Tone quality

[Joe & Penny Goss]

Robin,
If you see this problem of corrosion again, lower the strings one at a time
( the highest in readings first )
To about a fourth to an octave low. The thump the heck out of the string
with the piano hammer ( about a dirty dozen thumps should do ) and bring
quickly back to pitch. Check the string's compatability and do the other
string if you think it might help.
This also works for dead and dying bass strings.
Joe Goss
----- Original Message -----
From: Robin Blankenship <itune@new-quest.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2000 7:37 PM
Subject: Re: Tone quality


> Wow!! Thank you, Ron. I never would have thought of that!! You're a life
> saver.
> Robin
>
>  >
>  > My first guess, with the qualification that the two strings were a good
> > match originally, is corrosion. Two fairly widely dissimilar metals in
> > contact in the presence of an electrolyte will corrode. The steel core
is
> > the more electrochemically reactive of the copper alloy/steel
combination,
> > and with enough room humidity, will rust slightly over a period of time.
> > The changes in stiffness, density, friction between copper and steel,
and
> > between the copper wraps will alter the partial structure of the string.
> > The strings don't necessarily both change at the same rates and in the
> same
> > manner, so they become harder to tune together, and to anything else, as
> > time goes on. Trichords are at least half again as bad (more, in my
> > opinion), as bichords. That is, if you can get strings made so a wrapped
> > trichord is tunable in the first place.
> >
> > On further consideration, I think that's my second guess too.
> >
> > Ron N
>
>