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<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>Wim,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>as a
matter of course, I try to find 'several' indicators before doing major =
work.
Denis Brassard ( Banff Centre for the Arts ), a careful, clever and =
respected
technician, really emphasized this principle to me.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>As
well, even after almost 20 years in the trade, I am still some what of a =
"chicken" and like to "choose my fights" carefully.
</FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff =
face=Arial
size=2>:>)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>For
example, our recital 'D' was 10 years old when I began here, and =
entirely
original.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>I was
aware this piano was "overdue" for stringing according to =
general
recommendations, but began to look for specific indicators. It didn't =
take
long:</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>1.)
False beats that couldn't be eliminated through (gentle) string-seating =
or
advancing "fresh" wire into the speaking =
length.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>2.)
Poor rendering in the treble sections.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>3.)
Spontaneous string breakage, at the capo. (typical point of
elongation)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>I
capitalized on the "visual aspect" of the latter by splicing =
rather
than replacing strings (I favor splicing over replacing, unless the =
stringing as
a whole is fairly new).</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>It was
then a simple matter to demonstrate false beats, show a segment of =
broken
string, and point out several splices, to the 'peace of mind' of our =
Dean (and
myself), that re-stringing was overdue. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2> </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2></FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT =
color=#0000ff
face=Arial size=2>BTW, the false beats were actually caused by loose =
bridge-pins, barely "finger-tight," from F#4 (gauge change) to =
C8.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>Although I believe you can and will discern a difference =
between new and
older string Wim, the greatest benefits seem to come from servicing all =
bearing
and termination points at the time of a =
re-stringing.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>best
regards,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>Mark
Cramer,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=630341217-07112001><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial =
size=2>Brandon =
University </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> <A
href="mailto:owner-caut@ptg.org">owner-caut@ptg.org</A>
[mailto:owner-caut@ptg.org]<B>On Behalf Of</B> <A
=
href="mailto:Wimblees@aol.com">Wimblees@aol.com</A><BR><B>Sent:</B>
Wednesday, November 07, 2001 8:44 AM<BR><B>To:</B>
caut@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: replacing plain
wire<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT =
size=2>In a
message dated 11/7/01 4:20:49 AM Central Standard Time,
hoffsoco@martin.luther.edu writes: <BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"
TYPE = CITE>As you increase the tension and approach the breaking =
point,
the weakest <BR>point of the wire will begin to fail. =
As it
does, that section becomes <BR>thinner. If you stop =
at this
point, you now have a wire with one of the <BR>wildest false =
beats you
ever heard. <BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>So if I understand it =
right, the
time to restring should be when a piano starts having more than its =
normal
share of wild strings. (wild strings that cannot be corrected at the =
bridge
or other termination points). <BR><BR>So how many of you have =
restrung a
piano with this parameter? <BR><BR>Wim =
</FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>