Seating strings: what's the sound tell you?

[Ron Nossaman]

Cy Shuster wrote:
> Thanks, Jurgen, I'll try that.  It also solidifies the bridge pins, and 
> prevents any possible string damage.
>  
> --Cy--
> 
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     *From:* Piano Forte Supply <mailto:pianoforte@pianofortesupply.com>
>     *To:* pianotech@ptg.org <mailto:pianotech@ptg.org>
>     *Sent:* Wednesday, April 13, 2005 12:22 PM
>     *Subject:* Re: Seating strings: what's the sound tell you?
> 
>     Tapping strings down to eliminate false beats is good - giving the
>     bridge pins a tap is even better.  Tapping the bridge pins in just a
>     fraction has several advantages: it positions the string at a "new"
>     termination point on the bridge pin, and it pulls the string back
>     down onto bridge.  One danger of tapping the string itself onto the
>     bridge is embedding it too deeply into the the bridge cap, creating
>     a poorly defined termination and associated tonal problems.


It takes close to 15 lbs to slide a string under about a 10° side 
bearing along a bridge pin. Driving the pin instead of tapping a 
string isn't doing the bridge cap any favors at all, being the 
equivalent of pressing the string into the cap with a 15 lb. tap. It 
won't make the pin any more firm in the cap either. It's the 
looseness where the pin enters the cap that causes the false beat, 
and driving the pin deeper won't change that. It merely drives the 
string into the cap and clamps it down for a while. If the holes are 
drilled deeper than the pin reaches, it might get you a fresh 
bearing surface, but if the pin is bottomed in the hole, it will 
push right back up where it was in the next dry cycle.

Tap the bridge pin, or seat the string, as you wish. Neither fixes 
the problem, and both are destructive to the bridge cap.