restringing question

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Airy" <stephen_airy@yahoo.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: November 25, 2000 11:55 PM
Subject: restringing question


> I'm curious -- How easy/hard is it to change the number of strings per
note
> on a few notes when you're restringing a piano (but not replacing the
plate
> (of course!) or pinblock)?  For example maybe there's 2 wound strings per
> note in a section and the technician wants to change it to 3 plain, or 1
> wound to 2 wound.  My family has an old Hallet & Davis 52 1/2" upright
> (serial #107906 made in 1921) which has 1 string per note from A1 to B15,
2
> strings per note from C16 to A#26, 3 strings per note from B27 to C88.  It
> needs some work (new hammers, bass strings (probably all strings)
replaced,
> tuning pins seem to still be holding tune but was almost 1/4 step out of
> tune after about 2 1/2 to 3 years of sitting), basically a minor
rebuilding
> job.  If I changed the stringing scale, I would extend the 2 strings per
> note down to A13 or G11 (currently lowest 2-string note is C16) -- what
> would be your advice on that?
> __________________________________________________

Your question really should be, why would I want to do this?

The answer is, you probably don't, at least not for acoustical reasons.  But
the reasons are complex enough that it's not something I'm going to try to
answer on pianotech.

If you really want to do this stuff, I'd really suggest you spend enough
time studying the subject first.  At least long enough so that you will
understand the various consequences of your actions -- some of which will be
unintended.

Read Dave Roberts book, 'The Calculating Technician.'  Yes, it's full of
mis-understanding about scale design, but it's still about the best we have.
Get the back issues of the Journal -- we're all going to gray and doddering
by the time the CD hits the shelves -- and attend every class you can on the
subject.  Then start tinkering.

Del