Pianotech

  • 1.  Cleaning Bass Strings - Results from Experiment

    Posted 07-16-2021 15:53
      |   view attached
    I tackled a restringing job on a Yamaha G3 in our university collection, with no budget for a set of new bass strings.  Wire surfaces were severely rusted, as seen in photo.

    I had successfully cleaned a set of bass strings some years ago using household ammonia.  You can see the procedure on Youtube by searching "piano bass string cleaning hampshire piano".  That piano, however had no rust to worry about.

    I soaked the bass strings overnight in Evaporust, which successfully removed the rust, but left a black residue on the surface of the steel wire.  I followed up with the ammonia cleaning protocol, scrubbing the ends of the strings with Scotchbrite to remove as much of the black residue as I could.  Predictably, on the loops, only some surfaces could be reached.

    Results?  The monochords that were double-wound with copper were an utter failure.  Their tone, when installed, was dull and lifeless.  Flexing them significantly after they were dry (rolling a loop up and down the length) offered scant improvement.  Fortunately, on this piano, only A0 and A#0 were double wound.  All of the strings that were single wound with copper, however, turned out very acceptably.  I installed two new double-wound strings from J D Grandt yesterday afternoon, and the old and new strings sing along nicely together. 

    I would love to have installed a new set of rescaled bass strings in this instrument, but the existing strings are set to serve well for the foreseeable future.

    This piano also saw an action rebuild, using parts that were already waiting for in in our inventory.  It's awfully nice to have this piano back in a musically responsive state, after having been a "bottom of the barrel" grand in our collection for quite a few years.

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    Floyd Gadd
    Regina SK
    306-502-9103
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  • 2.  RE: Cleaning Bass Strings - Results from Experiment

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-17-2021 01:06
    In my experience cleaning solutions can leave a residue that tends to promote corrosion over time.

    Having done literally hundreds of bass sections in my career I now only use my "back twisting" technique - unwinding the string between 2 to 5 turns and installing with one turn (1/2 turn on double wound strings).

    I have learned to keep steel wool away from pianos and limit my cleaning of bass string to a few passes with a fine sponge sanding block.  There is only so much you can do with bass strings.

    But you should experiment.

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    Blaine Hebert
    Duarte CA
    626-795-5170
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  • 3.  RE: Cleaning Bass Strings - Results from Experiment

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-17-2021 10:58
    Interesting.  Have you tried boiling them in water?  I've heard that there have been decent results from boiling, but have never tried it myself.  Aside from looping / twisting / lightly bending bass strings off the hitch pin, its just been cheaper (less labor cost) to buy a new set.  If the budget is low, then you could order a set of strings from Mapes, It'll only run about $250.   We do what we do to get pianos running again on whatever budget. 
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    -Matt Crudo, RPT 
     





  • 4.  RE: Cleaning Bass Strings - Results from Experiment

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-18-2021 00:45
    Why would I ask my customers to pay for an experiment with a high failure rate when experience suggests that it would be better to twist them or put on new strings?

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    Blaine Hebert
    Duarte CA
    626-795-5170
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