Carl said: "Corte: Here's something you can try first. Loosen the tuning pin a half turn. Pound on the key hard a few times. Then retune and check. Sometimes a big improvement. If not, take off hitch pin and roll over a pulley of about 3-4 inches diameter (depends on diameter) to the end and try that. You could also just massage the string by bending to and fro every 2-3 inches to break out the corrosion. After loosening of course. Then twist and reconnect. Don't be afraid to use 2-3 turns. What have you got to lose. Sometimes nothing works. It usually doesn't last long either. Bummer! I once had a 7 ft grand with new bass strings that were disappointingly dead. Actually just sick. Three full turns did wonders. Consider the length of the string when deciding how many turns. Also make sure they are twisted in the direction of the wrap. We've all made that mistake." Carl, Have you lost it?!!! Your suggestion to "...roll it over a 3-4 inch pulley....", will most certainly loosen the windings!!!! That's exactly the opposite of what we are trying to accomplish! Taking a string off the hitch pin and putting a loose loop in it, then running the "loop" up and down, the full length of the string, will accomplish getting the crude out of the sting and making the windings more flexible, (which is what "roll & twist" really does). Next you suggest twisting the sting 2-3 full turns! Yikes! If a string needs that many turns, it is an incorrectly made string! Too many "twists" will add a whole new set of problems, namely skewed harmonics! My "rule of thumb" has always been: 1 full, (360 degrees), for all tenor strings, except on the low tenor of small pianos with huge windings/core wire. After that 1/2 turn on all the single bass strings. The whole idea of the "twist" is to tighten the wrap, slightly, around the core wire. This, of course, assumes that the wrap is firmly anchored at the "swage".<G> To give that sort of advice, over the List, is asking for problems, IMO. Flame Suit Tightly Zipped! Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon) Captain, Tool Police Squares Are I
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