Zorba's "Secret" Piano Page
The Pie-Anna!
Now that the "mad month" of September is over, with all its dancing, I can once again turn my attention to the instrument.
Today, I finish brightening the rest of the bass strings - all the bichord unisons this time, using a tool made especially for this job.
9 October 2005
Note rubber bumper in center of front panel. Not original, but keeps the heavy top from sagging!
Removing a loosened bass string from its hitch pin with needle nose pliers.
Make a fairly tight loop in the bass string...
And "walk" the loop up the entire length.
This, plus brushing with a brass brush helps to remove some of the embedded dirt.
But twisting each bass string with this special tool accomplishes most of the work.
Twisted string ready to push onto its hitch pin.
A single push and the spring loaded tool does its job. Don't even think about doing this job without this $15 tool.
If I had had it when I did the monochord bass, I probably wouldn't have lost that string that cost me $20 to replace!
Not to mention how much easier and faster it is with the right tool!
I loosened each pin 3/4 of one turn (as opposed to the turn and a half that I used before getting the twisting tool).
Simply use your string lifter to guide the coil for about the first 1/4 turn retightening.
The old stringing braid disintegrated (top), so I bought some new (bottom).
It even matches my toenails (left over from my latest Belly Dance performance)!
In it goes...
Completed topside...
And bottomside! Note pillow for headrest while doing the bottom braiding.
Now at long last we're ready for the tuner - but he'll have to wait a bit as one of our cars died an expensive death.
In the meantime, I can still install the new bridle straps I bought on eBay - having changed my mind about fixing this until after tuning. A whole set of replacement straps only cost $13 including shipping.
Since we're going to have to wait several weeks for a real tuning, I touch-up tuned the worst of the treble unisons while I was in the piano this time. Although it is still grossly out of tune, at least I don't have several unisons that are just jarring.
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