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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jeff,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It has happened to me once (so far)--in 24
years. Lower bass of an 8' Seiler. It shot out, flew across the room
and hit an armoire. Fortunately, it was a French
country painted style (flowers, etc) and I could see no damage.
Whew! I didn't want to have the opportunity to find out how good
my liability insurance was.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>That was the only bass string that ever broke on
that particular piano while I was tuning it (after that I treated it like an old
rusty stringed piano and let down the tension a bit on each string before
tuning (and crossed my fingers). I moved away from the area and when I
came back, the custmer called and asked me to service the piano again.
Apparently the piano had been through some rough times--lots of broken strings
(while tuning). It had just come back from restringing when I serviced it
again. The customer told me that he had called Seiler about the problem
and they told him that string breakage wouldn't be a problem if the tuner let
the tension down on the string first.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I've talked to other techs who say they routinely
use the let-it-down-first technique and report they don't break many
strings. Well, I haven't used the technique exclusively, but I haven't
broken a lot of strings either. I'd be interested in hearing opinions
on it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Fairy tales, do come true--it could happen to
you...but, I'd rather not have it happen again. </FONT><FONT
face=Arial size=2>I think I'll start keeping the lid down while tuning the
bass.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Barbara Richmond</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=jlolson@cal.net href="mailto:jlolson@cal.net">Jeff Olson</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org
href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">College and University Technicians</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, March 25, 2006 12:01
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [CAUT] Flight of the Broken Bass
Sting? (was:: Adams 1/4 tone sharppiano)</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I've broken a lot of grand piano bass strings --
always the string and/or piano's fault, I assure you! -- and must confess to
never having observed them flying free of the piano. I remember one
snapping back in my general direction once when the hitch loop snapped, but it
never quite made it to my face, strinking (I think) the top of the partly
opened lid before that.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On the theory that confession's good for the
soul, I suppose I should also admit that I have trouble visualizing a bass
string flying free in the manner that seems to hold such terror on this
list. Seems like there's a fair number of obstacles to doing that, and
I'm not sure that a bass string possesses the kind of mass/elastic energy --
or whatever physics/technical term applies -- to achieve such flight in any
case.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>But as someone who humbly bows before simple
empirical fact, at least when one slaps me in the face, I would certainly
defer to those who've personally witnessed a bass string take majestic flight
from a grand piano. Any chance someone here might describe such an
event? (I've got an old grand I'm seriously considering popping some
strings on for experimental purposes.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Best,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jeff</FONT></DIV>
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