Interesting idea. I didn't need much, and perhaps that might have done it. Water under the bridge now though. I unwound a few windings and re- spiced into the speaking portion already. Got a tool box filled with drills and pins and files, etc., etc. Thanks though. Terry Farrell On Feb 11, 2011, at 1:10 PM, Mark Schecter wrote: > Can you gain a little length at the top by untwisting a couple turns > of the loop at the hitch end? Then I think I'd try it with the > current UTP, because maybe it won't break. > > -- Mark Schecter > > > > On Feb 11, 2011, at 9:33 AM, Terry Farrell > <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com> wrote: > >> Hi Folks. I just got back to my shop after trying to replace a >> spliced bass string and have run into a problem. >> >> The piano is a 1950 good condition (relatively speaking) American >> console piano. Bass string broke (monocord) the other day while >> tuning. Strings are a little bit tubby, so I recommended splicing >> rather than replacement to maintain even tone. String broke right >> at the tuning pin. I spliced the 0.049" wire (ouch!) and made a >> nice neat little (well, no so little because I could only pull so >> hard on the darn thing - couldn't tighten it up much) knot. I made >> the knot as close to the end of the broken string as possible. >> Unfortunately, the string has it's tuning pin fairly close to the >> upper speaking length termination (what the heck do you call the >> little steel pin (looks like a small hitch pin) on that ridge on >> uprights that the strings bend around and form the upper speaking >> length termination? I'll refer to it as the upper termination pin >> (UTP)). >> >> So I go to the home this morning and attempt to install the spliced >> string. Put everything in place and find that the knot won't quite >> pull past the UTP (I thought it would once I get a little tension >> on the string). Tap it a bit, won't go. I tried twisting the string >> for exposure of a more favorable part of the knot to the UTP - >> still won't pull past the UTP. Maybe a little more tension - nope, >> won't go - knot still hung up on UTP. >> >> Okay, so plan now is to remove some windings and make a knot a >> centimeter or so lower into the speaking portion of the string. I >> know it may affect string tone - I figure I'll just try it and see >> how it sounds. >> >> That's not the problem. The problem is that I have now bent the >> UTP. I think it is bent enough that whether I put a re-spliced >> string on the piano or a new string, that the pin may fail - and >> even if it doesn't fail, it may bend a little more and not retain >> the string. >> >> Seems to me I have two options: Cross my fingers and go for it and >> see what happens. Problem with that is that the UTP may break, and >> if it does, it will likely break right at the plate surface - that >> will make it nearly impossible to remove. The other option is to >> attempt to remove it while I have something to grab onto and try to >> pull it out (while again, crossing my fingers). If it pulls out, >> then all I need to do is find a similar size (or a bit larger) >> steel pin and replace. >> >> I'm looking for recommendations. I keep telling myself to keep my >> camera with me. Maybe this will convince me to do so. Sorry, but no >> picture. I've chopped off many a hitch pin, but not UTPs. Are they >> just tapped in and I should be able to simply pull one out? >> >> I realize that I can drill a hole immediately adjacent to the >> original pin (if it were to break) and install a new one. But that >> will move the string way over and then I'll have a poorly aligned >> hammer (I guess not that big a deal) and I'll have to fart around >> with the damper. I'd rather utilize the original UTP hole. Probably >> would have been smart of me to have measured the diameter of the >> UTPs in the piano. I guess I'll have to bring a few sizes of drill >> bits and steel pins with me when I go back (ASAP - in an hour or so). >> >> I wonder how many hours it's gonna take me to replace one string >> (at my standard string replacement fee). Crud. >> >> Glad I like to watch some very philosophical television shows. >> Because of that I am well aware that "worse things happen at sea!" >> >> Terry Farrell >>
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