Tuning Pin Size

[David Love]

John:

Re the tensions on the Schiedmayer.  You're right, they were all over the
place, zigzagging back and forth.  When I recalculated the scale it came out
quite different.  What gives with the original idea, do you know?

David Love


----- Original Message -----
From: "John Delacour" <JD@Pianomaker.co.uk>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: January 24, 2002 1:14 AM
Subject: Re: Tuning Pin Size


> At 8:08 PM -0800 1/23/02, David Love wrote:
> >I just finished restringing a couple of older pianos (Schiedmayer,
> >Schomacker).  Both pianos were originally strung with #1 tuning
> >pins.  This was nice since both blocks were good it allowed me to
> >restring with #2's.  I'm curious when/why companies got in the habit
> >of doing the initial stringing with #2's.  The improved tuning
> >quality of a smaller pin would suggest using a #1, as I believe many
> >Japanese makers do.  I know some rebuilders (Dale Erwin) are also
> >stringing new blocks with #1's.  Is there any compelling reason not
> >to use a #1 pin when installing a new block?
>
> I'm not familiar with American gauges and I gave up using gauge
> numbers after a few months in the trade, since there seemed to be a
> great vagueness about the actual diameters.  Under the old system, #0
> or #00 would be the original size, I think.  However I have found
> most German pianos used either a 6.70 - 6.75 mm. pin or a 6.85 - 6.90
> pin.  Some had a turned thread and some a filed thread.  The evenness
> and sharpness of the thread on the best old pins is not to be found
> on any pin of modern manufacture.  It was most common for makers to
> use a shorter pin (54 - 55 mm) than is generally used nowadays.
>
> I always use a 6.75 mm. pin in a new block and on original blocks I
> am very often able to do the job with a pin 6.90 to 7.00 in diameter,
> provided the piano has not been over-used.  The fact that the many,
> if not most, of the old tuners tuned with a T-hammer, means probably
> that less damage tended to be done by tuners.  The man who taught me
> to tune used a T-hammer on grands till the end of his life!  How he
> managed with Korean pianos, heaven knows.
>
> The French used French-made pins which were even thinner (6.60 mm)
> and a few makers used a tapering pin.  Older Brinsmeads had a pin
> tapering from about 6.75 to 6.50, so it is possible to restring using
> the very smallest cylindrical pin (6.75 mm).
>
> As in so many things, the influence of Steinway practice may have
> raised the size of the original pin.  The unbushed Steinway
> string-plate requires the ise of a longer pin and, to avoid bending,
> a fatter pin is required.
>
> At least that's about how I see it.  I can see no reason for not
> using the smallest pin in a bushed string-plate or an open plank,
> both of which I personally prefer.
>
> Did you have a look at the string tensions on the Schiedmayer?
Frightening!
>
> JD
>
>