[CAUT] Re-stringing Steinway D

[Jim Busby]

Thomas,

 

I seem to be the only one who likes Hellerbass. I also like Arledge but
Hellerbass actually gets the strings to me in less time than Arledge and
they're as good as Arledge, IMO. A string broke on Tuesday and
Hellerbass had it to me clear from Germany in 2 days! Arledge took
nearly 6 weeks for the same thing. I know that isn't typical for Arledge
but it has taken at least two weeks for them.

 

Jim Busby BYU

 

________________________________

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Thomas Russell
Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 12:18 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Re-stringing Steinway D

 

Thanks for all the input on restringing and pinblocks.  A couple
responders indicated that they use Arledge bass strings.  Any other
opinions on using something other than Steinway bass strings?

 

Thomas Russell

 





 

On Dec 5, 2006, at 1:00 PM, caut-request at ptg.org wrote:





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Today's Topics:

 

   1. Re: re-stringing Steinway D: pinblock preparation (Jeff Tanner)

   2.  Wapin Seminar Report (RicB)

   3.   Wapin Seminar Report (RicB)

   4. Re: re-stringing Steinway D: pinblock preparation (Ken Zahringer)

   5. Re: re-stringing Steinway D: pinblock preparation (Jeff Tanner)

 

From: Jeff Tanner <jtanner at mozart.sc.edu>

Date: December 4, 2006 3:33:06 PM CST

To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>

Subject: Re: [CAUT] re-stringing Steinway D: pinblock preparation

Reply-To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>

 

 

On Dec 4, 2006, at 3:29 PM, Jim Busby wrote:





Jeff,

 

Even with new agraffes I would still do the Paul Revenko-Jones'
polishing. Since doing that it has made a big difference on our pianos.
(Much less buzzing, rattling annoyances, etc.)

 

Jim Busby BYU

 

No argument with that.  I'm just amazed that any tone at all was able to
be produced by some of the junk agraffes I've been finding in our
Steinways from the late 60s and early 70s.  Unfortunately, I don't have
a way of taking a pictures.  Few were drilled in a straight line.  Many
have no bevel in the hole at all -- just drilled straight through.  A
reamer and flitz won't do much for that.   It's $186 (D) and a couple
hours or so well spent to replace them.

 

Jeff Tanner, RPT

University of South Carolina

 





 

 

From: RicB <ricb at pianostemmer.no>

Date: December 4, 2006 3:50:08 PM CST

To: caut at ptg.org

Subject: [CAUT]  Wapin Seminar Report

Reply-To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>

 

 

Hi Tim

 

Thanks muchly for your detailed and complete report.  I did'nt want to
get into hyping Wapin all that much ahead of time when you brought this
up last time, but to be sure I had rather expected you would return with
an enthusiastic report. 

Much of the skepticism directed against Wapin has to do with what
basically comes down to head scratching, or so it seems often enough to
me.  When it comes down to it tho, observation is one thing and being
able to what is observed is really quite another.  We can wonder all day
long just how Wapin does what it does....  but it really is not so
difficult or time consuming to confirm it has a <<profound>> as you put
it affect. All one needs is an open mind and a healthy portion of
curiosity.

 

In any case, your experience echoes my own.  And frankly when I stop to
think of it.... I have a hard time imagining why rearranging the bridge
pins in the fashion would/could  not have a profound effect.

 

I still have some questions that I'd like to see (dispassionately)
discussed thats for sure, but as the song goes... I'm a believer. 

Thanks again.

 

Cheers

RicB

 

 

 

 

From: RicB <ricb at pianostemmer.no>

Date: December 4, 2006 3:52:06 PM CST

To: caut at ptg.org

Subject: [CAUT]   Wapin Seminar Report

Reply-To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>

 

 

Grin... sxuse me... that last post should have been addressed to  Mark,
and not Tim of course.

 

Cheers

RicB

 

 

 

 

From: Ken Zahringer <ZahringerK at missouri.edu>

Date: December 4, 2006 5:11:06 PM CST

To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>

Subject: Re: [CAUT] re-stringing Steinway D: pinblock preparation

Reply-To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>

 

 

That's interesting, Jeff.  Maybe the mode of removal doesn't make as
much difference as I thought.  I have restrung without replacing the
block only twice in the last 10 years or so, and both times I didn't
handle the pins until I had backed them all out, by which time they had
apparently cooled off.  Both pianos still tune great, though.  There's
always something to learn out there.

Ken Z.


On 12/4/06 2:14 PM, "Jeff Tanner" <jtanner at mozart.sc.edu> wrote:

On Dec 2, 2006, at 12:19 PM, Ken Zahringer wrote:

If you're absolutely committed to keeping the original block, here's my
two cents worth:

1.	Remove the old pins with a brace or ratchet, not an electric
drill.  It's more work, but it keeps the heat down and won't glaze the
hole.

Ken,
I'll have to take issue with this.  Another technician here showed me
exactly the opposite just recently.  Removing the pins with a brace (or
even a T-stringing hammer) got the pins so hot you couldn't hold them.
The electric drill didn't give them time to get hot.  They were warm,
but you could hold them.

Jeff
 
Jeff Tanner, RPT
University of South Carolina

-- 
Ken Zahringer, RPT
Piano Technician
MU School of Music
297 Fine Arts
882-1202
cell 489-7529

 

From: Jeff Tanner <jtanner at mozart.sc.edu>

Date: December 5, 2006 10:48:06 AM CST

To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>

Subject: Re: [CAUT] re-stringing Steinway D: pinblock preparation

Reply-To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>

 

 

 

On Dec 4, 2006, at 6:11 PM, Ken Zahringer wrote:





That's interesting, Jeff.  Maybe the mode of removal doesn't make as
much difference as I thought.  I have restrung without replacing the
block only twice in the last 10 years or so, and both times I didn't
handle the pins until I had backed them all out, by which time they had
apparently cooled off.  Both pianos still tune great, though.  There's
always something to learn out there.

Ken Z.

 

 

We have 18 Steinway grands from the late 60's to 1978.  All the blocks
are fine - in many cases better than many of our '94 models, but in our
mostly humid environment we have some badly corroded wire.  Also,
inadequate budgets, lack of space and proper tools don't allow for
pinblock replacements right now, so we have to get as much bang for our
buck as we can and restring with larger pins.  (I don't know if having
only 1 Steinway that predates teflon makes us more or less fortunate.)

 

Yes, I would have thought the electric drill would have created more
heat.  I'd always backed the pins out with hand tools before.  But the
high speed drill backed them out in a fraction of a second each.  There
simply wasn't time for the friction to create as much heat.  On the
other hand, if it had been a slower speed drill, I expect the temp would
have been higher.

 

I learned something too!

Jeff

 

Jeff Tanner, RPT

University of South Carolina

 





 

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