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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>"occasionally strings break, but I =
carry spares and
they are easy to replace." </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>"Then why do you charge so much to =
replace them",
the piano owner asks.....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV>
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style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=mkurta@adelphia.net =
href="mailto:mkurta@adelphia.net">Mike Kurta</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> Friday, December 03, 2004 =
3:23
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: How to avoid =
breaking a
string...</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> I have tuned many =
pianos
several semitones flat by overpulling way above pitch in one pass =
without
breakage. We've all seen older uprights that were nothing but a =
ball of
rust, and no breakage. It also happens that fairly new =
instruments will
break a string by barely moving the pin.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Every piano I =
junk, I tighten
each string to the breaking point just to see what it takes to make it =
fail. Often the pin rotates 1/2 turn before the string lets =
go. On
other occasions (sometimes within the same piano) just touching the =
string
will make it snap. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> My conclusion is =
that there is
no rhyme or reason and no predicting string breakage. I =
also
believe there is no cure-all method to avoid string breakage. =
I've tried
letting down tension first, lubrication of various types, hammer =
technique,
etc, and they still may let go. Fortunately, it doesn't happen =
that
often, and if in doubt, I mention to the customer that "occasionally =
strings
break, but I carry spares and they are easy to replace." This =
opens the
possibility to the customer, but minimizes the seriousness.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Mike =
Kurta</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Auburn,
NY</FONT> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>