breaky Yamaha strings

[Billbrpt@AOL.COM]

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In a message dated 5/18/01 7:58:06 AM Central Daylight Time, blt@igc.org 
(Benjamin Treuhaft) writes:


> The customer (a young concert pianist with long, thin, unmuscular arms)
> has had dozens of broken strings.     

This remark caught my attention because, as others have told you, the problem 
is not unusual and often seems to defy logical explanation.  There is a 15 
year old boy who uses a Yamaha C6 at home (and right in my own neighborhood). 
 He is very slight of build with very skinny arms as you describe and very 
shy.  Yet, he has managed to break at least a dozen strings in the piano 
which is about 6-7 years old.
These have been at random throughout the piano, both wound and treble or high 
treble strings.

Recently, I posted a question about wound strings breaking right and left in 
a Young Chang grand used in a Gospel type church.  The young lady who plays 
the piano just could not believe that the *style* of playing had anything to 
do with it.  The dealer finally took over the problem as a warranty claim 
after at least 10 wound strings had been replaced.  I was glad to let that 
one go.  I was paid for all of my work but I felt that I was being blamed for 
it.  She said she thought I must be "tightening those strings too hard".  
(She came to this conclusion when she watched me tune once and observed the 
impact type technique with which I manipulate the tuning pins.)

I've had other instances over the years of chronically breaking strings on 
various makes, Kimball, Kawai and yes, Steinway.  In each case, a customer 
and/or the previous technician blamed the manufacturer and did not want to 
accept the explanation that was offered.

The solution:  Restring (either partially or fully), file (or replace) the 
hammers.  Don't alter the regulation to deliberately give less power, the 
pianist will only pound harder but do make sure that you don't have hammers 
that very nearly block.  If the piano is used with other very loud 
instruments such as a drumset and amplified guitars and such, make sure the 
pianist has a monitor which provides enough sound so that the pianist does 
not feel the need to over play the instrument.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin

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