String Replaced

[Stephen Airy]

My piano has a nice easy feel on the block.  Problem
is getting notes to STAY... :)

--- Farrell <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com> wrote:
> The crack in the soundboard will have not effect on
> tuning. The only bad thing a crack can do is buzz.
> 
> If you have a Baldwin with a real tight modern
> Baldwin-type pinblock, I would suggest trying to
> find another piano to learn tuning on. Any
> proficient tuner should have not major problem with
> a tight block, but it does take a little experience
> and IMHO, definately not for the beginner.
> 
> To move these tight pins requires a very short,
> quick, controlled yank on the tuning lever. With
> practice you can make the pin move and only bring it
> up a few cents (or less). When beginning one tends
> to give a long even pull on the tuning lever (at
> least I started that way). With a real tight pin,
> this will result in the string going up a quarter to
> a half note - you'll never get it like that.
> 
> If you start on a piano that has an easy block - not
> too loose, nor too tight - you can start with your
> slow steady pull and have success. With
> experimentation you will learn how to give the pin
> the short, tiny pulls that result in pin, but
> perhaps only raise the pitch a half-centmovement (I
> actually do this very slowly, but most of the time I
> am pulling, I do not move the pin, but wait being
> very observant, for just the slightest movement).
> After learning how to do this on an easy block, then
> one can move to the nightmare Baldwin epoxy
> pinblocks. I'm not kidding about these things - they
> are really tough!
> 
> Good luck Laura!
> 
> Terry Farrell
>   
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Van Der Rhoer" <laurav1@mac.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2002 11:47 AM
> Subject: String Replaced
> 
> 
> > Now that the Middle C string has been replaced,
> here is what the technician
> > thought about my Baldwin:  he said it was "not
> undangerous" to tune because
> > the pins are quite tight, but when they move they
> move a great amount
> > unexpectedly.  He thought I probably had that
> happen.
> > 
> > Kevin Ramsey, you suggested that Baldwins are
> famous for tight pinblocks
> > (and both you and Terry Farrell thought that that
> was the reason for the
> > cracking sounds) -- sounds spot on.  But then
> suddenly the pin moves a lot,
> > the technician said, and that's when it gets
> tricky.
> > 
> > Apparently, there are also two or more cracks in
> the soundboard, which were
> > repaired earlier, but he also suggested it makes
> string breakage more
> > possible; somehow to do with getting the piano
> pitch to A 440, which was
> > done two weeks before, but makes for tricky
> tuning.  Too advanced for me,
> > I'm afraid.  
> > 
> > Thank you, Dave Nereson, for your description of
> the many different reasons
> > why strings break.
> > 
> > Thanks also to Greg Newell (on tapping bridge
> pins), and Keith Roberts (on
> > buying a micrometer and replacing strings).
> > 
> > Incidentally, the technician replaced the string
> in about 20 minutes; the
> > Middle C string passes under the bass strings,
> which makes the process a
> > little harder and takes a little more finesse. 
> (It's also much more
> > difficult to reach the bridge pins, since they lie
> under the bass string
> > section, in order to tap them in.)  However, he
> noticed the bridges were
> > made with a graphite treatment/layer for the
> strings to pass over them with
> > less friction.  I asked him to lubricate them, but
> he didn't see the need
> > given the graphite layer on the bridges.  Baldwin
> evidently has a clever
> > feature there!
> > 
> > Thanks to all,
> > 
> > Laura 
> > 
> 


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