<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1"> <title></title> </head> <body text="#000000" bgcolor="#ffffff"> Doug, First of all, repeat after me: "The string broke, I did not break the string." Say this 220 times :-) A piano which hasn't been tuned in a long time may develop a rust spot at one or more of the upper bearing points. If you pull up on a string which has such a "rust bond", the speaking length will not tighten up at first and all of the added tension will be applied to the tuning pin segment. This will cause the tension to increase very quickly in this area and a string can easily break. That's why it's important to listen for or watch for a change of pitch as soon as you know the tuning pin is moving. When I was learning to tune, my mentor cautioned me to paint Liquid Wrench on the V-bar and pressure bar points of these neglected pianos and to drop the pitch first before pulling it up (he would drop it by a fourth or even a fifth). Since then, I've learned more subtle ways of getting the string to move and "self-lubricate" and also have become more sensitive to when I run up against a snag, if you will, which is going to trigger a break. This is a sign that you might have better luck if you got a run at it from a lower pitch (and, yes, maybe use a lubricant, too). There are other reasons for a string to "tear" and I don't think there is any stopping that from happening, such as a nick in the wire, or work hardening at the tuning pin or V-bar/agraffe. Sometimes we can be surprised by a tuning pin which is suddenly very loose and, therefore, prone to string overtightening, or string terminations at the tuning pins which are out of order. I didn't mention the one where the tuner puts a wrench on one pin and listens to another. This is like when you're in the china shop: if you break it, you've bought it. In situations where I have the sense that this piano could break strings, I do speak to the customer about the possibility of colateral damage. I also tell them that I'll do everything in my power to prevent that from happening. And if the budget can't take any broken string charges, this may be a time to speak about tuning to a lower pitch. Tom Cole Doug Renz Piano Tuning wrote: <blockquote type="cite" cite="mid!~!UENERkVCMDkAAQACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgAAAAAAAAA7QL1ee1K8U2TSKDX4jsm4MKAAAAQAAAAHxWKokpcCEKc+N+EBk9WFQEAAAAA@frontiernet.net"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; "> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"><o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place">  <style>  </style></o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType></o:SmartTagType> <div class="Section1"> Tonight I went to tune a piano that had not been tuned in 20 years the owner said.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> While tuning it I broke one of the bass strings… First time. I thought that was interesting.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I still have to learn how to “warn” customers when to tell them a string might break. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> How did that happen? Was it because it has been so long since a tuning? What could<o:p></o:p> I have done to avoid that? Any thoughts. Thanks in advanced.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Thanks.<o:p></o:p> Doug Renz<o:p></o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Rochester</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">NY</st1:State></st1:place> <o:p></o:p> Associate PTG Member<o:p></o:p> <a href="mailto:pianotuner@frontiernet.net">pianotuner@frontiernet.net</a><o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </div> </blockquote> </body> </html>