Replacing a Broken String In A Piano - Piano Tuning & Repair I HOWARD PIANO INDUSTRIES

👉Get your free video series on how to tune your piano here:

Replacing a Broken String In A Piano - Piano Tuning & Repair I HOWARD PIANO INDUSTRIES

In this demonstration video we show how to replace a string that has broken in a piano. This procedure works for grand pianos as well as for vertical pianos.

🎥 Video Chapters
-----------------------------------
00:00 - Intro
01:21 - Preparing the Tuning Pins & String Size Explanation
06:21 - String Replacement Process

⏩ Links and Resources:
-----------------------------------
✔️ Piano Stringing Crank

✔️ Piano Tuning Pin Punch

✔️ Piano String Coil Lifter and String Spacer

✔️ Ratchet Star Head

👉 Follow Us & Stay Connected
-----------------------------------
☑️ Piano Parts, Tools, and Accessories

☑️ Facebook Link:

☑️ Instagram Link:

☑️ Pinterest

👉 Disclaimer (this video is only for entertainment purposes comment)

#pianobrokenstring
#Replacingpianobrokenstring
#brokenstringreplacementprocess
#painotuningrepair
#howardpianoindustries

[broadsworddannyboy]

I was re- stringing a piano a day in the German piano workshop some 26 years ago, starting at 5am and finishing around 12 hrs

[Giggiyygoo]

I watched a piano tuning tutorial a while back out of curiosity, even though I don't play or have one. Fast forward 2 weeks and, thanks to youtube, I know way to much about pianos.

[Amlechar]

Great video! Seems like time-constraints kept the poster from showing one last, but VERY important, step: on the other end of his coil-lifter tool is a string-spacing guide-- the strings MUST be correctly spaced when they are replaced or the hammers could possibly end up striking the new strings in different areas of the hammer face, which may cause the notes to have a dark or dull sound quality to them. The felt on the hammers has been "voiced" with special tools to have a consistent hardness over the scale of the piano where the felt meets the strings as we play. On grand pianos this is ESPECIALLY important since the una corda (soft) pedal functionality moves the whole action over to strike a different part of the hammer which has been voiced so the felt is less hard, producing a softer tone. If the strings are not correctly spaced, the voicing will be off and you'll be very confused as to why the new string doesn't sound like the old one! All one needs to do is place the newly replaced (but not fully tightened) strings in the slots at the end of the string-spacing tool and run the tool up and down the top 2 or 3 inches of the strings a few times, ending as closely as you can to the pressure bar, then while holding the tool in place, tighten the strings JUST ENOUGH to hold their new position. Save pulling the strings up to full tension for the tuning process so you don't accidentally tighten them too much and snap the new string you've just installed! (One last and final piece of info: after you've installed and tuned your new strings, don't expect them to hold their tune perfectly-- they will stretch out a bit under their new-found tension, and the pitch will need to be raised again, and again, and again before they become stable... I would also advise a LIGHT tapping down of the string under the hitch pin to help seat the wire so it has fewer places to stretch out). Again, I'm sure Steve knows to do this, but it wasn't mentioned in the video so I'm filling the gap (hopefully)!

[laurenleigh]

Also, as a piano tuner, I use the string spacing guide and 'chip-up' to pitch before putting the action back. Saves a lot of time too. Thank you for your videos, really helpful!! (UK)

[DARANGULAFILM]

Thank you for the time taken to make the presentation. I have an old piano which was built in Kalgoorlie Western Australia. Part of the original brief for the piano brand was that when delivered to a remote town or station ( ranch ) homestead overland on a camel wagon, the instrument had to be in tune and playable on arrival. This piano I rescued after it had been pushed by vandals off the stage in a remote town dance hall. That fall apparently raised little lines of dust alongside the cracks between the floorboards of the hall. They were still there when I collected it. The keybed had broken through and there was a scatter of pieces, some broken and missing hammers. I patched it up as best I could with a poor skillset at the time. When the time came to tune it, the tune was in balance but about half a note low. Aside from fine tuning all the notes, I did not try to raise the pitch. At about 3am one morning, I was half awake and thought somebody had shot the house, then I heard a drumming sound. A string had snapped during the night, I guess as a cool drift came through after a hot day. Some 30 years later, I recently rescued another of the same type in better although well used condition but with a little internal damage. I found that to be correctly pitched and in tune. With that instrument as a reference, I have begun to finesse the first rescue a little more. I originally replaced the broken hammer sticks with rolled roast sticks from the local butcher shop and missing hammers with what I could scrounge up from a totally wrecked instrument. Over time, those roast sticks have bent and twisted. Before going to the bother of sourcing some new hammer heads, I thought I would raise the pitch and see if would hold. It came up fine. I took the precaution of putting some liquid molylube where the strings pass over the fret to avoid the strings binding on some signs of fine rust. Over time there have been a few beer spills by the look of it. However two strings have snapped. They did not snap on the fret. One snapped at the coil. The other has snapped at the bend at the bottom. Interestingly it has split, not broken across. I have three to replace including the one which went off in the night long ago. I have yet to measure and source the replacement strings. Your advice is very helpful. For your curiosity, a link to a clip of the instrument follows. After a major goldfield was discovered, in Western Australia there grew the town of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and it for a while was larger than the capital city of Perth. A piano factory was apparently built there. The actions and some pedal lever pivots seem to have been sourced from the US. I doubt that the cast steel frame was made here because all we had was then charcoal grey cast iron not cast steel. The frame bears the brand "Shotter Rowe and Co Perth". There is very little information to be found.

[angelialvares]

Your video is put together in a really clear and concise manner...Thanks so much for the education

[besimqorri]

Great job! I’m trying to replace the upright piano strings too.
Thank you for this video!
You’re great teacher! 👍

[ogPersonA]

The moment he put the gloves on, I knew he meant business. hahaha - Thanks, Howard!

[ernietollar]

another great video . thanks for sharing these details and your expertise! Re. taking the action out.... that is something I have to lean also...

[elianec]

i am a beginner, thanks so much for your instructions.

[PartScavenger]

Thanks!!! I just replaced two sets in the treble section on my upright. -GB, Arkansas.

[fongmaho]

My piano tuner begins to make the first coil by winding the first end of the wire on a spare tuning pin inserted into his tuning hammer. He also uses the width of four of his fingers to measure the 3 inches. I tried with my hand, there is exactly 3 inches with the fingers 2, 3, 4 and 5 put one against the others. No need for a stainless steel ruler...

[saveriosalerno]

Really very useful these your video tutorial that manage to be very practical because it guides us step-by-step intervention, you're a great teacher and technician pf, I learned so much from your tips for mè remains a beacon of hope in reference .. your other videos. 
I thank you heartily a warm greeting from your student surfer Italian Saverio

[tvtime]

Hi I’m very grateful for your video, you were so to the point, and explained, and video it so I could see, I’ve saved it to my phone, and I subscribe thanks again keep on making the videos

[davemarleymusic]

Very important to let out any farts when restringing a piano. 14:28

[cristianclaverol]

Thanks a lot, very good info, understood

[therenegadepianotechnician]

Your method works well. I'll give it a try I've been using the Sciortino" insta coiler." Takes some getting used to though. I've also seen the "dummy tuning pin method."

[deanwegweiser]

Mr. Howard, thank you for a concise video that's easy to understand. I was wondering if there is a tool we can use to stretch the string before tuning to add stability. I'm thinking this could make new strings more stable and even make it unnecessary to make a second trip to the customer (saving time and money). Thanks for what you're doing.

[eddielozada]

Hello. This was a really good video Howard! Do you have any videos on grand pianos? Thanks for sharing your knowledge on such a nice way!!!

[PerfectNorthTrailMap]

Howard, I just replaced a midrange string. This was not easy. It took two tries. What I quickly learned was to pre-measure the wire, crimp it in half then do the 3" above the pin measuring and cut. It was still tedious! Are there any downsides to this crimping? Aligning the string on the bridge pins is also tricky cause you need to have the string a little taught so that it stays. Dexterity with the string hook and a screwdriver will need to improve going forward. Any comments, suggestions appreciated.