Pianotech

  • 1.  New bass wire overpull

    Member
    Posted 09-05-2020 21:33
    What's the thinking on overpull when installing a new set of bass wire?

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    Keith Roberts
    owner
    Hathaway Pines CA
    209-770-4312
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  • 2.  RE: New bass wire overpull

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-05-2020 22:14
    Keith

    I see nothing wrong, and have done so for over 45 years, to over pull a bass string half a step higher when I install it. Bend the wire at the bridges and top pin, tap the loop on the hitch pin, and snug down the becket. 

    Leave the string slightly high when you leave and tell the customer that the string will be slightly out of tune for a while. Then it will sound OK for a while. And then will sound out of tune again. When it gets to the point that you can't stand it anymore, call me and I'll snug it up for you. No charge. (do it when you're in the neighborhood).  

    It's amazing how many customers never call until the piano needs to be tuned again anyway, even a year later. lol

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    Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
    Mililani, HI 96789
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: New bass wire overpull

    Posted 09-06-2020 13:47
    Half a step higher? Do you mean a quarter tone sharp?

    Best wishes

    David P

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    David Pinnegar, B.Sc., A.R.C.S.
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    +44 1342 850594



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: New bass wire overpull

    Member
    Posted 09-06-2020 14:38
    I took it to mean 50 cents or halfway to the next note. It's too confusing to say half tone or semi tone or whole tone or quarter tone. There's 88 notes and 100 cents or per-cents between each note. 
    So if the piano is a 100 cents flat, a pitch adjustment pass costs $88.,,,,,, 
    Just kidding,, American techs talk in terms of dollars and cents. The owners seem to get it but probably not in the UK. A quaver??? I had never heard a note called that. 




    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: New bass wire overpull

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-06-2020 14:59
    David

    A new F2 bass string is tuned to F#2.  Isn't that considered a half step?

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    Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
    Mililani, HI 96789
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: New bass wire overpull

    Posted 09-06-2020 15:37
    Well it depends as to whether one's steps are whole steps or half-steps . . . so thought it was good to ask for clarification.

    Sorry for us English pedantics. But so easily confused by language. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kqbzfmurcM

    Best wishes

    David P

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    David Pinnegar, B.Sc., A.R.C.S.
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    +44 1342 850594



    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: New bass wire overpull

    Posted 09-06-2020 12:58
    Check out the Arledge video on installing new bass strings. Would work for singles or sets. I used this for the last set I installed from them and it works quite well. I guess for singles in home you won't have the chance to let them sit over night, but I'd still try to do this in part. Do this first, then tune the rest of the piano and then do it again. Yes, you must fit the strings to the bridge pins and other bearing points after you stretch it. Also snug the coil and tap the wire from the coil to the bearing points to straighten it even more. 




    --
     Richard Adkins 
     Keyboard Tuning and Maintenance
     Curator of Instruments 




    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: New bass wire overpull

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-07-2020 13:24
    I limited the overpull to about 30c. Pull to 30c sharp and wait a few days.  Secure the bends and then tune to the rest of the piano.  If you're restringing the whole piano you can do the same thing for the entire piano.  I generally then tune the whole thing to 442 or 443 and let it creep down over time.

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    David Love RPT
    www.davidlovepianos.com
    davidlovepianos@comcast.net
    415 407 8320
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: New bass wire overpull

    Member
    Posted 09-07-2020 20:58
    30c sounds about what I think too. It's not the stress on the wire but the stress on the bridge pins and grooving into the agraffes. I will treat the pins with CA glue but I don't trust the wood or the drilling of an old piano.



    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: New bass wire overpull

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 09-08-2020 13:13
    It is the "wiggling" of the twisted portion that tightens with tension that produces a large portion of the stability. This accelerates the settling in process quite a bit. 
    Pwg

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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    603-686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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    Original Message