How to avoid breaking a string...

[Farrell]

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"occasionally strings break, but I carry spares and they are easy to =
replace." =20

"Then why do you charge so much to replace them", the piano owner =
asks.....

Terry Farrell
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Mike Kurta=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 3:23 PM
  Subject: Re: How to avoid breaking a string...


      I have tuned many pianos several semitones flat by overpulling way =
above pitch in one pass without breakage.  We've all seen older uprights =
that were nothing but a ball of rust, and no breakage.  It also happens =
that fairly new instruments will break a string by barely moving the =
pin.
      Every piano I junk, I tighten each string to the breaking point =
just to see what it takes to make it fail.  Often the pin rotates 1/2 =
turn before the string lets go.  On other occasions (sometimes within =
the same piano) just touching the string will make it snap.=20
      My conclusion is that there is no rhyme or reason and no =
predicting string breakage.  I also believe there is no cure-all method =
to avoid string breakage.  I've tried letting down tension first, =
lubrication of various types, hammer technique, etc, and they still may =
let go.  Fortunately, it doesn't happen that often, and if in doubt, I =
mention to the customer that "occasionally strings break, but I carry =
spares and they are easy to replace."  This opens the possibility to the =
customer, but minimizes the seriousness. =20
      Mike Kurta
      Auburn, NY 
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