Birdcage Tech, Baldwin String Breakage

[Paul McCloud]

Is this piano subjected to heavy usage, perhaps in a church?  If it is,
that would explain a lot of string breakage.  
 
            Paul McCloud
            San Diego
 
-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On
Behalf Of ginnybear at att.net
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 9:10 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Birdcage Tech, Baldwin String Breakage
 
Does anyone know of a piano tech who is willing to work on a Danish
birdcage/overdamper piano in Seattle?  I was able to tune the piano, but
it's "near the end of its wear cycle" and I don't want to get involved
with repairing it.  Not much wrong with it yet, but it's old, of course.
 
Second and unrelated, I had a weird multiple string breaking experience
recently.  It's about a 6' Baldwin grand, with a hidden (haven't found
it yet) serial number, looks pretty new.  It's one of those Baldwins
where it's hard to get the pin to move without moving your hammer much
greater than usual, but you gotta do it for the sake of stability.
 
On my first visit there almost a year ago, it presented with a broken
string, a bichord near the top of the bass.  I replaced it, and tuned
the piano (and later replaced it with a pair of custom strings).  
 
When I came back a few weeks ago, two strings broke while I was tuning.
One was next to the string that had broken previously, one was in the
high treble.  It really shot my nerves, the combination of trying to set
the pins stably without breaking further strings!  And I was wondering,
why so many broken strings on what looked like a pretty new piano?
 
In the checking around I've done, the two most likely suggestions seem
to be that either the piano underwent some abuse (kids or prior owners-
it was bought in an auction?), or the hammers might need reshaping.  I
was also encouraged not to be too timid in turning the pins til I can
feel the bottom move, thinking that if a string breaks it's better to do
it when I'm there.
 
Finally, I could note I'm closing in on 500 pianos tuned.  Not the most
experienced person on this list, but not a total beginner either.
 
Thanks for any help on either of these issues.  Broken strings really
raise my blood pressure!
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