changing treble strings..

[Avery Todd]

Hi Warren,

   I knew I'd forget something. No matter how many times I went through it
in my mind. :-)

>>keep the wire under tension while making
>> the coil. If you're in an agraffe section, make sure you put the wire
>> through the agraffe BEFORE making the coil. :-)

>Avery, a wrinkle I've used for years, that I've never heard of anyone
>else using is a method for preventing the string from jumping off the
>hitch pin while you're feeding it through the agraffe hole.  I had
>several people recommend snapping a vise grip on the hitch pin but I
>never liked walking around the piano to do that chore nor the marks the
>visegrip makes on the side of the pin.

   I usually use one of the padded type spring type clamps. Usually enough
pressure without the marks on the hitch pin.

>What I do is route the wire
>around the hitch, pull the wire tight OVER the pressure bar and cut the
>wire long.

   I also do this. Just something else I forgot to mention.

>Then I grasp the wire with my left hand (I'm right-handed)
>right behind the damper area (if they are in the piano) hold tension on
>the string leading into the hitch and loop the remainder of the string
>around in a verticle loop so that the end points under the v-bar to the
>agraffe.  Insert the wire into the correct hole, grasp the end with your
>right hand and pull it through the hole while you slowly release the
>vertical loop.  If you do it right, the hitch will always be under
>tension and the wire won't jump off.

   Not a bad idea at all. I'll have to try it this way.

>>I pull the string up in increments, squeezing the becket
>
>The best tool I have found for squeezing beckets is a pair of parallel
>pliers!  Wide and no teeth!

   Agreed.

>What'cha think?
>
>Warren

   Thanks for some useful additions.

Avery