Proper wire diameters for treble??

[Vanderhoofven]

Hi Sarah,

The best advice would be to have an experienced piano technician or piano 
rebuilder evaluate the piano for you and calculate an appropriate scale.

However, if you really want to do this yourself, let me recommend the 
following books.

A Guide to Restringing, by John W. Travis.  Excellent book.  You NEED this 
book.  This is a How-To book about restringing pianos.  Also covers 
formulas used in determining string tension, wire sizes, etc.  The back 
half of the book contains lots of treble wire scales from existing pianos.

Piano Servicing, Tuning and Rebuilding, 2nd Edition, by Arthur A. 
Reblitz).  This book is a good general book covering restringing and 
rebuilding pianos.

The Calculating Technician, by David Roberts.   This book contains lots of 
information and formulas pertaining to scale design, and calculating 
tension, inharmonicity, breaking points, loudness, etc.

The Piano Rebuilders' Handbook of Treble String Tensions, by James H. 
Donelson.  This book is basically a reference book that you can use to help 
in developing a piano scale.  95% of this book is lots of tables with 
information about string length, wire diameters, breaking strength.  This 
book is interesting, but probably not as helpful as The Calculating 
Technician, or A Guide to Restringing.

Also, let me recommend the JOURNAL reprint books from the Piano 
Technician's Guild.  There are 9 different reprint books, each one covering 
a specific topic.  I would recommend the one on Stringing, crown and 
downbearing will directly apply to your situation.  You would also probably 
want the ones on Rebuilding skills, Pinblocks and plates, and Bridges and 
Soundboard Repairs.

http://ptg.org/merchandise/reprints.htm

One more suggestion.  You can purchase a micrometer from Pianotek Supply 
Co. that has a very narrow anvil so that it is possible to measure string 
diameters while they are still in the piano.  Page B-17, part # 
MIC-2A.  Call Pianotek Supply for prices (1-800-347-3854).  Be warned that 
they may not want to sell to you unless you are a piano technician, store, 
or piano dealer..

Best Wishes!

David A. Vanderhoofven
Joplin, MO


At 10:33 AM 10/19/02, Sarah Fox wrote:
>After doing a bit more examining/exploring with my new acquisition (1933
>Wissner concert grand), I see that all of the tenor and treble strings are
>the same diameter (0.041", by my micrometer).
><snip>
>Is there some chart, somewhere, that provides recommended wire diameters for
>different note ranges on different types of pianos?
>Peace,
>Sarah Fox, Ph.D.