<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <META content="MSHTML 5.50.4522.1800" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <DIV>I tuned a Kimball console (<A href="mailto:!#%&*$#@%">!#%&*$#@%</A>^&!!!) Tuesday = night. I broke a string in the low tenor (about B3 or C4 as I recall) "at = the becket, which surprised me since the piano was not that flat." I = did not notice the pressure bar being unusually tight. The old string came out = and the new one went in OK. I <EM>did</EM> "have the tool with me (that tube thing from APSCO, whatever it's called) to insert the new string in = place." However, I did <EM>not</EM> have any little clips or little vice grips = to anchor onto the hitch pin to keep the $*&%#&^ little string on the = hitch pin - so after each time it would pop off the hitch and curl up to somewhere = behind the keybed, I had to fish it around with various tools to put it back in = place. I would try different tools each time this opportunity presented itself = because the last try was not very successful.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Regarding your thoughts on loosening the pressure bar - if you are = quite sure the bar is too close to the plate, I would certainly do it. I have = done it before trying to correct funky odd sounds (not successfully I might = add). The screws will generally be quite tight. It's easier if you let down the = tension in the area - however, if you are only trying to loosen them, I guess it = would be OK to do it at full tension. Yes, you are right that area of the scale = will go flat, but we can correct that easy enough. And lastly, whereas I'm sure = there is some optimal position for this bar, I find it hard to imagine degrading = the tone of a Kimball console - if it does for some reason, things are totally = reversible - keep a record of exactly how many turns you give each screw so that = you can put it all back if necessary.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Good Luck.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Terry Farrell</DIV> <DIV> <SPAN id=__#Ath#SignaturePos__></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV>----- Original Message ----- <DIV>From: <<A = href="mailto:Tvak@AOL.COM">Tvak@AOL.COM</A>></DIV> <DIV>To: <<A = href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>></DIV> <DIV>Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 12:27 AM</DIV> <DIV>Subject: hi pressure pressure bar</DIV></DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV>> Tuned a Kimball console yesterday and broke a = string.  A trichord unison at <BR>> E3/F3 broke at the becket, which surprised = me since the piano was not that <BR>> flat.  And then I found out = why it broke.  The pressure bar is extremely <BR>> tight and creates = way too much friction.  I judge this on the fact that it <BR>> was = extremely difficult just to remove the broken string.  I had to use a = <BR>> pliers.  And the needlenose pliers I tried first didn't do the = trick;  I had <BR>> to get the big pliers out of the tool case and pull as = hard as I could to get <BR>> it out of there, and it went millimeter by = millimeter by tug by tug.  (My <BR>> wrist is still sore today.)  I = didn't replace the string because it goes <BR>> under the bass strings and I = didn't have the tool with me (that tube thing <BR>> from APSCO, whatever = it's called) to insert the new string in place.  (All in <BR>> all, = this was my lucky day.)<BR>> <BR>> So I'm going back next week.  I'm = worried that I won't be able to get the new <BR>> string under the pressure bar.  I've been told NEVER loosen those screws on <BR>> the = pressure bar, but what if I can't get the string in there?  What will = <BR>> happen if I loosen that one little screw? And in fact there is one right = <BR>> there between E3 and F3.  I think that little bugger is = the problem here.  <BR>> <BR>> I would imagine that loosening the = pressure bar a bit would put that register <BR>> out of tune. OK, I = can retune it.   Any other dangers here?  Will the piano = <BR>> bench fall apart or the logo decal come off?  <BR>> <BR>> = Seriously, I'd appreciate any thoughts on the subject.  It would be pretty = <BR>> embarrassing if I can't get a new string in there.  <BR>> = <BR>> Tom Sivak</BODY></HTML>