Hi Folks. I just got back to my shop after trying to replace a spliced bass string and have run into a problem. The piano is a 1950 good condition (relatively speaking) American console piano. Bass string broke (monocord) the other day while tuning. Strings are a little bit tubby, so I recommended splicing rather than replacement to maintain even tone. String broke right at the tuning pin. I spliced the 0.049" wire (ouch!) and made a nice neat little (well, no so little because I could only pull so hard on the darn thing - couldn't tighten it up much) knot. I made the knot as close to the end of the broken string as possible. Unfortunately, the string has it's tuning pin fairly close to the upper speaking length termination (what the heck do you call the little steel pin (looks like a small hitch pin) on that ridge on uprights that the strings bend around and form the upper speaking length termination? I'll refer to it as the upper termination pin (UTP)). So I go to the home this morning and attempt to install the spliced string. Put everything in place and find that the knot won't quite pull past the UTP (I thought it would once I get a little tension on the string). Tap it a bit, won't go. I tried twisting the string for exposure of a more favorable part of the knot to the UTP - still won't pull past the UTP. Maybe a little more tension - nope, won't go - knot still hung up on UTP. Okay, so plan now is to remove some windings and make a knot a centimeter or so lower into the speaking portion of the string. I know it may affect string tone - I figure I'll just try it and see how it sounds. That's not the problem. The problem is that I have now bent the UTP. I think it is bent enough that whether I put a re-spliced string on the piano or a new string, that the pin may fail - and even if it doesn't fail, it may bend a little more and not retain the string. Seems to me I have two options: Cross my fingers and go for it and see what happens. Problem with that is that the UTP may break, and if it does, it will likely break right at the plate surface - that will make it nearly impossible to remove. The other option is to attempt to remove it while I have something to grab onto and try to pull it out (while again, crossing my fingers). If it pulls out, then all I need to do is find a similar size (or a bit larger) steel pin and replace. I'm looking for recommendations. I keep telling myself to keep my camera with me. Maybe this will convince me to do so. Sorry, but no picture. I've chopped off many a hitch pin, but not UTPs. Are they just tapped in and I should be able to simply pull one out? I realize that I can drill a hole immediately adjacent to the original pin (if it were to break) and install a new one. But that will move the string way over and then I'll have a poorly aligned hammer (I guess not that big a deal) and I'll have to fart around with the damper. I'd rather utilize the original UTP hole. Probably would have been smart of me to have measured the diameter of the UTPs in the piano. I guess I'll have to bring a few sizes of drill bits and steel pins with me when I go back (ASAP - in an hour or so). I wonder how many hours it's gonna take me to replace one string (at my standard string replacement fee). Crud. Glad I like to watch some very philosophical television shows. Because of that I am well aware that "worse things happen at sea!" Terry Farrell
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