Broken Bass string

[David Porritt]

David:

This goes counter to "conventional wisdom" on this subject, but I have seen
places like the church you describe where softer hammers caused more breakage
than harder.  There is a certain amount of emotional feedback the pianist wants
in the music.  If the hammers are soft, they simply have to play harder to get
what they are after.  I really think placing a stage monitor closer to the
pianist where he/she can hear the piano better would help the most.  This
person wants a certain sound and will play as hard as it takes to get it.

dave

Vanderhoofven wrote:

> Dear Friends,
>
> Small Full Gospel Pentecostal Church
>
> Energetic Music, including piano, drums, bass guitar, electric guitar,
> keyboard and about 6 singers.  Large 18 or 24 track mixer with lots of
> preamps, amplifiers and several large  loudspeakers.  Piano has a two part
> microphone, on part attaches to the plate, one part attaches to the
> soundboard, don't know brand name).
>
> The first small piano -- multiple broken strings -- replaced before I began
> tuning there about three or four years ago.
>
> Replacement piano -- 34 year old Everett studio -- no broken strings at
> time of acquiring this piano.
>
> In the past three years, I have replaced about 10 or 12 broken bass strings
> on this piano, mostly using universal bass strings.
>
> Hammers shaped nicely, about a half day's worth of regulation, softened
> hammers considerably, adjusted sustain pedal so as not to lift the dampers
> very far.  (Music is usually played only in about 4 or 5 keys, and the
> hammers are wearing excessively for the notes corresponding to those keys.
> Hammers for the white notes are excessively worn, hammers for sharp and
> flat notes are barely worn.)
>
> Yet still strings are breaking.  I have replaced the bass strings on note
> D3 about three times.  This spring, I replaced both strings of the unison
> D3 with new custom made bass strings from Mapes, from a paper pattern of
> the stringing scale.  Today, a phone call from the pastor to replace a
> broken string on note D3.
>
> Help!
>
> I know that the archives have information on this, and I have read most of
> it.  Is there anything that I can still do that I have not already done?
>
> I shaped the hammers and softened them in hopes that the softer hammers
> would help alleviate the problem of broken strings.
>
> I did a fairly good quick regulation of the action, setting let-off at
> about 3/16" in hopes that this would help stop broken strings.
>
> (I did this hammer shaping and regulation on my own time, in hopes that I
> could help the church out and learn something for myself as well.  Hey, I
> was a beginner, I was learning, I know now how to do the work and don't do
> free work anymore, unless the situation truly does warrant it and my wife
> and I discuss the situation first.)
>
> I set the damper pedal to lift the dampers a minimal amount, in hopes that
> this would help stop broken strings.
>
> What else can I do?  Is this year and model of piano especially prone to
> string breakage?  (I tune several other Everett studios and consoles that
> do not have this problem).
>
> I don't believe the problem is with the piano, or the replacement strings,
> the hammers, or the regulation.  I believe the problem can be isolated to
> the pianist, whom I have never seen play.  What possible piano technique
> can this pianist be using to enable them to break strings so frequently?
> If I go to a worship service there to observe the pianist, what should I
> look for?
>
> Thanks for any replies!
>
> David Vanderhoofven
> Joplin, Missouri



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David M. Porritt, RPT
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, Texas
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