On Wed, Jul 15, 2009 at 6:30 PM, David Ilvedson <ilvey at sbcglobal.net> wrote: > That I didn't know or inquire about...it's a good idea. I'm paying $17.95 > for a single string + shipping. What are they charging you for both > strings? Personally, I like to use Arledge, for bass strings but he's slow > and doesn't like to take measurements over the phone...so for the occasional > string Mapes is very efficient... > > David Ilvedson, RPT > Pacifica, CA 94044 > > ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- > From: "Michael Magness" <IFixPianos at yahoo.com> > To: ilvey at sbcglobal.net; pianotech at ptg.org > Received: 7/15/2009 3:25:30 PM > Subject: Re: [pianotech] bass or plainsteel strings? > > > >On Wed, Jul 15, 2009 at 4:51 PM, David Ilvedson <ilvey at sbcglobal.net> > wrote: > > >> Give up on the Universal strings. Take measurements, call Mapes or > >> favorite string maker...get the string within a week and do it right. > You > >> can still tune at the first appointment and come back to install the > string. > >> I give them a price including part, shipping and the installation > >> appointment. If you have a ringing damper...I've temporarily installed > a > >> flat damper or they can tough it out... > >> > >> David Ilvedson, RPT > >> Pacifica, CA 94044 > >> > >> ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- > >> From: "Noah Frere" <noahfrere at gmail.com> > >> To: pianotech at ptg.org > >> Received: 7/15/2009 2:25:45 PM > >> Subject: Re: [pianotech] bass or plainsteel strings? > >> > >> > >> >Thanks for your reply. I have also been increasingly dissatisfied with > >> >Universal Strings. However, even ordering specific strings often pose > >> >troubled matches I've noticed lately. If I receive one more poorly > matched > >> >string, I'm going to order both bichords... > >> >Anyway, I should also have known that since 2 complete notes were out, > >> there > >> >would be no chance of replacing with Universals, since I need 2 pairs. > >> These > >> >were indeed copperwound, and I'm afraid since they're at the break that > >> the > >> >tension may be a bit high. I will ask the stringmaker if he can do > >> something > >> >about that. I did not measure the adjacent strings. > >> > >> >On Wed, Jul 15, 2009 at 1:23 PM, Joe DeFazio <defaziomusic at verizon.net > >> >wrote: > >> > >> >> Hi Noah, > >> >> As David Porritt mentioned, the hitch pins (and the bridge pins) will > >> tell > >> >> you if you have a bichord or a trichord. However, some cheaper > American > >> >> pianos of that era (and Currier certainly counts as cheap!) use both > >> wound > >> >> bichords and steel bichords in the low tenor. So, if you see copper > >> >> bichords to the left and steel bichords to the right, you will have > to > >> look > >> >> carefully at the surfaces of the damper felt and hammer strike point, > >> where > >> >> the difference will most likely be discernible. > >> >> > >> >> If copper is the "correct answer," I would advise against using > >> universal > >> >> strings, which one of my friends calls "universally wrong." They > never > >> >> match in timbre, and their inharmonicity is usually so wildly > different > >> that > >> >> they don't tune well with their neighbors. Why "fix" a piano so that > it > >> >> sounds even worse than it did before it broke? (Yes, for the wise > guys > >> out > >> >> there, it is indeed possible for even a Currier to sound worse than > it > >> did > >> >> when new!) > >> >> > >> >> If you make accurate and precise measurements of the speaking length > >> (hitch > >> >> to speaking bridge pin length, hitch to upper termination, hitch to > >> tuning > >> >> pin) of the missing strings and their lower neighbors, as well as > core > >> and > >> >> wrap diameters for the lower neighbors, plus twist length near the > hitch > >> pin > >> >> loop, a good string maker ought to be able to scale and manufacture > new > >> >> strings which will sound much better than universals. If four > strings > >> in a > >> >> row broke, though, that may be a clue that the original scaling was > >> >> improper. Ask the string maker to double-check the breaking > percentage > >> of > >> >> the newly designed strings before manufacturing them, and to adjust a > >> little > >> >> for safety if necessary. You probably don't want to have the new > >> strings > >> >> break just like the old.... > >> >> > >> >> Joe DeFazio > >> >> Pittsburgh > >> >> > >> > >> > > > I agree with the others about the universal strings. I use Mapes, I have > >them on the speed dial of my cell phone so I can call the specs of the > >string in from the piano. > >Also I have noticed that Mapes usually offers a deal on the pair when it's > >one string in a unison, since the new string will have a better tone than > >the old, they recommend replacing both and give you a deal on the price of > >both. > > >Mike > >-- > >I intend to live forever. So far, so good. > >Steven Wright > > > >Michael Magness > >Magness Piano Service > >608-786-4404 > >www.IFixPianos.com <http://www.ifixpianos.com/> > >email mike at ifixpianos.com > Hi David, I haven't needed one for a while now. The $17.95 sounds about right for the first one, depending on copper prices but then the second one will usually be about 1/2 that. They make the strings same day if it's before 11 or next day if it's after and ship priority mail so you usually have it in about 5 days. I also like Mapes because you get to talk to the guy who's going to make the string. If you're having a problem they sometimes have suggestions. I had a new Kawai, Kawai sends all of their scalings to Mapes for warranty string replacements, in a church with VERY heavy handed pianist. She broke the same unison strings twice! The guy at Mapes suggested making the string with a thicker core wire and slightly thinner wrap so it would be the same weight, just tougher to break. I told him to try it, I put the pair in and they are still there today! Mike -- I intend to live forever. So far, so good. Steven Wright Michael Magness Magness Piano Service 608-786-4404 www.IFixPianos.com email mike at ifixpianos.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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