Stringing Jan 2023

This post tributes to my dearest mentor Mr. David Betts.

Trible check that the plate is fully mounted in piano with webbing screws and perimeter bolts, nose bolts and cap tightened together, agraffes aligned, and duplex bar (not shown here yet) prepared. Jack up pinblock with supporting jig.

Grab the right size string, place one end in coil maker, make coils for about 3 turns. If there's no coil maker available, hold tuning pin with hands while making coil.

Drive tuning pin in its hole with air hammer or a regular hammer, loop string around hitch pin, cut to length, loop the other end of string on another tuning pin, just like the first one, and drive in its hole. An air gun or pounder is used here. Watch not to drive pin too low, for the shop, we leave about 1' pin above plate.

Lift up string with a lifter, tighten strings on the tuning pins on both ends. Mostly, steel strings are installed in loops. The string spools and made in shop.

Very importantly, tighten beckets, or where coil goes into its little hole on top of tuning pins. If they are not squeezed tightly, strings will always want to move or get loose at beckets, won't stay in tune well.

After all steel wires are in, install bass strings. It's easier and neater to hang them somewhere high. One may need a step stool or small ladder for it, or simply grow long arms or grow taller. Protect soundboard from scratches.

Coper on these bass strings are wound counter clock wise. According to instruction, tuning pins are twisted counter clock wise before being driven in. Without twisting, strings will sound wonky or dead.

Before installing over hang bass strings on top of tenor strings, wave string braces at tenor. The pattern can be as pleasing to the eyes or as original. The function is to quiet strings or reduce noise.

Wave in braces at back scale also. Strings are finished installation now. Tomorrow, tuning pins will be pounded to the same height and spaced evenly at treble. Time to go home and relax. Thank you David! Are you watching and picking on things that went wrong? You might have...