"cracking" pins

[Les Smith]

On Mon, 6 Oct 1997, David ilvedson wrote:

> As someone who just restrung the bass on a Baldwin concert grand 
> and have those "cracking" pins, I wish I had tried the 
> "varnish".  I'm going to give it a little time but I may be 
> tempted to remove each pin and use the varnish and drive it 
> again.  Am I asking for trouble such as breaking beckets?

Hi, Dave.

With 100 year old strings you might run into a problem wih an oc-
casional becket, but with new strings you'll be OK. However, even with
new strings, you don't want to stress the bend at the becket too much.  
Let down the tension just enough so that you can slip the becket out of
the  pin using a small, narrow-bladed screwdriver. When reattaching the
string slip the becket back into its hole with a pair of needle-nose
pliers, PUSH IT HOME with a pair of regular pliers, and then slowly bring
up the tension on the string, watching that the becket doesn't slip out
part way in the process. The process is not nearly as stressful (to you)
as the above might make it sound. After you've done one or two strings,
you'll be on you way. The most difficult strings to replace after removing
them are the lowest, heaviest strings. I suggest removing them LAST, but
reinstalling them FIRST, starting with the first, of course. No Sweat!
Okay, okay, maybe a LITTLE sweat, but not too much! Good luck!

Les Smith
lessmith@buffnet.net