String Installation Question

[Dean May]

You should also consider that you have to stock $200 worth of wire to have
all the right sizes- plain and universal bass. If you charge $5 a pop, that
means you have to change 40 strings before you break even. You have to buy
the wire, buy the micrometer and other tools needed, buy the container to
hold it in, carry it around with you (taking up valuable real estate in your
vehicle), and pay property tax on it.

 

Personally I only face about a dozen broken strings a year. That means I
need to get the charges up there to justify all the expense. And I've got no
ethical problems with that at all.

 

Dean

Dean May             cell 812.239.3359 

PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 

Terre Haute IN  47802

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From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Matthew Todd
Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2007 11:06 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: String Installation Question

 

On the subject, how do you charge for the actual wire you use?  If I had a
1/2 lb coil of size 20 wire, that I paid $8 for, and I had used so much of
it to replace a string, what is the ethical way to charge for this?

Mike Spalding <mike.spalding1 at verizon.net> wrote: 

Matthew,

There should be enough room in the gap left by the missing wire to 
maneuver a standard mic in there to get a reading, if you're really 
careful and observant about making sure the anvil seats squarely on the 
string. Depending on which string it is, and the style/size of the 
piano, you may need to remove the action to get the mic in. But that 
will also make it much easier to replace the string. As for getting 
paid for the additional time, make sure the owner understands that if 
they had saved the broken string for you, it would not have cost as much.

Mike

Matthew Todd wrote:
> I have a mic. My question was how can you get an accurate reading of 
> a string still in the piano.
>
> */paul bruesch /* wrote:
>
> You need to have a mic to measure the wire, but you do not have to
> spend $200. Schaff sells a nice Starrett for $100. It's not the
> digital display type, so you'll need to spend five minutes
> learning how to read it. You could also pick up one from a
> retiring tech, or possibly even buy a cheap one to get started...
> not my recommendation, though. The really expensive wire gauges
> only read whole wire sizes. Convenient, but not too useful.
>
> The other day I tuned a S&S M. The A4 note only had one string,
> and when I pointed it out to the owner she said she'd heard a
> clangy noise a week prior. Funny, she didn't notice how
> weak-sounding that one note was, and likewise there was no trace
> of the remains (except the coils and an inch or two on one of the
> pins.)
>
> Paul Bruesch
> Stillwater, MN
>
> On 8/2/07, *Matthew Todd* <TODDPIANOWORKS at YAHOO.COM
> > wrote:
>
> Last weekend, I tuned a console for a lady and discovered that
> a treble note was missing a string. I pointed it out to her
> and I will be coming back to replace it.
> 
> But I got to thinking....there are no traces of this broken
> string anywhere in the piano. Totally vanished. So, I am
> assuming that the previous tuner broke it, and didn't say
> anything. Is that a fair assumption?
> 
> Anyway, how do I get a mic reading from the adjacent string,
> or calculate which size wire to use? I know PianoTek sells a
> micrometer than enables you to measure diameters of strings
> still in the piano, but I'd rather not spend $200 on this item
> if I can help it, and I'm assuming this situation doesn't
> happen THAT often.
> 
> Any help will be appreciated.
> 
> 
> Thanks!
> Matthew
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