Maggie, I've run into this on a lot of entry level American pianos of a certain age. Differentiation in color of the copper in different sections of the bass. The brighter, copper colored strings have some life left in them and and darker browner strings just give a dull thud. While the darker strings are still copper colored if you peek under the dampers, I've found that the corrosion is actually the red, rust color of ferrous metal. I never empirically proved it but I've taken that as a sign that the windings are plated. The variations occur as the diameter of the winding wire changes.
As Jurgen suggests, nothing can really be done with those strings. I don't think it's cost effective if several notes are shot as has been my experience, 1/2 or more, and if you were to just replace those they would then be much more brilliant than the one's you decide to keep.
There is a growing class of these starter instruments whose repairs are far beyond their value partially because much newer pianos with higher quality materials are being sold used for such low prices. I see 10-15 year old pianos being sold for less than the cost of replacing a set of bass strings all the time. These older instruments weren't so great to begin with and are past their life span.
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Steven Rosenthal
Honolulu HI
808-521-7129
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-18-2019 14:16
From: Jurgen Goering
Subject: discolored, plunky strings
It looks to me like the strings with the bad sound are wrapped with a different material - iron instead of copper. The tubby sound is consistent with iron wound strings as they age. Replacement is the only real improvement option. (You can try twisting them but don't expect consistency in tonal improvement, if there is any).
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Jurgen Goering
Original Message:
Sent: 03-18-2019 11:57
From: Peter Grey
Subject: discolored, plunky strings
Maggie,
I have observed similar, both the discoloration and/or just the dead sound. Though I cannot recall details at this time I also have no explanation. I do remember a Yamaha vertical that had a terrible problem this way. Several notes in a row totally dead and nothing could revive them.
It seems to me though that I remember reading a new piano brochure many years ago and it stated that it's bass strings were "copper plated" (which I thought was odd). Yes, it was a low end piano of which make I don't recall.
Sorry for being helpless.
Pwg
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Peter Grey
Stratham NH
603-686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
Original Message:
Sent: 03-18-2019 11:28
From: George W. R. Davis
Subject: discolored, plunky strings
TIA = Thanks in Advance? (Learning jargon here )
"PTG - Expand your horizon - Share the vision:
Providing Quality Service for the World's Pianos
Good, Better, Best. Never let it rest, 'til the good is better and the better is best."
George W.R.(Bill) Davis, RPT, SERVP
The Piano Place GA
2315 Rocky Mountain Rd NE
Marietta GA 30066
(770) 778-6881
Sent from my iPhone
Original Message------
Hello All,
I've experienced this before but have never seen it this bad. The winding on these 2 strings (C#2; see photo) are discolored all the way down. The neighboring strings are not. They are incredibly "plunky", as if the damper isn't lifting all the way, except it is. It's on a Kimball spinet & the piano student isn't using this key, so the owner wants to leave it for now, but she asked me what caused it & I have no idea unless these strings aren't original. These people weren't the original owners so that's possible. They aren't universal strings. Anyone else ever experience this? Anyone know what's happening? There are some lower strings with a more typical, spotty discoloration, but it is minimal & they sound normal. TIA!
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Maggie Jusiel
Athens, WV
(304)952-8615
mags@timandmaggie.net
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