Pearl River strings hanging in agraffes

[Geoff Sykes]

I experience this same problem frequently. This question was asked of Mark
Wisner, (while he was still with Pearl River), at one of our PTG chapter
meetings. He did not mention the vendor problem with the agraffes. Instead,
he suggested that part of your new piano prep should include not only the
predictable pitch adjustment, but also making sure all the strings are
seated. At all the bearing points. Once that work has been completed then
you have the strings at about the place in the agraffe where they are going
to be living for a long time. The next step is to "dress" the strings;
gently pulling the strings up on the speaking side of the agraffes. Do this
for all the strings. Even the upper plain wire strings that go under the
capo bar instead of through an agraffe. In addition to better defining the
termination point, and subsequently improving inharmonicity, you will also
have reduced the angle at which the string passes through/under this
termination point. This will greatly reduce that friction induced "ping".
And if you're careful you will also have accomplished leveling the strings
to the hammers. Yes, after a year or so of tuning the problem does start to
fade away, but my experience following Mark's recommendations has made those
first tunings on new Pearl Rivers much easer for me. 
 
The same remedy holds for uprights as well, taking care to push down on the
strings that go over termination points rather than under or through
agraffes..
 
-- Geoff Sykes
-- Los Angeles
 
 
 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of pianotuna55 at comcast.net
Sent: Saturday, August 18, 2007 3:02 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Pearl River strings hanging in agraffes


Hello list:
I do the service work for the local Pearl River dealer here in town.  For
their size and price, they get a surprisingly decent sound.   There is a
troublesome problem in tuning these brand new pianos: the plain wire strings
"hang" in the agraffes.  The "ping" is not in every string but enough to
make the tuning difficult.  You know what I mean.  I've dropped the tension
before tightening and this helps some but the problem still exists.  I
haven't contacted Pearl about this yet.
 
Now, am I the only one that is having this problem?
Howard Jackson

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