A new scenario for me

[David Love]

The string maker shouldn't need to see the whole set and I don't know of any
who do.  JD Grandt (my choice), or Arledge will both do good jobs and
require only measurements.  Measuring hitch to bridge pin and hitch to
agraffe for each string along with the diameter of the core and outer
dimension of the wrapped portion will be sufficient.  Each maker will
provide a measuring tool sometimes for free if you order the set from them.
You will also need a micrometer for the diameters.  If your string maker
can't do it that way use a different string maker.  

Don't get caught up in already quoted prices.  Give the customer the price
for strings supplied by Yamaha versus an independent string maker and let
the customer decide.  Don't forget to charge for shipping and handling, and
a reasonable mark up for you trouble.  

There's no problem with removing the bass strings while leaving the rest of
the piano at pitch, I do it all the time, most recently on a Steinway D.  

Don't forget to factor in your time for measuring, destringing, stringing,
removing, replacing and reregulating bass dampers, tuning the rest of the
piano, which will go out of tune when you remove the strings and go back
almost in tune when you put the new ones on, and returning a few times until
the bass strings get stable.  

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net 
www.davidlovepianos.com



>Hi all.
>
>-client needs new bass strings (don't ask), but string maker wants 
>to see the whole set. Apparently, there's 3 different scales for 
>this particular Yamaha. Yamaha can supply the right scale, but I 
>already quoted the client a price, and Yamaha's price is near double 
>what the other string maker wants for the same set.
>
>-Piano is in client's home.
>
>Obviously, I need to remove the old strings so the right scale can 
>be made, but is there any danger of keeping the rest of the piano at 
>pitch while I'm waiting for the return of these strings?
>
>Sorry if this seems academic to some..I've never been here before, 
>so I thought I'd ask.
>
>Thanks,
>
>-Phil Bondi(Fl)