<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=windows-1252"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1264" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#008000>Good golly man, please don't = quote out of context! The complete quote is below:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><EM>"I have never broken a string while doing a = pitch raise. However, I have had strings break on occasion while doing a pitch = raise. (Actually, I have broken one or two over time while doing something = stupid - but I replaced those for free.)"</EM></FONT></DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Arial></FONT></EM> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#008000>No luck involved. Purely = skill.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><EM><FONT face=Arial></FONT></EM> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#008000>I thought it was obvious, but = let me explain: I was trying to differentiate between the technician making = some sort of error in judgement or technique and having a string break, and = the string simply not being able to remain intact at A440 tension. If the = string is rusty or nicked or degraded in some other manner that causes it to not = be able to remain intact at A440 tension - then if it breaks, it ain't my fault = (not that one should just forge ahead and watch 220 strings break on a = piano - that is why, every once in a while, I do tune a piano below A440). But = if I do something dumb, like not letting tension down a touch first on a = rusty string, or when I hear the sting "popping" through the agraffes, or = maybe even absentmindedly putting my tuning lever on the wrong tuning pin = and twisting the thing a half-turn before I realize the string = attached to the pin I am wrenching on is muted (no, of course <EM>nobody</EM> = has ever done that!) - and the string breaks - then I broke = it and I should replace the string at no charge (and offer an apology and offer = to stop by in a couple weeks to retune that new string).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#008000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#008000>May I suggest that if you are = breaking strings at "...<FONT color=#800000>such frequency that I have = developed my own pre-formed knot system</FONT><FONT color=#008000>..." you may want to = reevaluate your pitch-raising techniques and criteria?</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#008000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#008000>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk href="mailto:michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk">Michael Gamble</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, January 27, 2004 = 8:53 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> new topic: Broken = Strings (was key cover blues)</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello Liszt & Terry = Farrell</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry said: "<FONT color=#800000 = size=3>I have never broken a string while doing a pitch raise."</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000>I ask: How do you get that = lucky? I've broken strings with such frequency that I have developed my own = pre-formed knot system for repairing Bass covereds without replacing = them. I also frequently relax the other half of the broken pair to pull = it round to effect a repair. "Mark'ee Jim lad... " this is only done on old clunkers or for speed and efficacy. Keeps the cost down, don't = y'know? Which has to be a +</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000>Regards from a beautifully = sunny day in Sussex Downlands-by-the-Sea.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000>. . . . . .  there's so = much talk of s n o w . . . . </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Arial Narrow" color=#800000 size=2>he's never = broken a string....... wow!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000>Michael G (UK)</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>