<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2>In a message dated 5/1/02 11:44:01 AM Central Daylight Time, BobDavis88@AOL.COM writes:
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<BR><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Unlike bass strings, treble strings do not become "shot."
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<BR>Yes, they do become fatigued. Take as an example a practice room piano which
<BR>is used 12 hours a day. It may go through a set of treble strings in a few
<BR>years. They may remain new and shiny looking, but they all break at the capo.
<BR>The same process is at work on all pianos; the practice room situation just
<BR>accelerates it.
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<BR>The customer isn't going to be happy with the instability of replacing treble
<BR>strings one at a time. The extra day to do them all is well worth it. I never
<BR>replace bass strings only unless the piano is VERY young and the bass strings
<BR>are dead because of unusual circumstances. Someone else can take the headache
<BR>of explaining to the client why his piano is never in tune.
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<BR>Bob Davis
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<BR>If is it the "fatigue" that causes a string to break, then the strings in the middle of a practice room piano would break all the time. The strings that break most often are the ones at the top. It's the high tension, played hard, for a long period of time in a row, without dampers to slow the string down. I don't believe strings will become fatigued on a piano that's played nominally, even one that's a hundred years old.
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<BR>Wim </FONT></HTML>