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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Mike:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>The replies to your e-mail seem to confirm
what you already know…it’s time to rebuild the piano. I’m
often met with a surprised and confused customer when I tell them there piano
is worn out and needs to be rebuilt. Some how the public thinks pianos
should last beyond anything else mechanical that they use/own. I’d
say 30 years of the indicated use and no rebuilding of this poor Yamaha is
quite remarkable! It’s time to redo.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Paul C<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Michael Magness<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, October 09, 2007
1:03 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> Restring and/or Rescale?
30 YO Yamaha C3</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br clear=all>
The piano in question, a Yamaha C3 built in the first half of 1977 has
developed a string breaking problem. It is in a public high school it has very
light rust spots on some strings, mostly high treble. I rebushed keys,
reshaped hammers and regulated it a year ago, probably the first regulation it
had had since new. I have consulted with 3 different techs at
Yamaha, all independently, all unaware of my having talked with the
others. I got the same answer, metal fatigue of the strings due to
the high tension scale. 2 added that the problem may be exacerbated
between the bench and the keyboard. Not only do I agree with the last statement
but so does she, the vocal director, admits that she has a very heavy touch.
However I have also had strings break when I was tuning, not while I was tuning
them but after I had moved on and was a couple of strings away, no longer even
on the unison. The director has had bass strings break while playing, 2
last year, one so far this year. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>My initial inclination was to look into rescaling it but after
talking with a friend who has more experience with re-scaling than I do,
perhaps that wouldn't be the best avenue. It was his feeling that perhaps the
30YO hammers may be the culprit. restringing may solve the breaking
problem in the immediate future because it's new wire but with the old hammers
the breakage will return before long. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The piano, as I understand it, was designed primarily as a smaller
stage piano, a concert instrument if you will. The school uses it 4 hours a day
minimum in a classroom setting, very hard use. As it was put to me what
they need with the re-string is a 99% classroom instrument and a 1%
concert instrument. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>I have the great good fortune of the Superintendent of Schools for
this district having been a former elementary music teacher and he worked his
way through college doing "piece" work for a piano tech. Shop work, key
bushings, flange bushings, repinning, etc. So he not only appreciates a
fine working piano but knows all of the work and time that goes into making it
that way. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>I am looking for advice from one and all. Anyone with any experience
with this make and model or a similar one would be great but in lieu of that
give me opinions. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Mike<br>
-- <br>
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is
to not stop questioning.-- Albert Einstein<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Michael Magness<br>
Magness Piano Service<br>
608-786-4404<br>
<a href="http://www.IFixPianos.com">www.IFixPianos.com</a><br>
email <a href="mailto:mike@ifixpianos.com">mike@ifixpianos.com</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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