<HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <META content=Word.Document name=ProgId> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2668" name=GENERATOR> <META content="Microsoft Word 11" name=Originator><LINK href="cid:filelist.xml@01C582DC.3E82E970" rel=File-List> <STYLE>  </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY lang=EN-US style="tab-interval: .5in" vLink=purple link=blue> <DIV> <DIV>This little bird probably wants a new pinblock before she sings. That's not what is causing your current problem, but based on age, I'm guessing the pinblock issue will arise.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The Chick Quarter is NOT the piano to cut your pinblock replacement teeth on--it's odd, angled, beveled, divided, and an all around sandpaper suppository. You'd need experienced help to replace it. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If you do restring it and the block is not all split and cracked beyond salvage, I'd recommend running epoxy into it if there are cracks (see archives for methods), possibly plugging and redrilling the any really bad places (again, search archives with words "epoxy" "plug" "pinblock" "drill" etc.)  and replacing the pins with 4/0, perhaps. In any event, I'd get an experienced piano surgeon to at least look it over for you and advise.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV>Alan Barnard</DIV> <DIV>Salem, Missouri</DIV> <DIV> </DIV></DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=altieri@nepiano.com href="mailto:altieri@nepiano.com">altieri</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> 07/07/2005 9:10:31 AM </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Stretchy Strings</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2> <DIV class=Section1> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Hello<SPAN class=GramE>,<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>I</SPAN> haven’t posted much here yet but I’ve been listening and learning.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>This list is a great help to people new to this business.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I’ve just had someone give me a <SPAN class=SpellE>chickering</SPAN> quarter grand.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>I believe <SPAN class=GramE>its</SPAN> from 1929 or around then.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>When I went to do a pitch raise it seems that most of the strings reacted normally but I’ve gotten to one that I was able to turn the pin about 180 degrees and the pitch was not changing.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>It seemed like it was only stretching a section of the string maybe?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>The strings have not really been cared for and the inside of this piano really needs some <SPAN class=SpellE>tlc</SPAN> but I was wondering if this is a hint that the whole thing should be restrung (which I might attempt anyways) or if this is something I should worry about on a string by string basis.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Apparently their old tuner told them that he really didn’t want to charge them for tunings anymore because this piano would not hold the tune.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>When I saw it at their home some of the pins were very loose.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Now that it is in my garage (<SPAN class=GramE>its</SPAN> been fairly humid here in CT) the pins are all at a normal tightness it seems.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>I’m guessing this might <SPAN class=GramE>of</SPAN> just been a result of dryness in their home?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Any comments are appreciated.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Jim Altieri<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>