[CAUT] Yarmulka u1 bass strings constantly breaking

[Chris Solliday]

Yarmulka u1 bass strings constantly breakingHi Ben,
I have about the same amount of U1s you've got but mine are spread out at three different locations. I have never had a problem with bass string breakage but two of the folks who work for me have. While it is true that these are rather high tension scales a good tuning hammer technique will avoid confronting that issue head on BANG! My usual technique is to slightly lean on the pins counter clockwise (leftie loosie) and play the note at the same time setting the string in motion and then gently jerk the pins up clockwise (rightsie tightsie). This releases all the bearing points. Then I set from above as usual and a good test blow. My guys weren't doing this and just pulling up, and the binding and the high tension together beat them, BANG!
 You could also have these pianos rescaled by James Arledge or Danny at GC or Jim Sanderson and find a larger margin for error. I wouldn't do that with Mapes. Of course then you have a different tone and you have to replace all those sets.
I've never had a problem with Steinway Ks that way but did find it with Baldwin 243s.
I like the U-1 as the best and most servicable small practice room/cubicle piano.
BTW if the wrong tuning technique has left the upper section of the string in a more tense state than the rest of the string just playing these high tension scales hard will break the strings. Again this a combination of things that cause the BANG!
If you'll be at Clavier this Saturday we can talk more then.
Best, 
Chris Solliday
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ben Treuhaft 
  To: caut at ptg.org 
  Cc: gfrank at yamaha.com 
  Sent: Sunday, May 18, 2008 8:18 PM
  Subject: [CAUT] Yarmulka u1 bass strings constantly breaking


  dear Collegiate and Universitarianistic tuners, here at New York University we have about 50 newish u1s, none over 10 yrs old and most younger than 5.  They break bass stgs. Yamaha claims that happens with every other make of upright in a music school setting.  I do not believe them.  Most of our u1s have over 1/2 dozen missing or replaced bass strings (treble never  break).  Questions:
  1) has anyone else come across this problem on U1s?  Is it truly a universal university problem for other makes e.g. Steinway K?
  2) is there a fix, e.g. get Mapes to produce a set of lower-tension strings, and replace them all?  What would one say to Mapes?    thanks,    Ben
     or failing all that, how about a recommendation of an affordable upright that doesn't break all the bass strings
  Benjamin Treuhaft
  .·´&hibar;`·.¸¸.><(((((º>
  Underwater Piano Shop
  39 E. 7th St. #3
  New York, NY 10003
  (212) 505-3173
  BLT at igc.org
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