<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:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"> <style>  </style>  </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Paul,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> This piano is used very heavily for dress rehearsals and recital performances. Many days it is played heavily for 8-10 hours and I am also touching up the tuning daily which I am sure could be called wear and tear as well . I wouldn’t say it has a string breakage problem…after a couple of years a string breaks, then another and another. After a few months of this I’ve spliced 8-10 strings and I begin to think about the next available time to restring. I do this to ensure that people aren’t breaking strings during performances or recording sessions. This particular piano is our most heavily used performance piano. The other nine pianos we have on the various stages typically get this treatment every 5 years or so. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Eric<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Eric Wolfley, RPT<o:p></o:p> Director of Piano Services<o:p></o:p> College-Conservatory of Music<o:p></o:p> University of Cincinnati<o:p></o:p> <div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'> From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Paul T Williams Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008 8:37 AM To: College and University Technicians Subject: Re: [CAUT] existing pinblock prep<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> Eric, Why did the D need so many restringings in only 9 years? Was there a string breaking problem or is it played to death? Paul <o:p></o:p> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;margin-left:.5in'> <tr> <td width="40%" valign=top style='width:40.02%;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> "Wolfley, Eric (wolfleel)" <WOLFLEEL@ucmail.uc.edu> Sent by: caut-bounces@ptg.org <o:p></o:p> 07/24/2008 10:31 PM <o:p></o:p> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellpadding=0> <tr> <td valign=top style='background:white;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> Please respond to College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org><o:p></o:p> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="59%" valign=top style='width:59.04%;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> To<o:p></o:p> </td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org> <o:p></o:p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> cc<o:p></o:p> </td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> Subject<o:p></o:p> </td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> Re: [CAUT] existing pinblock prep<o:p></o:p> </td> </tr> </table> <o:p> </o:p> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> Paul,   I’ve never restrung a whole piano more than once using this method but just finished restringing the top 2 capo sections on one of our Steinway Ds in our main recital hall for the 3rd time since the piano was new 9 years ago. That makes 4 stringings on those pins counting the original one. The pins are still plenty tight and they still look good. There are numerous practice room pianos here that have received this treatment multiple times as well. The method I independently arrived at is virtually identical to Fred’s though I will add that in addition to getting all the becket holes aligned advantageously, I make sure the pins are all at the same height before putting the new coils on. A lot of them get high or low because of the various string splicing operations done before restringing. While the strings are off I clean everything thoroughly, lightly resurface the capo bar, super-glue the bridge pins (without removing them) with Zap a Gap to fill any hairline cracks and loose pin holes, string, pull to pitch, level the strings, resurface the hammers, space and refit the hammers to the strings. I’ve done this to 2 pianos this week and each job took 6 hours. Most of the pesky extraneous string-noise goes away and the pitch stabilizes very quickly if you make sure everything is seated and pounded in. It’s a great way to get the concert pianos prepped and sounding great  for a new season, plus you don’t need to worry about string breakage for a while. I really think the new strings sound better as well…   Eric   Eric Wolfley, RPT Director of Piano Services College-Conservatory of Music University of Cincinnati From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Paul T Williams Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2008 8:49 PM To: College and University Technicians Subject: Re: [CAUT] existing pinblock prep   Fred, Can you do this two times?  Just trying to save a buck on practice rooms.... It makes a lot of sense to do this one time, but have you experimented twice with the same pins given good torque?  Now with the old pins, are you concerned at all with the appearance of the new job?  Restringing looks nice, but if the older pins are dingy or even rusty looking, do you proceed with this? I've not been here long enough to see, so I'm interested in what you've seen in your years.  Of course, practice rooms are not the best looking of beasts, but it still is important to keep them looking somewhat decent.   What say you? Paul <o:p></o:p> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;margin-left:.5in'> <tr> <td width="62%" valign=top style='width:62.02%;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> David Brown <dcbrown5@exchange.asu.edu> Sent by: caut-bounces@ptg.org <o:p></o:p> 07/24/2008 07:38 PM <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellpadding=0 style='border:outset 3.0pt'> <tr> <td valign=top style='background:white;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> Please respond to College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org><o:p></o:p> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="37%" valign=top style='width:37.02%;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> <o:p> </o:p> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'> <tr> <td width="19%" valign=top style='width:19.0%;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> To<o:p></o:p> </td> <td width="80%" valign=top style='width:80.0%;padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> <caut@ptg.org> <o:p></o:p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> cc<o:p></o:p> </td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td> </tr> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> Subject<o:p></o:p> </td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'> [CAUT]  existing pinblock prep<o:p></o:p> </td> </tr> </table>   <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0> <tr> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td> <td valign=top style='padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> Fred and all- Thanks for clarifying that for me. This was originally posted and replied to by self admitted low volume restorers who , in my thinking , would not be as quick as one might be after having done several without removing the pins. Your tips for that are a great help. Regards- David On Jul 24, 2008, at 3:33 PM, Rick Florence wrote: > Obviously, there is a time to keep the existing pins, which explains > David's qualifying statement "This doesn't address stringing on the > original pins." Yes, noted, and the post was a good one on the subject of evening out   torque. But the full statement was: "This doesn’t address stringing on the original pins. That is an   option if you are comfortable with the extra effort and time." In my experience, there really isn't extra effort and time involved.   Granted, you need to learn and hone new procedures, but with several   under my belt, I find that I probably save time, and perhaps effort as   well. It is a little more time consuming to get strings off and on,   but I have saved the time and effort removing pins. And the cost of   the pins. And any work on the holes. And I have saved time replacing a   block down the road (even if it happens after I retire <G>).   I should say I have developed a few procedures that speed things up.   I use a sharpened needle nose to remove coils (it gets between the pin   and the becket bend, and grabs the becket, pulls it out of the hole,   and pulls the wire off the pin). And I always go through all the pins   once the strings are off and standardize the angle of the becket holes   so they are all the same, so I don't have to go hunting. Little things   like that, and it goes quite smoothly. Regards, Fred Sturm University of New Mexico fssturm at unm.edu David C. Brown Arizona State University School of Music Piano Technician 1-480-965-6760 david.c.brown.2@asu.edu <o:p></o:p> </div> </body> </html>