<html>  <head></head> <body>  <DIV></DIV> <DIV>It's in a home with two little kids now.  Who knows what the kids do when no-one's looking, or where it was before they bought it at an auction.  Maybe that's it.  </DIV> <DIV class=signature id=signature> </DIV> <DIV class=signature> <TABLE width="100%"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD width="50%"> <HR> </TD> <TD class=WMattachhead align=middle><B>Attached Message</B></TD> <TD width="50%"> <HR> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0> <TBODY> <TR> <TD class=WMmsghead vAlign=top align=right>From:</TD> <TD width=10></TD> <TD class=WMmsgheadval>"Paul McCloud" <service@pianosd.com>  <B>[ <A class=WMsaveaddress onclick="return saveAddress(this);" href="http://webmail.att.net/wmc/v/wm/45E47DB5000C62610000201321602807419D0E0A0D9702020709?cmd=ABEntryForm&et=1&dir=ab&sid=c0&rec=&ab_email1=service%40pianosd%2Ecom&ab_name_first=Paul&ab_name_last=McCloud&&endrec&" lid="Save Address">Save Address</A> ]</B> </TD></TR> <TR> <TD class=WMmsghead vAlign=top align=right>Reply-to:</TD> <TD width=10></TD> <TD class=WMmsgheadval>Pianotech List <pianotech@ptg.org></TD></TR> <TR> <TD class=WMmsghead vAlign=top align=right>To:</TD> <TD width=10></TD> <TD class=WMmsgheadval>"'Pianotech List'" <pianotech@ptg.org></TD></TR> <TR> <TD class=WMmsghead vAlign=top align=right>Subject:</TD> <TD width=10></TD> <TD class=WMmsgheadval>RE: Birdcage Tech, Baldwin String Breakage</TD></TR> <TR> <TD class=WMmsghead vAlign=top align=right>Date:</TD> <TD width=10></TD> <TD class=WMmsgheadval>Tue, 27 Feb 2007 09:23:59 -0800</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR><WMFILTERED HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><WMFILTERED name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><WMFILTERED name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><WMFILTERED name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><LINK href="cid:filelist.xml@01C75A51.0296DA40" rel=File-List><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:SmartTagType name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="time" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="date" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType> <STYLE>  </STYLE> <WMFILTERED lang=EN-US style="tab-interval: .5in" link="blue" vlink="purple"> <DIV class=Section1> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Is this piano subjected to heavy usage, perhaps in a church?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>If it is, that would explain a lot of string breakage. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><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"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1">            </SPAN>Paul McCloud<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"><SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1">            </SPAN>San Diego<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 style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">-----Original Message-----<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of </SPAN></B>ginnybear@att.net<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> </SPAN></FONT><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date Month="2" Day="27" Year="2007"><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Tuesday, February 27, 2007</SPAN></FONT></st1:date><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> </SPAN></FONT><st1:time Hour="9" Minute="10"><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">9:10 AM</SPAN></FONT></st1:time><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGH T: bold">To:</SPAN></B> pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Birdcage Tech, </SPAN></FONT><st1:place><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">Baldwin</SPAN></FONT></st1:place><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> String Breakage</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Does anyone know of a piano tech who is willing to work on a Danish birdcage/overdamper piano in </SPAN></FONT><st1:City><st1:place>Seattle</st1:place></st1:City>?  I was able to tune the piano, but it's "near the end of its wear cycle" and I don't want to get involved with repairing it.  Not much wrong with it yet, but it's old, of course.<o:p></o:p></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Second and unrelated, I had a weird multiple string breaking experience recently.  It's about a 6' </SPAN></FONT><st1:place>Baldwin</st1:place> grand, with a hidden (haven't found it yet) serial number, looks pretty new.  It's one of those <st1:place>Baldwins</st1:place> where it's hard to get the pin to move without moving your hammer much greater than usual, but you gotta do it for the sake of stability.<o:p></o:p></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">On my first visit there almost a year ago, it presented with a broken string, a bichord near the top of the bass.  I replaced it, and tuned the piano (and later replaced it with a pair of custom strings).  <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">When I came back a few weeks ago, two strings broke while I was tuning.  One was next to the string that had broken previously, one was in the high treble.  It really shot my nerves, the combination of trying to set the pins stably without breaking further strings!  And I was wondering, why so many broken strings on what looked like a pretty new piano?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">In the checking around I've done, the two most likely suggestions seem to be that either the piano underwent some abuse (kids or prior owners- it was bought in an auction?), or the hammers might need reshaping.  I was also encouraged not to be too timid in turning the pins til I can feel the bottom move, thinking that if a string breaks it's better to do it when I'm there.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Finally, I could note I'm closing in on 500 pianos tuned.  Not the most experienced person on this list, but not a total beginner either.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0.5in"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Thanks for any help on either of these issues.  Broken strings really raise my blood pressure!<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></DIV></DIV>  </body> </html>