Beginner Student and String Breakage

[David Love]

One of the more common reasons strings break is because you are turning the
wrong tuning pin.  If you are moving the pin and nothing is happening as you
describe, then you can overapply tension and cause it to break.  The strings
at middle C are generally pretty hardy, being of heavier gauge, and rarely
break.  If a string goes it is usually at the upper end or one of the wound
strings in the high tenor.  However, if the piano was in a flood and has a
lot of corrosion as a result, string breakage can happen.  If a string is
ready to go for some reason there is little you can do about it so I
wouldn't worry.  We all encounter broken strings periodically, sometimes it
might be our fault, sometimes not.  Why not learn to put the string in
yourself.  It is not difficult.

David Love


----- Original Message -----
From: "Van Der Rhoer" <laurav1@mac.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: February 22, 2002 7:10 AM
Subject: Beginner Student and String Breakage


> I am a beginner student with the Randy Potter School of Piano Technology
> Home Study Course.  I am embarrassed to say that after only three days of
> practice I already broke a string.  This is my own piano, but discourages
me
> quite a bit, and I wonder if experienced tuners/technicians could comment
on
> how common string breakage is at the outset of one's training -- and will
I
> be likely to have it happen several times while I am learning?
>
> I was aware of the danger of breaking strings and therefore followed the
> course recommendations scrupulously, i.e., dropping pitch first and only
> nudging the hammer.  I couldn't place my arm on the top of the piano as it
> is a baby grand, but tried not to apply too much pressure and always went
> back down (turning the hammer counterclockwise) when I was unsure, before
> again trying to tighten it.  Does anyone know of additional or better
safety
> tips and measures to avoid string breakage?  (If I do it too many times,
I'm
> afraid, my family's patience will wear out.  The piano company who will
come
> to replace the string may begin to wonder if I have to keep calling them!)
>
> In conclusion, I should say that I have a 1956 baby grand Baldwin that was
> damaged by flooding some twenty years ago, but has been fine since the
> German piano firm repaired it.
>
> I do wonder though about the string I broke -- the left string of Middle
C.
> When I dropped pitch a little and then raised the pitch it just continued
> unlike the others to warble out of tune and never sounded even close to
> pure, no matter which direction I was turning.  I then noticed that it
> continued to "sound" as if the sustain pedal were on -- which was not the
> case.  It had also seemed extremely hard to tune the day before and I
> thought maybe Middle C is harder to tune because it gets more use.  Can
> anything be told from these "symptoms"?
>
> Any advice would be welcome as this incident has me rather discouraged.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Laura
>
>