Pianotech

Greetings,

This is a Henry F Miller 46" studio upright, presumably made by Pearl River, around 2001-2002 (the serial number looks correct - 5xxx,xxx). I was contacted to provide a replacement bass string for a bichord string that had broken at the junction of the core wire and the top of the hitch pin loop. Something I've never encountered before. The piano is in quite good overall, almost unplayed condition, around 30-40¢ flat. I installed the string yesterday. I started the pitch raise, from A0 as usual, and had gotten through the single strings as far as the first few bichords when, bam! bam! two strings I had already tuned broke at that same point. I assumed that the entire set was defective and there would be no point in continuing the pitch raise. 

Have others encountered this? I've seen a lot of pianos and a lot of broken bas strings but I've never seen one break at that point. I'm speculating that Pearl River may have sent who knows how many thousands of pianos out with defectively manufactured sets of bass strings during that period. 

David

------------------------------
David Trasoff
Whatcom Piano Service
(360) 389-2158
david@whatcompianoservice.com
------------------------------

By any chance is there felt under the core wire near the hitch pin loop or a felt punching ? I had a grand piano here that had a number of strings broken at the hitch pin loop- high humidity contributed to the problem as well as the fact the piano was not far from the river and they liked to smell the breeze. Rust was visible but perhaps it is not always. Look at the strings under bright light and magnification. Not aware of a problem but i do know early Pearl Rivers had lots of issues because piano were made in less than ideal factories with opened windows.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 17:53
From: David Trasoff
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

Greetings,

This is a Henry F Miller 46" studio upright, presumably made by Pearl River, around 2001-2002 (the serial number looks correct - 5xxx,xxx). I was contacted to provide a replacement bass string for a bichord string that had broken at the junction of the core wire and the top of the hitch pin loop. Something I've never encountered before. The piano is in quite good overall, almost unplayed condition, around 30-40¢ flat. I installed the string yesterday. I started the pitch raise, from A0 as usual, and had gotten through the single strings as far as the first few bichords when, bam! bam! two strings I had already tuned broke at that same point. I assumed that the entire set was defective and there would be no point in continuing the pitch raise.

Have others encountered this? I've seen a lot of pianos and a lot of broken bas strings but I've never seen one break at that point. I'm speculating that Pearl River may have sent who knows how many thousands of pianos out with defectively manufactured sets of bass strings during that period.

David

------------------------------
David Trasoff
Whatcom Piano Service
(360) 389-2158
david@whatcompianoservice.com
------------------------------

David, just so we have all the info, and only because you were  obviously using an ETD .." I started the pitch raise from A0 as usual...." and "the piano was 30-40c flat" were  you by any chance  in the pitch raise mode on the ETD  in that area of bass strings. I only ever go to pitch raise mode at the start of the plain  wire  strings exactly for this reason , I tune all bass strings.  to pitch  with no pitch raise ,  continue to tune rest of the piano  in pitch raise mode and then return to bass strings for a fine tuning .
That being said. It still may be a defective set!
www.snowpianos.com

------------------------------
Martin Snow
South Burlington VT
617-543-1030
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 18:22
From: James Kelly
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

By any chance is there felt under the core wire near the hitch pin loop or a felt punching ? I had a grand piano here that had a number of strings broken at the hitch pin loop- high humidity contributed to the problem as well as the fact the piano was not far from the river and they liked to smell the breeze. Rust was visible but perhaps it is not always. Look at the strings under bright light and magnification. Not aware of a problem but i do know early Pearl Rivers had lots of issues because piano were made in less than ideal factories with opened windows.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 17:53
From: David Trasoff
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

Greetings,

This is a Henry F Miller 46" studio upright, presumably made by Pearl River, around 2001-2002 (the serial number looks correct - 5xxx,xxx). I was contacted to provide a replacement bass string for a bichord string that had broken at the junction of the core wire and the top of the hitch pin loop. Something I've never encountered before. The piano is in quite good overall, almost unplayed condition, around 30-40¢ flat. I installed the string yesterday. I started the pitch raise, from A0 as usual, and had gotten through the single strings as far as the first few bichords when, bam! bam! two strings I had already tuned broke at that same point. I assumed that the entire set was defective and there would be no point in continuing the pitch raise.

Have others encountered this? I've seen a lot of pianos and a lot of broken bas strings but I've never seen one break at that point. I'm speculating that Pearl River may have sent who knows how many thousands of pianos out with defectively manufactured sets of bass strings during that period.

David

------------------------------
David Trasoff
Whatcom Piano Service
(360) 389-2158
david@whatcompianoservice.com
------------------------------

One reason why I do not pull past 10 cents sharp on any pitch raise...and I agree on the bass strings. 

Pwg

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

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 18:38
From: Martin Snow
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

David, just so we have all the info, and only because you were  obviously using an ETD .." I started the pitch raise from A0 as usual...." and "the piano was 30-40c flat" were  you by any chance  in the pitch raise mode on the ETD  in that area of bass strings. I only ever go to pitch raise mode at the start of the plain  wire  strings exactly for this reason , I tune all bass strings.  to pitch  with no pitch raise ,  continue to tune rest of the piano  in pitch raise mode and then return to bass strings for a fine tuning .
That being said. It still may be a defective set!
www.snowpianos.com

------------------------------
Martin Snow
South Burlington VT
617-543-1030

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 18:22
From: James Kelly
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

By any chance is there felt under the core wire near the hitch pin loop or a felt punching ? I had a grand piano here that had a number of strings broken at the hitch pin loop- high humidity contributed to the problem as well as the fact the piano was not far from the river and they liked to smell the breeze. Rust was visible but perhaps it is not always. Look at the strings under bright light and magnification. Not aware of a problem but i do know early Pearl Rivers had lots of issues because piano were made in less than ideal factories with opened windows.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 17:53
From: David Trasoff
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

Greetings,

This is a Henry F Miller 46" studio upright, presumably made by Pearl River, around 2001-2002 (the serial number looks correct - 5xxx,xxx). I was contacted to provide a replacement bass string for a bichord string that had broken at the junction of the core wire and the top of the hitch pin loop. Something I've never encountered before. The piano is in quite good overall, almost unplayed condition, around 30-40¢ flat. I installed the string yesterday. I started the pitch raise, from A0 as usual, and had gotten through the single strings as far as the first few bichords when, bam! bam! two strings I had already tuned broke at that same point. I assumed that the entire set was defective and there would be no point in continuing the pitch raise.

Have others encountered this? I've seen a lot of pianos and a lot of broken bas strings but I've never seen one break at that point. I'm speculating that Pearl River may have sent who knows how many thousands of pianos out with defectively manufactured sets of bass strings during that period.

David

------------------------------
David Trasoff
Whatcom Piano Service
(360) 389-2158
david@whatcompianoservice.com
------------------------------

Typically, the overpull for bass strings @ -30-40 cents would be under 7 cents, I think. Raising a piano from 440 to 442 would be more than that.

I overpull about 16% in the ​bass on raises under 50 cents and have never had a problem with string breakage.

James could be onto something. Where I am there are a lot of rusty strings and breakage right at the end point of the loop coil is very common, I believe the string gets twisted and weakened at that point in the making process. If they're going to go they are just as likely to go when the piano isn't even being played as at any other time.

------------------------------
Steven Rosenthal
Honolulu HI
808-521-7129
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 21:42
From: Peter Grey
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

One reason why I do not pull past 10 cents sharp on any pitch raise...and I agree on the bass strings.

Pwg

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

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 18:38
From: Martin Snow
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

David, just so we have all the info, and only because you were  obviously using an ETD .." I started the pitch raise from A0 as usual...." and "the piano was 30-40c flat" were  you by any chance  in the pitch raise mode on the ETD  in that area of bass strings. I only ever go to pitch raise mode at the start of the plain  wire  strings exactly for this reason , I tune all bass strings.  to pitch  with no pitch raise ,  continue to tune rest of the piano  in pitch raise mode and then return to bass strings for a fine tuning .
That being said. It still may be a defective set!
www.snowpianos.com

------------------------------
Martin Snow
South Burlington VT
617-543-1030

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 18:22
From: James Kelly
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

By any chance is there felt under the core wire near the hitch pin loop or a felt punching ? I had a grand piano here that had a number of strings broken at the hitch pin loop- high humidity contributed to the problem as well as the fact the piano was not far from the river and they liked to smell the breeze. Rust was visible but perhaps it is not always. Look at the strings under bright light and magnification. Not aware of a problem but i do know early Pearl Rivers had lots of issues because piano were made in less than ideal factories with opened windows.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 17:53
From: David Trasoff
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

Greetings,

This is a Henry F Miller 46" studio upright, presumably made by Pearl River, around 2001-2002 (the serial number looks correct - 5xxx,xxx). I was contacted to provide a replacement bass string for a bichord string that had broken at the junction of the core wire and the top of the hitch pin loop. Something I've never encountered before. The piano is in quite good overall, almost unplayed condition, around 30-40¢ flat. I installed the string yesterday. I started the pitch raise, from A0 as usual, and had gotten through the single strings as far as the first few bichords when, bam! bam! two strings I had already tuned broke at that same point. I assumed that the entire set was defective and there would be no point in continuing the pitch raise.

Have others encountered this? I've seen a lot of pianos and a lot of broken bas strings but I've never seen one break at that point. I'm speculating that Pearl River may have sent who knows how many thousands of pianos out with defectively manufactured sets of bass strings during that period.

David

------------------------------
David Trasoff
Whatcom Piano Service
(360) 389-2158
david@whatcompianoservice.com
------------------------------

However, technically they should be able to survive 30-50 cents or greater overkill and not break. Something is clearly wrong on this piano David is working on. 

Pwg

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

Original Message:
Sent: 09-18-2021 02:25
From: Steven Rosenthal
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

Typically, the overpull for bass strings @ -30-40 cents would be under 7 cents, I think. Raising a piano from 440 to 442 would be more than that.

I overpull about 16% in the ​bass on raises under 50 cents and have never had a problem with string breakage.

James could be onto something. Where I am there are a lot of rusty strings and breakage right at the end point of the loop coil is very common, I believe the string gets twisted and weakened at that point in the making process. If they're going to go they are just as likely to go when the piano isn't even being played as at any other time.

------------------------------
Steven Rosenthal
Honolulu HI
808-521-7129

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 21:42
From: Peter Grey
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

One reason why I do not pull past 10 cents sharp on any pitch raise...and I agree on the bass strings.

Pwg

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

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 18:38
From: Martin Snow
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

David, just so we have all the info, and only because you were  obviously using an ETD .." I started the pitch raise from A0 as usual...." and "the piano was 30-40c flat" were  you by any chance  in the pitch raise mode on the ETD  in that area of bass strings. I only ever go to pitch raise mode at the start of the plain  wire  strings exactly for this reason , I tune all bass strings.  to pitch  with no pitch raise ,  continue to tune rest of the piano  in pitch raise mode and then return to bass strings for a fine tuning .
That being said. It still may be a defective set!
www.snowpianos.com

------------------------------
Martin Snow
South Burlington VT
617-543-1030

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 18:22
From: James Kelly
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

By any chance is there felt under the core wire near the hitch pin loop or a felt punching ? I had a grand piano here that had a number of strings broken at the hitch pin loop- high humidity contributed to the problem as well as the fact the piano was not far from the river and they liked to smell the breeze. Rust was visible but perhaps it is not always. Look at the strings under bright light and magnification. Not aware of a problem but i do know early Pearl Rivers had lots of issues because piano were made in less than ideal factories with opened windows.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 17:53
From: David Trasoff
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

Greetings,

This is a Henry F Miller 46" studio upright, presumably made by Pearl River, around 2001-2002 (the serial number looks correct - 5xxx,xxx). I was contacted to provide a replacement bass string for a bichord string that had broken at the junction of the core wire and the top of the hitch pin loop. Something I've never encountered before. The piano is in quite good overall, almost unplayed condition, around 30-40¢ flat. I installed the string yesterday. I started the pitch raise, from A0 as usual, and had gotten through the single strings as far as the first few bichords when, bam! bam! two strings I had already tuned broke at that same point. I assumed that the entire set was defective and there would be no point in continuing the pitch raise.

Have others encountered this? I've seen a lot of pianos and a lot of broken bas strings but I've never seen one break at that point. I'm speculating that Pearl River may have sent who knows how many thousands of pianos out with defectively manufactured sets of bass strings during that period.

David

------------------------------
David Trasoff
Whatcom Piano Service
(360) 389-2158
david@whatcompianoservice.com
------------------------------

Hi Martin,

I routinely pitch raise and tune dozens and dozens of pianos of all ages and conditions using the Cybertuner Smart Tune program (up to 50¢) with extremely rare string breakage anywhere in the piano. But I’ve always been a West Coast technician and the conditions are more favorable here. As I said, I’ve never seen bass strings break at that hitch pin junction, so I’m pretty certain it’s defective from the factory. I’m glad to hear other people don’t seem to be encountering this.

David


Original Message:
Sent: 9/17/2021 6:39:00 PM
From: Martin Snow
Subject: RE: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

David, just so we have all the info, and only because you were  obviously using an ETD .." I started the pitch raise from A0 as usual...." and "the piano was 30-40c flat" were  you by any chance  in the pitch raise mode on the ETD  in that area of bass strings. I only ever go to pitch raise mode at the start of the plain  wire  strings exactly for this reason , I tune all bass strings.  to pitch  with no pitch raise ,  continue to tune rest of the piano  in pitch raise mode and then return to bass strings for a fine tuning .
That being said. It still may be a defective set!
www.snowpianos.com

------------------------------
Martin Snow
South Burlington VT
617-543-1030
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 18:22
From: James Kelly
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

By any chance is there felt under the core wire near the hitch pin loop or a felt punching ? I had a grand piano here that had a number of strings broken at the hitch pin loop- high humidity contributed to the problem as well as the fact the piano was not far from the river and they liked to smell the breeze. Rust was visible but perhaps it is not always. Look at the strings under bright light and magnification. Not aware of a problem but i do know early Pearl Rivers had lots of issues because piano were made in less than ideal factories with opened windows.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 17:53
From: David Trasoff
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

Greetings,

This is a Henry F Miller 46" studio upright, presumably made by Pearl River, around 2001-2002 (the serial number looks correct - 5xxx,xxx). I was contacted to provide a replacement bass string for a bichord string that had broken at the junction of the core wire and the top of the hitch pin loop. Something I've never encountered before. The piano is in quite good overall, almost unplayed condition, around 30-40¢ flat. I installed the string yesterday. I started the pitch raise, from A0 as usual, and had gotten through the single strings as far as the first few bichords when, bam! bam! two strings I had already tuned broke at that same point. I assumed that the entire set was defective and there would be no point in continuing the pitch raise.

Have others encountered this? I've seen a lot of pianos and a lot of broken bas strings but I've never seen one break at that point. I'm speculating that Pearl River may have sent who knows how many thousands of pianos out with defectively manufactured sets of bass strings during that period.

David

------------------------------
David Trasoff
Whatcom Piano Service
(360) 389-2158
david@whatcompianoservice.com
------------------------------

When using an EDT to do a pitch raise from 30 to 40 cents flat, the bass over pull will be less than 10 cents and therefore I doubt that was the cause of the problem. However EDTs very frequently miss read low bass notes, and in that case you could easily be tensioning the string beyond it’s breaking point.
Probably the best thing to do is to order replacement strings, being very careful with your measurements, and only pull the new strings to pitch on the first pass, no overpull at all. If you want to use a pitch raise mode and overpull the bass notes, start at the top of the base section
I have encountered the situation James Kelly described, where rust or corrosion on the cloth has led to string breakage. But that happens over time, not when you’re installing a new set of strings.

David Weiss

Sent from my iPad


Original Message:
Sent: 9/17/2021 6:23:00 PM
From: James Kelly
Subject: RE: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

By any chance is there felt under the core wire near the hitch pin loop or a felt punching ? I had a grand piano here that had a number of strings broken at the hitch pin loop- high humidity contributed to the problem as well as the fact the piano was not far from the river and they liked to smell the breeze. Rust was visible but perhaps it is not always. Look at the strings under bright light and magnification. Not aware of a problem but i do know early Pearl Rivers had lots of issues because piano were made in less than ideal factories with opened windows.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 17:53
From: David Trasoff
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

Greetings,

This is a Henry F Miller 46" studio upright, presumably made by Pearl River, around 2001-2002 (the serial number looks correct - 5xxx,xxx). I was contacted to provide a replacement bass string for a bichord string that had broken at the junction of the core wire and the top of the hitch pin loop. Something I've never encountered before. The piano is in quite good overall, almost unplayed condition, around 30-40¢ flat. I installed the string yesterday. I started the pitch raise, from A0 as usual, and had gotten through the single strings as far as the first few bichords when, bam! bam! two strings I had already tuned broke at that same point. I assumed that the entire set was defective and there would be no point in continuing the pitch raise.

Have others encountered this? I've seen a lot of pianos and a lot of broken bas strings but I've never seen one break at that point. I'm speculating that Pearl River may have sent who knows how many thousands of pianos out with defectively manufactured sets of bass strings during that period.

David

------------------------------
David Trasoff
Whatcom Piano Service
(360) 389-2158
david@whatcompianoservice.com
------------------------------

I have done tons of pitch raises and in fact most pianos here require a pitch adjustment before fine tuning. Never have I had a problem with a break at the hitch pin other than the ones already broken on the grand I mentioned. Since the piano was 30-40 cents flat it would take two pitch adjustments and a fine tuning. Most breaks are up top near the tuning pin. Its very possible there where several strings with a defective core wire, dampness and rust had eaten through the steel, someone twisted the hitch pin to tighten the winding etc.

You did not mention which bi-chord you replaced but it sounded like you only replaced one string. The recommendation is to replace them as a pair.
I use a SAT III and a SAT IV and there is a procedure to adjust the pitch raise by measuring notes like all the A's and recalculating the FAC tuning.
I put all new bass strings on a Chas M Stieff concert grand including a section that had triple wound unisons in a 7 note section of the low tenor. Proceeding with caution it took a little bit of time and I did lots of chipping from the middle down. Anyway- there is an interesting discussion by James Arledge on his web site about pulling up new bass strings. I did not try his method but will probably do it the next time I put on a full set. 

I would advise you to replace b-chord bass strings in pairs and to thoroughly look for nicks/rust/pitting on the strings that broke.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-18-2021 08:49
From: David Weiss
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

When using an EDT to do a pitch raise from 30 to 40 cents flat, the bass over pull will be less than 10 cents and therefore I doubt that was the cause of the problem. However EDTs very frequently miss read low bass notes, and in that case you could easily be tensioning the string beyond it's breaking point.
Probably the best thing to do is to order replacement strings, being very careful with your measurements, and only pull the new strings to pitch on the first pass, no overpull at all. If you want to use a pitch raise mode and overpull the bass notes, start at the top of the base section
I have encountered the situation James Kelly described, where rust or corrosion on the cloth has led to string breakage. But that happens over time, not when you're installing a new set of strings.

David Weiss

Sent from my iPad


Original Message:
Sent: 9/17/2021 6:23:00 PM
From: James Kelly
Subject: RE: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

By any chance is there felt under the core wire near the hitch pin loop or a felt punching ? I had a grand piano here that had a number of strings broken at the hitch pin loop- high humidity contributed to the problem as well as the fact the piano was not far from the river and they liked to smell the breeze. Rust was visible but perhaps it is not always. Look at the strings under bright light and magnification. Not aware of a problem but i do know early Pearl Rivers had lots of issues because piano were made in less than ideal factories with opened windows.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 17:53
From: David Trasoff
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

Greetings,

This is a Henry F Miller 46" studio upright, presumably made by Pearl River, around 2001-2002 (the serial number looks correct - 5xxx,xxx). I was contacted to provide a replacement bass string for a bichord string that had broken at the junction of the core wire and the top of the hitch pin loop. Something I've never encountered before. The piano is in quite good overall, almost unplayed condition, around 30-40¢ flat. I installed the string yesterday. I started the pitch raise, from A0 as usual, and had gotten through the single strings as far as the first few bichords when, bam! bam! two strings I had already tuned broke at that same point. I assumed that the entire set was defective and there would be no point in continuing the pitch raise.

Have others encountered this? I've seen a lot of pianos and a lot of broken bas strings but I've never seen one break at that point. I'm speculating that Pearl River may have sent who knows how many thousands of pianos out with defectively manufactured sets of bass strings during that period.

David

------------------------------
David Trasoff
Whatcom Piano Service
(360) 389-2158
david@whatcompianoservice.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 9/17/2021 6:23:00 PM
From: James Kelly
Subject: RE: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

By any chance is there felt under the core wire near the hitch pin loop or a felt punching ? I had a grand piano here that had a number of strings broken at the hitch pin loop- high humidity contributed to the problem as well as the fact the piano was not far from the river and they liked to smell the breeze. Rust was visible but perhaps it is not always. Look at the strings under bright light and magnification. Not aware of a problem but i do know early Pearl Rivers had lots of issues because piano were made in less than ideal factories with opened windows.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 17:53
From: David Trasoff
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

Greetings,

This is a Henry F Miller 46" studio upright, presumably made by Pearl River, around 2001-2002 (the serial number looks correct - 5xxx,xxx). I was contacted to provide a replacement bass string for a bichord string that had broken at the junction of the core wire and the top of the hitch pin loop. Something I've never encountered before. The piano is in quite good overall, almost unplayed condition, around 30-40¢ flat. I installed the string yesterday. I started the pitch raise, from A0 as usual, and had gotten through the single strings as far as the first few bichords when, bam! bam! two strings I had already tuned broke at that same point. I assumed that the entire set was defective and there would be no point in continuing the pitch raise.

Have others encountered this? I've seen a lot of pianos and a lot of broken bas strings but I've never seen one break at that point. I'm speculating that Pearl River may have sent who knows how many thousands of pianos out with defectively manufactured sets of bass strings during that period.

David

------------------------------
David Trasoff
Whatcom Piano Service
(360) 389-2158
david@whatcompianoservice.com
------------------------------

It is hard to make out but the hitch pin loops look a little rusty and one is buried in the felt . If you have the broken string examine the break closely with a magnifier. If you can send me the jpg file I  may be able to zoom in or change the contrast. If the piano looks only slightly used and it is 30-40  cents flat  now it could have been even flatter before. Try to find out the last time it was serviced and tuned. I had a Baldwin acro here that had not been tuned in 60 thats right sixty years. It was almost 200 cents flat . many pitch raises over multiple visits got it up to A440 and no strings broke

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 18:46
From: David Trasoff
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

Here's a picture of the hitch pin area around the first broken string. It  looks perfectly clean as far as I can see.

Original Message:
Sent: 9/17/2021 6:23:00 PM
From: James Kelly
Subject: RE: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

By any chance is there felt under the core wire near the hitch pin loop or a felt punching ? I had a grand piano here that had a number of strings broken at the hitch pin loop- high humidity contributed to the problem as well as the fact the piano was not far from the river and they liked to smell the breeze. Rust was visible but perhaps it is not always. Look at the strings under bright light and magnification. Not aware of a problem but i do know early Pearl Rivers had lots of issues because piano were made in less than ideal factories with opened windows.

------------------------------
James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357

Original Message:
Sent: 09-17-2021 17:53
From: David Trasoff
Subject: Pearl River Bass String Breakage

Greetings,

This is a Henry F Miller 46" studio upright, presumably made by Pearl River, around 2001-2002 (the serial number looks correct - 5xxx,xxx). I was contacted to provide a replacement bass string for a bichord string that had broken at the junction of the core wire and the top of the hitch pin loop. Something I've never encountered before. The piano is in quite good overall, almost unplayed condition, around 30-40¢ flat. I installed the string yesterday. I started the pitch raise, from A0 as usual, and had gotten through the single strings as far as the first few bichords when, bam! bam! two strings I had already tuned broke at that same point. I assumed that the entire set was defective and there would be no point in continuing the pitch raise.

Have others encountered this? I've seen a lot of pianos and a lot of broken bas strings but I've never seen one break at that point. I'm speculating that Pearl River may have sent who knows how many thousands of pianos out with defectively manufactured sets of bass strings during that period.

David

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David Trasoff
Whatcom Piano Service
(360) 389-2158
david@whatcompianoservice.com
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