<html><head><style type="text/css"></style></head><body><div style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12pt"><DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Hi Michelle,</DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif">I find that is pretty common on new asian pianos, and pianos in general that have been exposed to extreme moisture. It's a form of corrosion between the string and agraffe. Something that I find helpful is to lower the pitch just a tad, it'll go "click" then pull it up to where you want it. The down-side of immediately pulling up, is that the tension on the wire between the agraffe and the tuning pin goes up exponentially. On old pianos, the wire will break before it breaks loose from the agraffe/capo bar. You don't have to turn the pin to lower the pitch, just give it a slight twist or gentle flagpole and the string will break loose (I hate using "break" and "string" in the same sentence). Some times you'll get to hear two clicks, if there is a front duplex bar, also.</DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif"> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Hope this helps,</DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif">Dave Davis, RPT<BR></DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">----- Original Message ----<BR>From: Michelle Smith <michelle@smithpianoservice.com><BR>To: Pianotech List <pianotech@ptg.org><BR>Sent: Wednesday, December 5, 2007 1:22:58 PM<BR>Subject: Snap Crackle Pop!<BR><BR> <STYLE>  </STYLE> <DIV class=Section1> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Hi all.  I did a warranty tuning on an Essex baby grand today and here was the story on every string that had an agraffe: </SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Pull (no pitch change) </SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Pull (a little pitch change)</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Pull (POP! at the agraffe and the string goes way sharp)</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Bring down to pitch.  </SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I don┤ tune a lot of new grands in this neck of the woods.  Is the popping noise typical?</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoAutoSig><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=black size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Michelle Smith</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoAutoSig><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=black size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Smith Piano Service</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoAutoSig><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=black size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">Bastrop</FONT><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=black><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">, Texas</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=black><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'"></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoAutoSig><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=black size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">(512) 466-0238</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoAutoSig><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=black size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Comic Sans MS'">michelle@smithpianoservice.com</SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> </SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></DIV> <DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><BR></DIV></div></body></html>