----- Original Message ----- From: Greg Casper <gcasper@pacbell.net> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2002 5:25 PM Subject: Victorian Pins WAAAAAAY tight! > Hey everyone: > > I've got a customer with an 1896 G. Challenger & Co. vertical. We're > replacing bass strings, 'cuz they was bad! Anyway, when I was releasing > tension on the stings, the pins were EXTREMELY tight... in fact, I ended up > only giving each pin about a quarter turn and then cutting the strings once > the tension was down. > > Question is... what might cause this and how do I deal with it when I go to > install the new strings? It seems to be the same all the way up the > pinblock, as I also relieved tension on some upper strings to keep from > overloading that side of the plate, and they behaved the same way. > > Ideas or suggestions gladly accepted. > > Thanks > > Greg Casper > San Jose, CA > Pretty rare for a piano that old to have still-tight pins, even if it was never tuned regularly. Or do pianos that come to a humid climate when they're new, and stay in that climate, retain tight tuning pins? (I don't know; I've always lived out West). Main reason for post: I and many other techs have restrung the bass only on old pianos, uprights or grand, without letting the tension down in the treble. It doesn't hurt to do so -- just not usually necessary if you tighten plate screws first. --David Nereson, RPT, Denver
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