[pianotech] Strings made to measure

[Mike Spalding]

David,
Good questions, my answers are inserted where they make the most sense.

David Love wrote:
> What information did you provide when you made the set?  
Everything they request at their "how to order" web page, including core 
dia, outer dia, hitch to winding start, hitch to winding end, name size 
and serial of piano, hitch diameter, etc.  Also some notes:  "all 
lengths measured in the piano at pitch", and "If your expertise as 
string makers gives you any concerns about making strings to these 
specifications, please contact me before starting the job."
> Did you check that
> it was accurate?I've rarely had a problem unless I gave the wrong data butit can happen.  That's why I also calculate the speaking lengths along with
> the string specs.  
Measurements of hitch-to-bridgepin and hitch-to-agraffe went into a 
spreadsheet for calculation of speaking length and hitch-to-winding 
start and end.  Then into p-Scale for scale analysis, where I can see a 
plot of speaking lengths confirming a uniform progression of lengths.  
I'm pretty sure my specs were good.
> When you look them over you can see if you've made a
> measurement mistake by either mismatched bichord or a speaking length that
> is out of sequence in terms of the overall progression.  Double check your
> measurements against the piano and what you sent them and it should be
> fairly clear where the mistake happened.  
The accuracy of my measurements and calculations will be tested when I 
install the strings.  But before I can do that, I need strings made to 
my dimensions.  The strings I received, measured at zero tension, are up 
to 6mm longer than specified (hitch to winding end).  Don't think I'm 
going to take this set to the customer's home for installation..
> Also, make sure that you're
> starting in sequence with the correct string.  I had a problem once where
> they forgot one string.  It was early in the sequence and of course my first
> thought was that I mismeasured.  It took awhile to figure out that one
> string was missing.  You can imagine what that does to the lengths.   
>
> David Love
> www.davidlovepianos.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
> Of Mike Spalding
> Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 3:36 PM
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Strings made to measure
>
> David,
>
> Thanks for the response.  I certainly expect that stringmakers can do as 
> you say, but I just received a set of strings that's only going to work 
> if they get shorter as I pull them up to pitch.  Not sure yet how the 
> maker and I are going to resolve this, we're still talking.  Who do you 
> find easiest to communicate with regarding length and stretch?
>
> thanks
>
> Mike
>
> David Love wrote:
>   
>> String makers can calculate stretch so just tell them what you want in
>>     
> terms
>   
>> of the unwrapped portion when at tension.  
>>
>> David Love
>> www.davidlovepianos.com
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On
>>     
> Behalf
>   
>> Of Mike Spalding
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 6:13 AM
>> To: Pianotech
>> Subject: [pianotech] Strings made to measure
>>
>> List,
>>
>> I'm still trying to build a relationship with a string maker (any 
>> stringmaker) such that they will understand what I'm trying to order, 
>> and will reliably produce usable strings.  Latest issue:  string length 
>> as wound vs. string length at pitch.  When you order strings to a set of 
>> measurements, do you shorten the specified length by an amount of 
>> stretch/loop crush that you estimate, or do you rely on the stringmaker 
>> to estimate the length change and make the strings shorter than you 
>> specify?  How do you communicate this with your stringmaker?  Stories of 
>> successful relationships with specific stringmakers much appreciated!
>>
>> thanks
>>
>> Mike
>>
>>
>>   
>>     
>
>
>