Hello JD! My name is Mark Perry and I live in Virginia USA. First, as to the direction to twist a bass string, this has recently been compromised by chinese pianos. Generally, you must always twist the bass string in the direction of the copper winding so as to tighten that winding. It makes no difference on the bridge pin either, as the bass string itself will actually twist under tension, and the bridge pin endures the exact same side-load no matter how many twists you have. so don't be afraid to add A whole turn, or more. Next, I mentioned chinese bass strings..... this is an un-believeable fact! Have you technicians ever noticed how good Dongbei pianos sound for about 3 years? then the bass starts buzzing, or sounding metallic? Here is the EXACT reason why! (this includes cheap quality SAMA rebuilds too!) Those bass strings wound in communist china are wound in opposing directions! First, they wind the copper winding One direction, then they wind the hitch point the opposite direction! STUPID! Anyone knows that this string will un-wind itself under tension. To resolve the problem, these strings are "yield tested", or pre-pulled at the factory as it would be. If you have to wind the hitch in a direction that unwinds the hitch in order to tighten the copper winding whats the point? So, remember that the quality of those Mapes strings comes with years of good engineering and a good work ethic. This will help you to understand why you can twist a fairly new string and it does little or no good. p.s. Look closely at the next chinese piano..... you'll see what I mean! I sent a set of these strings to Mapes and they were shocked! Sama uses these garbage strings on their rebuilds too. God bless, Mark > Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:24:33 +0100 > To: pianotech at ptg.org > From: JD at Pianomaker.co.uk > Subject: Re: [pianotech] bass string twisting direction and a new query > > At 09:03 -0600 26/4/09, 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.) > > So far as I, at least, am concerned, we have been talking about > twisting new, good strings; not about twisting old strings that have > gone dud. If I come across a buzzing, lifeless or false string on a > piano, I replace it with a new one because the deterioration in the > sound, supposing it sounded well when it was put on, is probably > irremediable. For example a German piano with an iron under-cover on > the singles that has rusted, is going to sound no better if you twist > the strings. > > >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? > > Well, while you're at it you might as well work in whole turns and > increase your chances. > > JD > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live™ SkyDrive™: Get 25 GB of free online storage. http://windowslive.com/online/skydrive?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_skydrive_042009 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech_ptg.org/attachments/20090427/ad53e58d/attachment.html>
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