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<DIV>The scenario: a nice teacher, not wealthy, with a well-worn Stein=
way
M from 1916. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The job: tune, repin hammer flanges in bass octave and treat with=
protek to slow the inevitable onslaught of verdigris.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Finished quickly with repinning, I played the lower octave, and it=
sounded incredibly tubby. All of the monochords were deadish, while th=
e
neighboring bichords still had some life to them. I had a little time,=
so
I figured I'd twist the monochords.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The mistake: loosened the strings 3/4 to a full turn of the pin, =
but
when I got to C#1, the coil broke at the becket. An anomaly, thought
I. Loosened the remaining strings less, but still managed to brake ano=
ther
coil at the becket. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Lesson learned: Large diameter old wire, like a large diameter ol=
d
person, is not very flexible. Half a turn of the tuning pin
should loosen the string adequately to give it an extra
twist.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The outcome: Dunno yet, but I'm going to try to talk her into
replacing all of the monochords at a very reduced price.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sometimes you learn things the hard way, but those lessons are the most=
thoroughly learned, eh?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dave Stahl</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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