Seating strings

[William Ballard]

At 11:32 AM -0400 4/14/05, Robert Edwardsen wrote:
>I think I'll take the spark plug feeler gauges out on the road and check it
>out.

Or a dial indicator with a magnetic base on the plate and its 
business end on the wire at the bridge.

I am just as skeptical as Ron N. about strings defying the prevailing 
(and increasing) frictional forces in their climb up the bridge pins 
(allowing of course, for indented bridge pins--who was that who first 
reported that on this list, Marcel Carey maybe two years ago?). What 
I do observe is wire wandering laterally across the bridge away from 
the pin. How do I observe this? When I tap the first time (and it 
only takes a very light tap), I see the string move. When I tap a 
second time, it doesn't move.

At 7:32 AM -0500 4/14/05, Ron Nossaman wrote:
>How often do you do it? Every tuning?

When during the course of a tuning, I first hear a false beat or 
nasal sound which clears up with a lateral tap, I then stop and tap 
every string from there outwards (usually this means upwards into the 
treble). Nothing before this first offender got tapped because 
because it didn't need to be tapped. Typical example is a local 
recording studio where NRBQ does their stuff (as well as Ken Burns). 
The next tuning after Terry Adams, I'm tapping strings.

Bill Ballard RPT
NH Chapter, P.T.G.

"Can you check out this middle C?. It "whangs' - (or twangs?)
     Thanks so much, Ginger"
     ...........Service Request
+++++++++++++++++++++