<HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:v = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1 = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2963" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE> v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} </STYLE> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"></o:SmartTagType> <STYLE> st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } </STYLE> <STYLE>  </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY lang=EN-US style="BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none; BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none" vLink=purple link=blue bgColor=white> <P>I don't have universal strings anymore.    You can take the measurements at the piano with Arledge's cool tape and a micrometer.    Call it in and install the new string in about a week.   Yes, there is the return service call, but for the time it takes to get a mediocre repair with a universal, the customer would be better served with a new string...tie it if possible...</P> <P>Question:   do many of you insist on replacing both strings of a bi-chord for a better match?   I don't at the moment...<BR><BR>David Ilvedson, RPT<BR>Pacifica, CA 94044<BR><BR><BR></P> <DIV style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 3px solid; PADDING-TOP: 5px"> <HR> Original message<BR>From: "Steve Blasyak" <ATUNEFORYOU@EARTHLINK.NET><BR>To: "Pianotech List" <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG><BR>Received: 11/1/2006 8:31:21 AM<BR>Subject: RE: Universal Bass String question<BR><BR> <DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT size=4>Hi to Michelle and all,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>Thus far I've only seen one response to your question, perhaps there is more to come. I too feel your frustration in working with these universal disasters. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>A few tips to add to Johns response and a few more questions. If you use plyers to hold the string best to use soft jaw plyers (jensentools.com). </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>And to John or anybody in the mix. If you are holding the string loosely in one hand and pulling the cooper winding with the other, it has been my experience that you risk a buzz or rattle as a result. The winding becomes loose past the point were you wish to terminate. Any thoughts on how to, or what I may be doing wrong?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>Further especially on the larger strings... getting started is the hard part. I use my wire cutters to carefully separate the winding, once I get a little gap I try to start the pull holding the string with the soft jaw plyers. Again this to me is very difficult and time consuming. The larger the winding the harder it is to get it started.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>My current strategy is avoid these universal disasters like the plague. Especially in the low bass (single string notes). Tie a knot if possible, order a new string anything but the universal nightmare. As you can tell my ego and pride clearly has not been damaged by past experiences with the universals. The minute I start to think about using them I just run.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>So my answer is that there is no easy quick way. John may disagree.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>Any further help with this from the enlightened ones would be greatly appreciated.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>Steve</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </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=michelle@cdaustin.com href="mailto:michelle@cdaustin.com">Michelle Smith</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To: </B><A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A></DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> 10/31/2006 6:43:02 PM </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: Universal Bass String question</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2> <DIV class=Section1> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Thanks for the info John.  I guess Im going to have to grow some more muscles and get after it.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Happy Halloween!<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Michelle Smith<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <DIV> <DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: windowtext"> <HR tabIndex=-1 align=center width="100%" SIZE=2> </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT face=Tahoma color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of </SPAN></B>John M. Formsma<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Tuesday, October 31, 2006 6:41 PM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Pianotech List</st1:PersonName><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Re: Universal Bass String question</SPAN></FONT><FONT color=black><SPAN style="COLOR: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">#5 is a big one, isn't it? I don't know of a way to do it fast except to unwind it quicker. :) Sometimes holding it with a pliers helps to keep the string stationary while you unwind the excess (Use the pliers above the place where it will break off.)<BR><BR>On the ones with the smaller copper winding, I hold the replacement string loosely in the left hand, unwind 3-4 inches of the winding, then it's pretty quick unwinding by pulling with the right hand. (The string in the left hand rotates as the winding comes off - that's why you hold it loosely.)<BR><BR>JF<BR><BR>Michelle Smith wrote: <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = U1 /><U1:SMARTTAGTYPE namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"><U1:SMARTTAGTYPE namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"><U1:SMARTTAGTYPE namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"><U1:SMARTTAGTYPE namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"></U1:SMARTTAGTYPE></U1:SMARTTAGTYPE></U1:SMARTTAGTYPE></U1:SMARTTAGTYPE>Hi all.  Yet another newbie question.<U1:P></U1:P></SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><U1:P> </U1:P></SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Does anyone have an easy/quick way to remove copper winding from universal bass strings?  Im practicing on an old spinet here at the house and while I did cut some of the string off (winding and core), I still had to work for quite a while to get down to where I needed to be with the winding. (I was working with a #5 string.) Thanks in advance.<U1:P></U1:P></SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><U1:P> </U1:P></SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P class=MsoAutoSig><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC" color=blue size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Tempus Sans ITC'">Michelle Smith<U1:P></U1:P></SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P class=MsoAutoSig><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC" color=blue size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Tempus Sans ITC'">Smith Piano Service<U1:P></U1:P></SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P class=MsoAutoSig><st1:place u2:st="on"><st1:City u2:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC" color=blue size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Tempus Sans ITC'">Bastrop</SPAN></FONT></st1:City><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC" color=blue><SPAN style="COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Tempus Sans ITC'"></st1:City>, <st1:State u2:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Texas</st1:State></st1:State></SPAN></FONT></st1:place></st1:place><o:p></o:p></P><U1:P></U1:P> <P class=MsoAutoSig><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC" color=blue size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Tempus Sans ITC'">(512) 466-0238<U1:P></U1:P></SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P class=MsoAutoSig><st1:PersonName u2:st="on"><FONT face="Tempus Sans ITC" color=blue size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: 'Tempus Sans ITC'"><A href="mailto:michelle@cdaustin.com">michelle@cdaustin.com</A></SPAN></FONT></st1:PersonName><o:p></o:p></P><U1:P></U1:P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><U1:P> </U1:P><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><U1:P> </U1:P><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><U1:P> </U1:P><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></BODY></HTML>