Last three strings cont'd

[Glen_Deligdisch@sil.org]

     Dear Bob, ddf (sorry I can't remember your name) and Jim,
     
     Thanks for your quick responses.  The stringing is now done with 20 to 
     the end.  I have to put the finishing touches on the key tops before I 
     can give it the first tuning (in other words, the keys are not in the 
     piano).  So at this point I still don't know how it sounds.
     
     Let me take a moment and give a little more information on the piano 
     and then present the list with a few more questions taking a slightly 
     different direction.
     
     This is as stated a 1919 York upright.  Steel strings all the way to 
     the tenor break.  They manufactured this piano for maximum length of 
     string in mind.  The tenor bridge descends all the way to the very 
     bottom of left hand corner of the case.  In fact it was a bit of a 
     pain getting to the hitch pins because they were all buried behind the 
     pedal mechanism.  They really crunched the tenor pins together on top 
     resulting in a good 10 inch separation between the tenor pins and the 
     first bass pins.  The last bass pin is stuck right up to the edge of 
     the plate.  The hitch pins are spread out so that the strings look 
     like a fan, tight together at the pins, expected spread in the 
     striking zone and quite wide at the hitch pins.
     
     Old pins were 2/0.  String scale was very plain with no half gages 
     included (13-20).  As far as lengths for the strings ddf, I will have 
     to check that out on Monday and mail you privately.  Jim, I see now 
     that my use of terminology lead you away from what I was trying to 
     say.  I should have said, the last three pins.  This involves only one 
     note with the last string being a single terminated at the hitch pin.  
     :)
     
     Now my additional questions.
     
     I talked to one of the techs in our guild and his conclusion was that 
     the piano has already been restrung once.
     
     1.  When one comes to a given piano, are there any quick ways one can 
     determine whether the piano has been restrung before?  I know that pin 
     size is a quick give away, but at 2/0 it is not so clear.
     
     2.  Does the lack of any half gage strings point one to a poor string 
     scale?
     
     3.  What does one do if you suspect the scale is wrong because of the 
     evidence of prior work or poor sound?  I have noted on the list that 
     several of you have programs to figure out acceptable scales.  I am 
     new at all of this and find the idea of rescaling a pretty weighty 
     issue liability wise.  Yet, a poor end result eats at me as well.
     
     Ok, now I will sit back and listen.  Thanks again for the help ahead 
     of time.
     
     Glen
     
     ---------------------------------------------------------------
     
     Glen and Ruth Deligdisch
     P.O. Box 248
     Waxhaw, NC  28173
     
     Tel:  (704) 843-9089
     
     E-mail:  Glen_Deligdisch@SIL.ORG