Time to level pins, dress coils...?

[Brian Trout]

Hi Diane,

I'd put the number somewhere between 4 and 5 hours (just a guess?, you might
be much faster...) if you're including the tuning necessary after all of the
string and coil adjustments, the pulling and installation of the action,
comforting the customer who hears something like a person destroying their
piano, etc.  How close the tuning pins are to each other can make a
difference as well, as to whether you can gain easy access to the bottoms of
those coils with your tools.  I've seen a number of pianos that had the
tuning pins so tight together through much of the scale that it was
difficult or impossible to get a coil lifter in there.  A string hook works,
but it takes me longer to get the coils neat than with a lifter.  (Actually,
I use a tool I made from an old bass string as a hook.  I've broken at least
two of the standard piano supply models, but my old bass string is still
going strong.)

I believe we probably have a pretty similar stringing style.  I straighten
out the coils and level the pins as I go.  Never again do you have that kind
of access to work with those strings and coils.  A friend of mine has just
the opposite approach though.  He strings the whole piano, leaving all of
the coils loose and the pins a bit too high.  And then when all the strings
are on, he comes back and straightens it all out.  I have tried it both
ways, but my personal preference leads me to doing all of the straightening
as I go.  To each his own.  :-)

Diane, I do hope things are well with you.  I imagine you must be very busy,
not only keeping up with the normal holiday rush, but also being short a
worker.  I do hope Murray is recovering well, and that you're both in good
spirits.

Best wishes to you,

Brian Trout
Quarryville, PA
btrout@desupernet.net