<HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif" xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2963" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV> <DIV>David,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Aluminum, not nickel.   Aluminum wound strings behave differently than copper wound, because the aluminum is less dense than copper.  I'm told they did it because, on paper at least, it allowed better blending of tension, inharmonicity, and loudness/power at the break.  In reality, how smooth does that break sound to you??  Anyway, because the aluminum is way less dense than copper, a copper wound string of the same diameter would be heavier, thus require higher tension to reach the same pitch.  That's why your same-size copper universal broke.  To find a copper universal that would pull up to the same tension as the original, you'd have to run the numbers, but it would be about half to 2/3 the diameter of the aluminum original.   I'm guessing you'd hear the difference and you wouldn't like it.  Ordering a (aluminum wound) replacement was the right solution.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>  Mike</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV></DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=dnereson@4dv.net href="mailto:dnereson@4dv.net">David Nereson</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To: </B><A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">List Pianotech</A></DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> 9/22/2006 10:07:56 PM </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> bass string problem</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2> <DIV> <DIV class=Section1> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=EmailStyle16><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1">            </SPAN>Had a string break in the low tenor during a pitch raise on a 1983 Everett console.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Decided to put on a universal string and leave it if it sounded OK.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>(Would order custom string if it didn’t).<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Measured the string on the tapered slot gauge and it said # 8, so that’s what I put on.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Wouldn’t pull up to pitch – it broke.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Have only had that happen maybe twice in 25 years.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Brand new strings can usually be pulled way over pitch and still not break.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>So tried a # 8 ½<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>instead, thinking it’s meant to be at a higher pitch than the # 8.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Nope, it broke too!<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=EmailStyle16><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1">            </SPAN>Now, the winding on the original string is aluminum or nickel (I assume), not copper, but should that matter?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>It’s the core wire that holds the tension, right?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>I measured them all when I got home and the original string’s core wire is .037”, the # 8 measured .039”, and the # 8 ½ measured .038”, I believe.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Shouldn’t that be close enough?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Should I go back and try a # 9?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">   </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=EmailStyle16><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1">            </SPAN>I’m going to send in the original and have a custom string made, but I’m wondering why the universals broke way before they were up to pitch.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>No, I didn’t see any burrs, etc. on the upper plate bearing, pressure bar, etc. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=EmailStyle16><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1">            </SPAN>--David Nereson, RPT<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=EmailStyle16><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=EmailStyle16><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">P.S.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Why did they use aluminum or nickel wound for the two lowest tenor strings, when all the bass are copper?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>