•A knot in a bass core is relatively simple. I forget the name of the knot but I could make one and take a picture of it. A clean, well- executed knot is the sign of a craftsman, With bass strings you need to use a wire gage larger than the core. Also when cutting the length for coiling on the pin, ...

•Hi All, Back in mid January I wrote to Schimmel Pianos because I had heard from Mapes that they were the only company they knew of that used hex core strings in their pianos. Here's the reply I received today. I'll scan the brochure when it arrives and send it on along to the MMD. Musically, John A...

•On a recent visit to the "National Museum From Musical Clock to Street Organ" in Utrecht, Netherlands, I saw a Hooghuys organ that had what appeared to be piano strings in an opening on the front panel, just above the main opening where the pipes are in view. I inquired, but the guide didn't know a...

•What Bob Fitterman saw on the Hooghuys at Utrecht is a 'Mandolin' register, which was fitted to his later dance organs. Although termed a Mandolin, the strings were struck by beech wood hammers (as in a dulcimer) and with the very rapid action that Louis Hooghuys was noted for, produced a fast enou...

•Dear MMD'ers, What Jeremey Brice wrote about the mandolin in Hooghuys dance organs is entirely correct [000225 MMD]. I'd just like to add that the museum in Utrecht does possess the mechanism for the mandolin, but they haven't mounted it (yet). Best greetings, Bjorn Isebaert Gent, Belgium -- Warnin...

•Tim, Generally if the tuning pins are holding, new treble wire won't make a significant difference to justify the expense. New bass strings, however, can really spark up the tone if twisting them does not do enough. Also, this is the time to do it, before the player mechanism goes back in. I strong...

•Hi, ref Tim Mattice and his Ampico. Some ten or more years ago, in a fit of piano restoration, Peter Davies and I renewed the bass strings on my 1908 Gotha Steck 65/88 note upright. The old strings were, of course, original and did sound pretty tubby and dull -- not surprising after 70 or 80 years ...

•Regarding the Tim Mattice 1914 Chickering rebuild: I have good friend who earns his living by buying, rebuilding, and selling old Steinway grand pianos. He repairs or replaces what is needed. He always refinishes and restrings the piano. He resells the pianos for more than I would want to pay, but ...

•My daughter, Alison, has just replaced her Bechstein grand (she was never completely happy with it) with a second-hand Steinway Model O. The case is somewhat shot and some fool has amateurishly covered the harp with ugly gold paint, however, the piano action has been completely restored and plays p...

•My old piano tuner, who died at the age of 93 a few years ago, used to clean strings by rubbing up and down them with an old fashioned ink eraser. That really only provides a temporary fix as they are likely to corrode again with damp and time. The other problem is that, in my experience, steel pia...

•This is similar to a device called the "E-Bow" which was developed in the 1970's. It was a battery powered hand-held electromagnet that was used to magnetically excite the strings of an electric guitar. It produced a sustained "bowed" tone from the strings. The device is still in production and has...

•I would like to get the restringing scale for a Bond/Packard upright piano serial number 26593 (circa 1923). It has Scale 22 written on the plate. Charles Davis

•I've read all the articles about Ragtime West's conversion kits, plastic parts, etc. Has anyone had experience with any of their banjos, guitars, etc? Is the quality serviceable? Would one be any type of investment? I'm quite curious to know what you think about these machines. Ed Gloeggler Long Be...

•Instead of "twisting" or "rolling" bass strings simply let down the tension and pull it back up. If you don't get a dramatic improvement in tone consider ordering new bass strings. Google search on or look in the Yellow Pages for a friendly local piano tuner. Richard Moody South Dakota ...

•Hello MMD -- I would like to thank everyone for the input about twisting bass strings. I do know about twisting them in the direction of the copper winding, not against it, which will tighten the copper. I have two other reproducing pianos that I rebuilt from ground up. One had a new bass installed...

•Hi Dell, I have had the best experience using Ari Isaac's bass strings. The sound of his bass strings have no equal. I have them on my rebuilt 1925 M&H 7-foot RBB and they sound great. I just now put a set of his hammers on the piano as well -- the sound is fantastic! Ari told me his bass strings a...

• Rust On Piano Strings Just thought I would put a couple thoughts in the mix. I am not a piano tech. I just love the old players and the mechanical wonders inside. When I look at pianos that are close to 100 years old I have not personally seen one that does not have rusty or corroded strings. It s...

Just a note on the stringing scales for wound strings: There are many different ways to build bass strings, and they all have _slightly_ different characteristics. The software takes into consideration basically the desired frequency of each string according to the length prescribed and just uses th...

Terry, Why everybody was thinking bass strings, I don't know. Guess it was because they are the ones more difficult to figure. I have a book that you can also buy, called Piano Rebuilder's Manual of Treble String Tensions, by Donelson. It has been a very valuable tool to me as the years went by, bec...

•In a properly regulated piano the hammer cannot be accelerating when it strikes the strings. This is because if the let-off is adjusted properly the impelling force is removed from the action shortly before the string is struck. The hammer is "thrown" at the string and I know of no possible way for...