Pianotech

Recently I tuned a Steinway S (to 440) and a treble string broke.  These were not old strings and the piano was from about 1977.  The string was E5 = E 56 and there was a previously broken string in this unison.  The break was at the coil, typical for an over-tension break.  There was no apparent or excess friction noticable.

I measured the string length as about 11" (+- 28 CM) and it was #16 wire.
​
My spreadsheet calculates the tension of this note (at 28 CM) as 75.4 KG or 166 lbs and the breaking % at 47.7%.

I don't see a reason (beisdes bad strings) for strings to break here.  Is my spreadsheet off?

------------------------------
Blaine Hebert RPT
Duarte CA
(626) 795-5170
------------------------------

Blaine,

My understanding of 70's wire on SS is that it is of pretty lousy quality. I recall Frank Hanson years ago describing it as "one step above chicken wire". And now at 40 plus years old, well...it wouldn't surprise me in the least. Plus the fact that there is evidence of trouble there before kind of points the finger at a quality issue, possibly that particular coil of wire in the factory. 

Time for a restring! :😉 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor

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

Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2023 01:39
From: Blaine Hebert
Subject: Steinway string tension?

Recently I tuned a Steinway S (to 440) and a treble string broke.  These were not old strings and the piano was from about 1977.  The string was E5 = E 56 and there was a previously broken string in this unison.  The break was at the coil, typical for an over-tension break.  There was no apparent or excess friction noticable.

I measured the string length as about 11" (+- 28 CM) and it was #16 wire.
​
My spreadsheet calculates the tension of this note (at 28 CM) as 75.4 KG or 166 lbs and the breaking % at 47.7%.

I don't see a reason (beisdes bad strings) for strings to break here.  Is my spreadsheet off?

------------------------------
Blaine Hebert RPT
Duarte CA
(626) 795-5170
------------------------------

I must have gotten my Mapes wire out of the same chicken coop as Frank Hanson.  When I was still using Mapes wire, I would occasionally get a bad 1 pound reel, where with brand new wire in the act of stringing and pulling the string up in pitch, several strings would break.  I would chuck the reel and restring the section with that gauge wire from a new reel,

------------------------------
William Truitt RPT
Bridgewater NH
(603) 744-2277
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2023 08:01
From: Peter Grey
Subject: Steinway string tension?

Blaine,

My understanding of 70's wire on SS is that it is of pretty lousy quality. I recall Frank Hanson years ago describing it as "one step above chicken wire". And now at 40 plus years old, well...it wouldn't surprise me in the least. Plus the fact that there is evidence of trouble there before kind of points the finger at a quality issue, possibly that particular coil of wire in the factory.

Time for a restring! :😉

Peter Grey Piano Doctor

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

Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2023 01:39
From: Blaine Hebert
Subject: Steinway string tension?

Recently I tuned a Steinway S (to 440) and a treble string broke.  These were not old strings and the piano was from about 1977.  The string was E5 = E 56 and there was a previously broken string in this unison.  The break was at the coil, typical for an over-tension break.  There was no apparent or excess friction noticable.

I measured the string length as about 11" (+- 28 CM) and it was #16 wire.
​
My spreadsheet calculates the tension of this note (at 28 CM) as 75.4 KG or 166 lbs and the breaking % at 47.7%.

I don't see a reason (beisdes bad strings) for strings to break here.  Is my spreadsheet off?

------------------------------
Blaine Hebert RPT
Duarte CA
(626) 795-5170
------------------------------

In my experience Steinway has had issues with strings breaking at the coil on and off for decades. The consensus opinion in and outside the company has been bad stringing technique leaving a nick in the wire at that location. The problem continues to this day. It's the reason I carry pre-cut leader wire of various sizes in my bag for splicing.

------------------------------
Karl Roeder
Pompano Beach FL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2023 01:39
From: Blaine Hebert
Subject: Steinway string tension?

Recently I tuned a Steinway S (to 440) and a treble string broke.  These were not old strings and the piano was from about 1977.  The string was E5 = E 56 and there was a previously broken string in this unison.  The break was at the coil, typical for an over-tension break.  There was no apparent or excess friction noticable.

I measured the string length as about 11" (+- 28 CM) and it was #16 wire.
​
My spreadsheet calculates the tension of this note (at 28 CM) as 75.4 KG or 166 lbs and the breaking % at 47.7%.

I don't see a reason (beisdes bad strings) for strings to break here.  Is my spreadsheet off?

------------------------------
Blaine Hebert RPT
Duarte CA
(626) 795-5170
------------------------------

Yes, same here. I have seen some pretty poor stringing jobs on these "premium" pianos. Not like the old days. 

You might want to take a quick look at the v bar as well to see if there is any reason to suspect excessive friction in the mix. I routinely lubricate the counterbearing surfaces with JP's CBL to help reduce unnecessary friction.

Peter Grey Piano Doctor

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

Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2023 08:46
From: Karl Roeder
Subject: Steinway string tension?

In my experience Steinway has had issues with strings breaking at the coil on and off for decades. The consensus opinion in and outside the company has been bad stringing technique leaving a nick in the wire at that location. The problem continues to this day. It's the reason I carry pre-cut leader wire of various sizes in my bag for splicing.

------------------------------
Karl Roeder
Pompano Beach FL

Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2023 01:39
From: Blaine Hebert
Subject: Steinway string tension?

Recently I tuned a Steinway S (to 440) and a treble string broke.  These were not old strings and the piano was from about 1977.  The string was E5 = E 56 and there was a previously broken string in this unison.  The break was at the coil, typical for an over-tension break.  There was no apparent or excess friction noticable.

I measured the string length as about 11" (+- 28 CM) and it was #16 wire.
​
My spreadsheet calculates the tension of this note (at 28 CM) as 75.4 KG or 166 lbs and the breaking % at 47.7%.

I don't see a reason (beisdes bad strings) for strings to break here.  Is my spreadsheet off?

------------------------------
Blaine Hebert RPT
Duarte CA
(626) 795-5170
------------------------------

Maybe this info should be sent to Wim Blees to add to the list of gottchas like the crumbling /swollen action brackets, verdigris, center pinning, glue failure on certain models of Baldwin bridges. At least techs would have a heads up and it is not them. Then there is the glue failure on hammer felt causing banana peeled hammers, corfam problems, teflon center pins, plastic elbows....

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

Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2023 09:41
From: Peter Grey
Subject: Steinway string tension?

Yes, same here. I have seen some pretty poor stringing jobs on these "premium" pianos. Not like the old days.

You might want to take a quick look at the v bar as well to see if there is any reason to suspect excessive friction in the mix. I routinely lubricate the counterbearing surfaces with JP's CBL to help reduce unnecessary friction.

Peter Grey Piano Doctor

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

Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2023 08:46
From: Karl Roeder
Subject: Steinway string tension?

In my experience Steinway has had issues with strings breaking at the coil on and off for decades. The consensus opinion in and outside the company has been bad stringing technique leaving a nick in the wire at that location. The problem continues to this day. It's the reason I carry pre-cut leader wire of various sizes in my bag for splicing.

------------------------------
Karl Roeder
Pompano Beach FL

Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2023 01:39
From: Blaine Hebert
Subject: Steinway string tension?

Recently I tuned a Steinway S (to 440) and a treble string broke.  These were not old strings and the piano was from about 1977.  The string was E5 = E 56 and there was a previously broken string in this unison.  The break was at the coil, typical for an over-tension break.  There was no apparent or excess friction noticable.

I measured the string length as about 11" (+- 28 CM) and it was #16 wire.
​
My spreadsheet calculates the tension of this note (at 28 CM) as 75.4 KG or 166 lbs and the breaking % at 47.7%.

I don't see a reason (beisdes bad strings) for strings to break here.  Is my spreadsheet off?

------------------------------
Blaine Hebert RPT
Duarte CA
(626) 795-5170
------------------------------

Blaine,

I get essentially the same numbers so no prob with your spreadsheet.

------------------------------
Tremaine Parsons RPT
Georgetown CA
(530) 333-9299
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 02-02-2023 01:39
From: Blaine Hebert
Subject: Steinway string tension?

Recently I tuned a Steinway S (to 440) and a treble string broke.  These were not old strings and the piano was from about 1977.  The string was E5 = E 56 and there was a previously broken string in this unison.  The break was at the coil, typical for an over-tension break.  There was no apparent or excess friction noticable.

I measured the string length as about 11" (+- 28 CM) and it was #16 wire.
​
My spreadsheet calculates the tension of this note (at 28 CM) as 75.4 KG or 166 lbs and the breaking % at 47.7%.

I don't see a reason (beisdes bad strings) for strings to break here.  Is my spreadsheet off?

------------------------------
Blaine Hebert RPT
Duarte CA
(626) 795-5170
------------------------------