[pianotech] Petrof vertical string breakage.

[Matthew Todd]

.....lot's of Prokofiev, maybe?
 
All I can say is, if you have a few pianos in your clientele database (or pianists) who repeatedly break strings, count it as a blessing to have that passive income.  I think part of the irritation with string breakage arises because after we replace strings, we have to plan on several visits afterwards to adjust the new strings.
 
You are right though, I prided myself very highly on those broken strings.  Only bass strings though.  I could of cared less for the treble wire. :-)

TODD PIANO WORKS 
Matthew Todd, Piano Technician 
(979) 248-9578
http://www.toddpianoworks.com

From: Gerald Groot <tunerboy3 at comcast.net>
To: 'Matthew Todd' <toddpianoworks at att.net>; pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 8:37 PM
Subject: RE: [pianotech] Petrof vertical string breakage.


I understand your point Matthew. I think you understand mine too.  I’ve been tuning full time for over 37 years now and have encountered plenty of situations where the wire was faulty in certain sections but, to this day, I find no excuses for the pianist to repeatedly break wires “at will.”  As you said, you had a broken string wall of fame as if you pride yourself in that.  Fine.  I don’t agree with it though and won’t.   I had a Yamaha C7 once where the pianist broke over 110 wires on that ONE piano alone.  There was nothing wrong with the piano but, there was plenty wrong with his technique of smashing the keys with his fingers.
 
Jer
 
From:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Matthew Todd
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 12:51 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Petrof vertical string breakage.
 
Jer,
 
Obviously, it is the person actually playing that will break a string.  My point is the fact that some music requires the type of forceful playing that would cause string breakage in the first place.  And as far as you saying "many people play the exact same music as the next person and rarely break wires"" this is something that has too many variables to actually see if this is true or not.
 
And for the comment "some pianists pride themselves in their ability to break strings at will", I will admit that in my performing days, I did have a broken string wall of fame at one time :-).  But that was only because the piano I was practicing on at the time was M&H from the Aeolian days.
 
TODD PIANO WORKS
Matthew Todd, Piano Technician
(979) 248-9578
http://www.toddpianoworks.com
 
From:Gerald Groot <tunerboy3 at comcast.net>
To: 'Matthew Todd' <toddpianoworks at att.net>; pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 8:41 AM
Subject: RE: [pianotech] Petrof vertical string breakage.
Yep.  Most of the time piano wires break, is the cause of the player, not the cause of the piano itself or of the composer.  Many people play the exact same music as the next person and rarely break wires.  While pianos can have faulty wires, this is generally not the case.  Whatever the song might be, it doesn’t mean BEAT the piano into submission until are wire breaks.  Some pianists pride themselves in their ability to break strings at will.  
 
From:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Matthew Todd
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 9:31 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Petrof vertical string breakage.
 
Jer,
 
Have you also taken into consideration that it may just be the composers (and/or publishers) fault why strings keep breaking and not the professors?  I mean, when you come across an "fffff" marking, it is not to be taken lightly  :-).
 
TODD PIANO WORKS
Matthew Todd, Piano Technician
(979) 248-9578
http://www.toddpianoworks.com
 
From:Gerald Groot <tunerboy3 at comcast.net>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 7:49 AM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Petrof vertical string breakage.
Watch him play.  Find out how hard he plays and what he plays to make it break.  Don’t say anything about suspecting that it might be HIM that is the problem because he may just set back and not play as hard then.  Ask what happens at that point when it breaks.   Chances are, my guess, would be that it is him that is the problem in one particular song that he likes to play.  I run into that frequently at my college when one particular professor is practicing the same song over and over and over again for a recital or concert.  She’s broken the same strings on the same song yet, when she changes songs, the strings stop breaking.  She has a VERY hard touch and this is what is causing it and she knows it.  I’ve tried replacing with smaller and, larger diameter wires. It makes no difference in her case…  
 
Jer
 
From:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Al Guecia/Allied PianoCraft
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 7:30 AM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: [pianotech] Petrof vertical string breakage.
 
I have been servicing a 2001 Petrof vertical since 2006 with no problems. In Aug 2010 my customer called and thought a string may have broken. It had and I replaced the string (#14 1/2) and tuned the piano. I tuned the piano again in Jan 11 & May 11 everything looked good (by the way, he is the only player and plays only classical music). I just got a call that a string has broken again and he thinks it may be the same one. 
 
This piano has agraffes throughout. Any thoughts or suggestions? And if it is the same string should I go with one size smaller?
 
Al -
High Point, NC
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20110920/1e11d930/attachment-0001.htm>