[pianotech] bass string twisting direction and a new query

[John Ross]

If a person is trying to improve the sound on an old string.
Go all the way, flex it by making a loop, and putting it around a piece of 
broom handle. Then run it up and down.
Then with the twist, you may notice an improvement.
Some people take them off and wack them on the floor.
It loosens up any corrosion or whatever between the windings.
John Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Nossaman" <rnossaman at cox.net>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 26, 2009 3:12 PM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] bass string twisting direction and a new query


John Dorr wrote:

> NOW... another question or two... Why does it sometimes (not always)
> seem to make things not change or even WORSE to twist a string?  Maybe
> they were twisted previously and further change is no help?  Or
> harmful?  (Yes, I twisted them before today's serendipitous moment, but
> I twisted them BOTH ways, to check to see if either way would improve
> sound.)

If you are considering twisting it at all, it will be because
it's making an objectionable sound. There's no reason to
assume twisting the string will fix anything when you don't
know the cause of the problem, so you're already guessing. So
try it, and when it doesn't do what you need, replace it.


> Second question:  if twisting from the loop end, which I imagine is what
> everybody does on an OLD string you're trying to improve, shouldn't you
> go in whole turns rather than half turns?  Seems like half turns change
> the bends in the wire through the bridge pins.  Or is my thinkin'
> stinkin' there?

You're talking about forcing a junk string above an
arbitrarily minimum performance threshold, based on a guess
that twisting will do that, so do whatever... As long as
you're thinking, what happens when the wrap tightens up and
you put another turn in the wire past that point?
Ron N