Universal Bass String question

[Farrell]

Hi Michelle - I've got a little bit of variations to Johns ideas - just thought I'd share.

First and foremost, cut the string to length (couple inches longer than hitch-pin to tuning-pin) before unwinding any copper!

"Sometimes holding it with a pliers helps to keep the string stationary while you unwind the excess (Use the pliers above the place where it will break off.)"

I do the same, only I find that a pair of vice grips gently clamped exactly just above the place where the coil will break off works great. The copper wire is thick enough that it unwinds quickly. Using vice grips lets you concentrate on unwinding the copper.

"On the ones with the smaller copper winding, I hold the replacement string loosely in the left hand, unwind 3-4 inches of the winding, then it's pretty quick unwinding by pulling with the right hand. (The string in the left hand rotates as the winding comes off - that's why you hold it loosely.)"

John's method may work fine - I've never tried it, but I will next time. What I do is apply vice grips like I described above (not so tight as to deform the copper windings), unwind the few inches like John said. But then I pull the copper winding straight off the string - straight out parallel and on the same line as the core. If you play around with this a few times, suddenly you will find that you can induce this totally funky revolving motion of the core (it looks like an airplane propeller in motion in the shape of a cone) that increases as you pull harder but it lets the copper unwind extremely easy. I know I'm not describing the motion well - it's something that you have to experience before you know what I am talking about. But it makes using universals fun - it's a game I play when I use them. I know I'm making no sense - but try it - just pull straight out when you have thin copper windings - the core will automatically go into this funky motion - it's a hoot!

FWIW

Terry Farrell
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Michelle Smith 
  To: 'Pianotech List' 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 9:43 PM
  Subject: RE: Universal Bass String question


  Thanks for the info John.  I guess I'm going to have to grow some more muscles and get after it.

   

  Happy Halloween!

   

  Michelle Smith

   

   


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  From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of John M. Formsma
  Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 6:41 PM
  To: Pianotech List
  Subject: Re: Universal Bass String question

   

  #5 is a big one, isn't it? I don't know of a way to do it fast except to unwind it quicker. :) Sometimes holding it with a pliers helps to keep the string stationary while you unwind the excess (Use the pliers above the place where it will break off.)

  On the ones with the smaller copper winding, I hold the replacement string loosely in the left hand, unwind 3-4 inches of the winding, then it's pretty quick unwinding by pulling with the right hand. (The string in the left hand rotates as the winding comes off - that's why you hold it loosely.)

  JF

  Michelle Smith wrote: 

  Hi all.  Yet another newbie question.

   

  Does anyone have an easy/quick way to remove copper winding from universal bass strings?  I'm practicing on an old spinet here at the house and while I did cut some of the string off (winding and core), I still had to work for quite a while to get down to where I needed to be with the winding. (I was working with a #5 string.) Thanks in advance.

   

  Michelle Smith

  Smith Piano Service

  Bastrop, Texas

  (512) 466-0238

  michelle at cdaustin.com

   

   

   
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