<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" = xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" = xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink="#606420"> <div class=Section1> Hello = Andrew<o:p></o:p> My reasons = were pretty basic, really. To keep to an absolute minimum the potential = distortion to both Plate and Bridges. The S&S 'A' is my own piano so I was being = ultra careful (I always am anyway... ) that I got it right! There has been a = lot of chat about such things as that "killer octave" and loss of = crown etc. so I decided to do the restringing in carefully controlled stages over a = period of time. First stage was to remove the strings. I brought the tension = down fairly rapidly, but as equally "across the board" as was = possible. I therefore used the "pitch lowering" technique which is opposite to the "pitch raise". With the strings all off and the sound board = cleaned spick and span I then set about installing the new strings. This I did = using my home-made "dummy" coil maker with the actual wrest pin in and transferring wrest pin with its coil (SIX windings) direct to the hole = in the web. Pounding the pin in and just bringing light tension (sounded = awful!) to the strings as I put them in. My string maker advised not to hang about = before installing my new covered strings. Reason: They are made under tension = and, before removal from the lathe, are about 3/8" longer than when they = arrive in the parcel. So the copper coverings are under compression and the = string quality could deteriorate if left too long un-tensioned. This made = sense. I used the pin-block jack of course, moving it along underneath as I = progressed with the pounding in of those pins. Now with the strings installed I = took up the tension to about an octave below tension. I did this very = methodically using my previously published "Quadrant Method". That is: Tune = all the 'A's to a known reference (an octave flat in this case) all the way = across the piano. Then, by ear, tune the intermediate M3's to those A's - = sounds horrid, but carry on. Next tune all the 'B's and their intermediate = M3's. Then tune all the A#'s and their intermediate M3's. Finally tune all the G#'s = and their intermediate M3's. Now the piano is an octave below finished = pitch. Next to go methodically over all the wrest pins with a pair of duck bills and = pinch in all those beckets! From now on, tune the whole piano up ONE semitone = per day, being very strict in using that "Quadrant Method". When, = after about two weeks, you've got to G#=440 use the Pizza Cutter to = pre-stretch those metals, and, use the hand-in-glove to individually pre-stretch those = copper covereds. This plays havoc with the semitone flat from A=440! However, = that is expected. So bring the whole piano back up to G#=440 again and leave over-night. Next day pitch raise to half a semi-tone below A=440. = Leave again to settle for a day. Finally bring all up to A=440.5 (that's where I = keep the Pit piano!) On each pitch raise it is vitally important to stick to that "Quadrant Method" so as to keep the tension equally = distributed across Plate and Bridges.<o:p></o:p> Now for Joe = and Penny Goss' splendid Brass String Leveller. I used this in conjunction = with my "stringing hook" and how well and simple that job became! = Thank you Mother Goose! End of Advertising break!<o:p></o:p> Finally, = install the dampers with their new S&S felts and regulate = them.<o:p></o:p> One week = later and the piano is still exactly in tune and pitch. I am not kidding you. = Well, there may be some very slight infelicities, but nothing jarring to the = ear.<o:p></o:p> Overall = result: This S&S 'A' now has a vastly improved tone, in depth, colour and power! = I remember listening to the sound of that soundboard when  I tapped = on the bridge whilst there were no strings on it - it literally = "Hummmmmmed" at a very low frequency and for a considerable time. That, to me, was a = good sign.<o:p></o:p> Now I've = got the Wurzens installed under the keys: Front, Balance and Touch, so all I = need now is to get Wurzens in place of the original yellow core 90 year old = hammers. Andre is expecting this....<o:p></o:p> Regards = from a windy <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place = w:st="on">Sussex</st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></fo= nt> Michael = G.(<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region>) = <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Michael,<o:p></o:p> I'm interested on your reasoning to choose to bring the piano = back up <o:p></o:p> to pitch by stages.  Please do = tell.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Andrew<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> At 03:11 PM 9/26/2005, you wrote:<o:p></o:p> >Thanks, David. I shall do some experimenting. First, I = think, as a temporary<o:p></o:p> >measure and to quickly discover whether there's a need or = not, I shall push<o:p></o:p> >in felt between the back scales of the bass section rather = than weave it.<o:p></o:p> >BTW the tonal quality of my S&S'A' has improved hugely = as a result of<o:p></o:p> >re-stringing. It now has a big depth of sound even with the = lid down. I like<o:p></o:p> >to think it is as a direct result of my bringing it back to = pitch so slowly<o:p></o:p> >and evenly.<o:p></o:p> >Regards<o:p></o:p> >Michael G.(<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place = w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region>)<o:p></o:p>= ><o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </div> </body> </html>