but I am going to start carrying a dial indicator when tuning. I'll get measurements of both string and pin height before and after the seating. That is, if trying to get the measurement doesn't trigger it. It's be
en suggested that maybe the pin taps down with the string. In house CAUTs have more ready access to pianos than us independents, so if anyone out there has a little time and wants to help, I'd be interested in the data.

Still trying to pull it together,  Ron Nossaman



At 01:34 AM 5/4/97 -0700, you wrote:
>Hi Ron,
>
>Judging from the loose wippen flanges, etc, I suspect that the piano had
>received some hard use...which may have resulted in strings riding up on the
>bridgepins (?). As I recall, the soundboard did have crown and the problem
>disappeared after reseating the strings. I don't know if I would have been
>able to observe the problem without tapping a few down. It was easy to see
>the string move down against the bridge, however, after receiving a light tap.
>
>>How could you tell the strings were up the pins? Was there a visible gap?
>That would sure scare me!  I'd check the soundboard crown and bearing. It
>sounds to me like the board has gone concave and the resulting negative
>bearing is floating the strings up
>>
>------------------
>John Peters
>jpeters@netcom.com
>
> Ron Nossaman