<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue id="role_body" bottomMargin=7 leftmargin=7 topmargin=7 rightMargin=7> <div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Mark,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I twisted the strings an extra twist and all but a few (3 or 4) came alive, like you said. I’m worried, however, that this may be temporary. This piano is high profile so just to be sure I ordered a new Arledge set. I’m still perplexed about this “old strings = dead strings” thingee. I understand tarnishing, but the other set wasn’t exposed to air.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Please let me know how your strings turn out, in a few weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Jim<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </span></font></div> <p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] <b><span style='font-weight: bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Mark Cramer<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Thursday, August 16, 2007 6:50 PM<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> <st1:PersonName w:st="on">College and University Technicians</st1:PersonName><br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [CAUT] Dead (New) bass strings</span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>At the end of budget year, like many of you, I look for any supplies or "must have" tools I can buy up, just so... well you know, after all you are CAUTs!  ;>)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Of course there's nothing like having a small variety of shank/flange sets and/or 1/2 dozen sets of unbored hammers on hand, for when that rainy-day project finally comes along. This year however I was foisted by mine own pitard, when I realized I'd used up the last trickle of last year's budget on custom bass strings, for an instrument I'd done exactly the same thing for two years prior! <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>So I'm sitting with two sets of identical bass-strings for one 1963 Baldwin L. (yes the same one we're monitoring seasonal bearing change on) One set is fresh, and the other is a March 05 vintage. Both sets have been kept sealed nonetheless, and are shiny and new looking.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Then it occurs to me that we happen to have a 1979 L, and it's earmarked for an action reconditioning and treble re-string... so why not?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Well the measurements worked out quite well, within 2 or 3mm if I recall, placing the winding just a wee bit closer to the bridge(s). And I can live with that. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>However, this is a "1979" <st1:place w:st="on">Baldwin</st1:place>, and the strings were made for a "1963" model................. are you with me?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Anyhow after a few mixed results, we hit on a plan that seemed to work:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>We clamped a tapered punch in a bench vise, placed the hitch-loop over it, then gently tapped the loop down with a hollow dowel until the loop enlarged to "Accujust" size. We allowed the string to rotate free and watched the deformation of the loop very carefully.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>So far so good. The bass section sounds great!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>However, the tenor wounds sounded a little dull on first raising. So we unhitched them and gave them a twist, pulled them up, listened, then un-hitched them and gave them another twist.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>They sounded better for a moment, then became dull again. Whether due to their age, or our little "super-sizing" experiment, it seemed the windings may be slipping around the core.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>So we twisted them again... what've we got to  lose?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Anyhow, they've been at pitch for a week or two now, and the tenor-wounds sound just fine; no discernable beats, no rattles and a very nice tone for this tricky-transitional area of the bridge. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>I'll certainly share results if things don't last. At this point though, I think worst case scenario would mean replacing the tenors, but not if they continue to sound this good.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>And of course no one else will likely ever have repeat this experiment, because all of you keep the entire contents of your inventory fecklessly stored in your photographic memories...right down to the sizes of your Lo-Torque tuning-pins, eh Jim? ;>) <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Mark Cramer,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black'>Brandon</span></font></st1:PlaceName><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceName></span></font></st1:place><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>PS In case anyone missed it, the strings were made for an older <st1:place w:st="on">Baldwin</st1:place> with traditional hitch-pins (3-4mm diam) and the loops are (were) too small for the newer Accujust hitch pins (about 7mm diam).<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>    <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>     <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>    <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=2 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:black'>-----Original Message-----<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org]<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Wimblees@aol.com<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Thursday, August 16, 2007 5:57 PM<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> caut@ptg.org<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [CAUT] Dead (New) bass strings</span></font><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial id="role_document"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>In a message dated 8/16/07 12:37:12 P.M. Hawaiian Standard Time, jim_busby@byu.edu writes:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:navy'>Hi Wim,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:navy'>The straight set wasn’t wrapped and the color was a bit darker than the older wrapped set. Both fairly dead.  <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:navy'>Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:navy'>Jim<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </blockquote> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>It's the darker color that's a sign that something invaded the coils of the string. How it gets that way is a question left to metallurgists.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Wim <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><br> <br> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-top:7.5pt;text-align:center'><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center> </span></font></div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:7.5pt'><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Get a sneak peek of the all-new <a href="http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour/?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000982" target="_blank" title="http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour/?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000982">AOL.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> </blockquote> </div> </body> </html>