piano wire

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Nossaman" <RNossaman@KSCABLE.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: December 29, 2001 6:17 AM
Subject: Re: piano wire


> > Do you prefer Mapes Gold Wire over Roslau (I gather you do)?  What
> > differences do you find?  Others care to comment?
> >
> > David Love
>
> I've recently started using the Mapes IG, and I like it. It is more
uniform
> in color and temper than anything else I've used. Cleaner too. Blackfinger
> and understring felt marking are much less with the Gold. I'm told it has
a
> higher tensile strength than Roslau, but I haven't managed to get actual
> figures on it. I can't tell if there is any difference in sound or not.
Too
> many other variables. But I do like it.

As do I. We've been using it for 8 or 10 years now--since it first came out.
I've found it to be quite consistent in diameter and cleanliness. It has a
fairly high polish which Mapes claims delays the onset of corrosion and rust
in climates where such is a problem. I've not noted any variation in tone
quality either. But then, I think most such claims using so-called 'modern'
wire on so-called 'modern' pianos are some exagerated anyway. I recall
reading through a rather exhaustive set of tests on various wires some time
back complete with pages and pages of tensile tests and spectrum charts,
etc., the conclusion of which was that batch-to-batch tonal variations (if
there were any at all) were about the same as brand-to-brand variations. I
have been told--and have no reason to doubt--there is much more variation in
tone quality with the lower tension scales found on fortepianos and
harpsichords where string flexibility is much more an issue.


>
> Oh yes, one more thing. Mapes IG, like Roslau, also requires at least one
> small blood sacrifice with each stringing. Some things don't change.

Remarkable how consistent the various manufacturers are in this....


>
> Does anyone out there have the breaking strength figures on the Mapes IG?

Someplace, yes. If I come across them in my unpacking I'll send you a copy.
They aren't appreciably different from others, a bit higher as I recall, but
not much. They claim to be more consistent with a narrower spread between
low and high breaking strengths.

Del
>