<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type> <META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.19154"> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Matthew,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial> Once again I will quote the great Yogi Berra. " You can observe a lot by looking. "</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial> It's typical for the coil on the replacement string to be somewhat different than the original. Also the replacement string will typically just look different. Either more shiny, or have a different style ending of the wrap , or the length of the wrap will be out of line with the others or indeed the core will deviate or the tuning pin will be at a different height or the loop at the hitch will be different. You have  40 or so other strings and several criterion  for comparision. I'll bet with your keen observational powers you will detect the string to replace from across the room .Boldly go forth young man .  I hope that this post hasn't been upsetting and you are welcome in advance.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial> Your brother in our trade,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial> Tom Driscoll</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" dir=ltr> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=toddpianoworks@att.net href="mailto:toddpianoworks@att.net">Matthew Todd</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, October 24, 2011 11:30 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [pianotech] Universal String</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: #000; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <DIV><SPAN></SPAN></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto">Hi guys,</DIV> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto"> </DIV> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto">I have a client who recently told me that a bass string that broke 13 years ago on her Kawai CE-7 does not hold a tune as long as the others strings (it is a bi-chord).  My guess is that someone replaced it with a universal and, hence, the tone is not matching, causing the "out of tuneness".</DIV> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto"> </DIV> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto">I vaguely remember hearing one time how to tell the difference between a universal string and a duplicated one.  I think it had something to do with the core wire.  The universal being hexagonal?</DIV> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto"> </DIV> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto">Can someone please tell me how to tell?  If this issue is the case, I want to make sure I remove the right one!</DIV> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto"> </DIV> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto">Thanks in advance!<VAR id=yui-ie-cursor></VAR></DIV> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto"> </DIV> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto"> </DIV> <DIV><B><FONT color=#0000ff size=4><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"></SPAN></FONT></B><B><FONT color=#0000ff size=4><U>TODD PIANO WORKS</U></FONT></B> <BR><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=3>Matthew Todd, Piano Technician</FONT> <BR><FONT size=3>(979) 248-9578</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=3><A href="http://www.toddpianoworks.com/" rel=nofollow target=_blank>http://www.toddpianoworks.com</A></FONT></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>