<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"><HEAD><TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 5.50.4611.1300" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV>Just from reading your post, it's like a nightmare for me. I had a small 18 years old = oriental piano student that had this problem too. I think this problem is caused = more by very rapid repetition with the pedal on. She originally had a Knabe 5'8" = so I thought this piano was a goner. So they bought a Yamaha C-3 and she = started breaking strings on it. She then bought another piano and the same thing = happened. She lived 100 miles from my place, really liked my work, but I = had to let her go since I couldn't just go back so often just to touch up the = new strings. I tried every trick I thought of: increase letoff, decrease = blow, change striking point, even raised the hammer rail to change striking = angle. NOTHING worked. Every time I sent there, there were about 6 or 7 strings = broken. I eventually told the mother (she almost cried) that I couldn't come = anymore since they lived too far. This is the only thing that has worked for me = in a situation like that.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Marcel Carey, RPT</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px = solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left>-----Original Message----- From: = pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On Behalf Of Byron Quam Sent: 2003-février-04 15:53 To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Breaking strings on a new Kawai grand </DIV> <DIV> I recently tuned a four-year-old Kawai GE3 and ended up replacing 13 broken strings  (26 unisons). I found out = that the client has broken twenty some strings since she bought the piano. She = is a tiny (100 lbs) third year performance piano University student that is = studying under a Russian instructor. The Russian instructor possibly = explains the banging technique that she has acquired. She told me that she has = broken strings on other pianos. All of the broken strings are in the high = mid-treble and low high-treble and broken at the capo bar and some of the = replaced strings have been broken.  <o:p></o:p> I realize that this = piano would probably not have any problems in 95 percent of the homes it would be = placed in because the players would not pound so. However I'm wondering:  <o:p></o:p> 1. Could it be a = flaw in the piano design or construction?  <o:p></o:p> 2. If anything can = be done to make these strings less susceptible to breakage?  <o:p></o:p> Any insight would = be appreciated. These strings are covered by warranty but the situation = is not good because she has to practice on a piano with missing strings or = newly replaced (constantly going flat) strings.  <o:p></o:p> Thanks  <o:p></o:p> Byron Quam – = piano tuning and repair Vancouver BC</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>