Dear List, I would agree with the general perceptions about the reasons for string breakage in the capo registers of grand pianos. On professional instruments that receive lots of heavy playing and tuning, these registers will require some serious attention at least every five years or so. The first time around, unless the tuning pins are quite loose, you can destring the capo areas, refninsh the capo bar, check for loose bridge pins, etc., and then restring using a "dummy pin" for making the coils, which are then transferred onto the existing tuning pins. By using only 2 1/2 coils, you can reset the pins somewhat to tighten. This procedure will usually produce a major improvement in the tone in this crucial area as well, sometimes solving tonal problems that have plagued the piano for some time. The clue is whether tonal loss and deterioration begins in a marked manner immediately upon leaving the agraffe area. It also makes life much easier for the technician attempting to keep the piano in tune, and often working with severe time limits. The whole procedure takes me (a slow stringer) one long day, including resurfacing, fitting, and voicing the hammers; but it pays for itself very quickly. Regards, Charles Charles Ball School of Music University of Texas at Austin ckball@mail.utexas.edu
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