"Run a scale evaluation to make sure it would work"????????????//

[Barbara J. Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "gordon stelter" <lclgcnp@yahoo.com>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 4:40 AM
Subject: "Run a scale evaluation to make sure it would work"????????????//


> I understand the need to add hitch pins. I had a piano
> rescaled professionally by one of the top techs
> providing this service recently, but it would have
> required about 15 new hitch pins. And I was under a
> lot of time pressure from the customer, so I just
> strung it as original. This piano was also very
> lighthly ribbeed, so I wondered if heavier guages
> would be sensible.
>      But what do you mean by "run a scale evalutaion
> to make sure it will work".? Please.
>      Thump

Generally the person doing the scaling should check to determine whether or
not switching from tri-chord plain strings to bi-chord wrapped strings is
practical. Often it is not. Rescaling older pianos is always a compromise
between some theoretical ideal and the practical. It is also a good idea to
let the person doing the scaling about any special characteristics found in
the piano such as the light ribbing you mention. Yes, this would affect the
rescaling somewhat--at least it should.

One of the problems that is still prevalent in the practice of rescaling is
the gap that exists between the nice lines on the computer screen and the
reality of the physical piano. Some of the worst examples of rescaling that
I've been called on to correct have actually looked rather nice on the
screen and on paper.

Del