Broken Strings How to Repair and Replace Them

How to repair and replace strings.
Tenor/Bass Repair: 02:13
Tuner's Knot Close-Up: 13:29
Tenor/Bass Replacement: 15:37
Treble Replacement: 26:44
Loop Making: 37:25
Loop Installation: 39:10

[@valiumdupeuple]

Wow, you can repair a string with a knot! Fascinating.

[@smhanna]

This is a fantastic demo, and as a fellow lefty I really appreciate seeing the tuners knot done lefty. Thank you!

[@michaelbarrett3926]

Yes! I’ve had a few people comment as to how hard it is for them to watch one of my videos where I do repairs as a lefty because it’s hard for them to transfer that to their righty ways. Haha, welcome to our world! I think this is actually one of the few trades where it’s beneficial to be a lefty…no shoulder problems. Thanks for watching!

[@polarpalmwv4427]

This video is AMAZING! I love the clarity and detail with which the content is presented. I would love to see more resources for aspiring piano technicians that are of this quality!

[@MrPianoTech]

Thank you!

[@billz4071]

You are HIGHLY informative and explained perfectly how you replace strings. I tune and service pianos as well as electronic organs. One of my church clients has many branches all over a 3-state area I service their keyboard instruments for. Some have 1-4 pianos in their buildings which get tuned twice a year. 99% of the time I just tune and do needed repairs. Rarely a broken string I have found in them. I do carry strings, both single wire and wrapped ones with me in case I need them, however. I saw you tie that knot on the strings. It is the first time I have heard the explanation so clearly. I could have used that technique recently had I seen this before. I also watched your video on tuning. I am going to try to learn your method as it looks very impressive. I have not heard of the "F3-F4" method of setting temperment. I have been doing the "Tune the 5ths straight, then check the 4ths, then check the Octave for no phase shifting" for the correct tuning, which I have found to work effectively as well. It may be an unorthodox method I use, but I often check my 10ths for any inconsistencies of out of pitch as well. Obviously, it shows quickly if the temperment was incorrect from the start. I have never heard of a complaint from any of my clients. I use the Peterson tuner on my iPad to set the initial temperment, but I have other apps as well. I like seeing the multiple harmonics on the Peterson tuner app. I do have to listen by ear after the iPad is used to be sure that the ear is pleased by the digital setting of the temperment. Sometimes I need to touch it up and then double check it on some pianos. Thank you for your time given to help others of us to do the job correctly and get the best sound out of the pianos.

[@MrPianoTech]

Thank you for your kind comments. Excellent checking the computer to your ear, after all, what makes us techs special is that we can tell when the computer is wrong 😄. I hope you enjoy trying my tuning method, it has given me great results for a very long time and is the method I used to pass the RPT exams. Thanks for watching!

[@himerperezgonzalez4708]

Wow, excellent teacher. Never had such a professional explanation on replacing an old or new string. Very professional! Again, thank you!

[@ritchie9030]

This is a daunting task ..but proved doable because of this fine video.. Many thanks

[@oldmanthompson]

Brilliant demonstration, thank you very much!

[@MrPianoTech]

You’re welcome, thanks for watching!

[@olimpiucretan]

Thank you very much for this video!

[@dron9242]

Absolutely helpful explanation!have other piano knots but this one looks most simple and useful!thank you

[@elianec3633]

yes this video is AMAZING! So clear and helpful, thanks so much

[@MrPianoTech]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching.

[@DouglasStedile81]

Super. Thank you! 👍🏾🇧🇷

[@EllertNgutra]

Thank you 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@pasalabola27]

Thanck

[@tonymiller8826]

At my old church there was an upright in the fellowship hall that had a tuner's knot on one of the single bass strings. It had probably been there for 50 years, string still sounded fine so no one cared.

[@richardmcnally5998]

Great video! I am replacing broken bass string and the wire is incredibly difficult to bend to create a loop. Do you have any recommendations for uncooperative wire? I thought of heating the end I am looping but I imagine that could adversely affect the steel. I admit this is my first string change.

[@boldcautionproductions9203]

My mind is completely blown that one physical treble string can be one tone on one side and a half-tone different coming back around the hitch pin. I am psyching myself up to replace my first string.

[@MrPianoTech]

Yeah, one would think it shouldn't be possible lol. Good luck and thanks for watching!

[@awride01]

Thanks Michael, this was great. Any advice for making life easier when replacing treble wire underneath the bass duplex? I've done a few string replacements in this area for clients and I feel like it takes a little longer than it should.

[@michaelbarrett3926]

Hey Alex! Those can definitely be a pain. I'd recommend using a tube of some sort. I think either Schaff or Pianotek Supply carries a product built specifically for this but you can use a small diameter metal or pvc tube. Take the string and bend it in half and feed it through the tube so that just the loop you'll be placing around the hitch pin is sticking out and feed the whole thing between the treble and bass strings. Then once you pin down the string at the hitch pin pull the tube out. I think the one built specifically for this has a couple holes at the end to keep the string from twisting up too much but this has worked for me.

[@awride01]

@@michaelbarrett3926 Perfect, that's just what I was hoping for. Thanks for response as always, loving the content.

[@awride01]

@@michaelbarrett3926 Awesome, thanks Michael. I'll definitely give that a try, I never even thought about doing a pre-bend honestly *headslap*

[@greglivingston538]

@@michaelbarrett3926 another tip I learned is to put a sheet of newspaper on top of the tenor strings, so your new wire can't fall in between the existing strings.

[@hockeyrd99]

At the 31:00 mark, you have one string that goes down and back.. is that string actually for two different keys? In other words, each hammer hits 3 strings and it looks like its the long string on one set of three and then it comes back and is the short string on the next set of three?

[@MrPianoTech]

Correct

[@SoloMusing88]

What tool do you use for winding the coils and where can I buy it?

[@ManocroRecktt]

Hey! I have some questions about voicing, Is the voicing the factor that makes a piano sound old?, I called a piano tuner a few weeks ago, and he perfectly tuned my piano, But when I try to record my piano with my Sm-57 microphone but sounds old, like a saloon piano... Any Ideas on how to change that sound?

[@MrPianoTech]

Hmm, usually when someone says a piano sounds like an old saloon piano it's because its out of tune, at least the unisons are out with themselves. But, if it's tuned properly and you're getting a bright, nasally tone then it's probably the hammers, which voicing should help with. If you look at the front of the hammers and see a lot of deep groves worn into them from where they hit the strings then a voicing is probably called for. However, when using a mic and recording it you'll sometimes get a better tone by miking off the soundboard, so mic from the back in an upright and add a mic underneath it if it's a grand.

[@ManocroRecktt]

​@@MrPianoTech Thanks, for the tip... the thing is that in my country there are very few piano technicians and none of them are willing to come to my city because they live at the other corner of the country.... so Im trying to learn you know... how to do it by myself. I have 2 pianos, One, which is the one I use to practice how to tune and repair technical aspects of the piano, and the other, which is the one I use in my day to day as a pianist. Anyways, thanks for the answer, Love your content.

[@MrPianoTech]

@@ManocroRecktt That's a great way to learn! Let me know if I can help with things you run into. And thank you for watching!

[@tankuser4276]

What would a beginner like myself need to buy for replacing and tuning piano strings

[@garix51]

Hello, I write from Italy. Do you use 18 wire for large bass strings too? VERY nice video! Atb from Italy Marco

[@MrPianoTech]

Thank you Marco! Yes, but sometimes I’ll use 20. Depends on how big a piano and how long the strings are I’m dealing with.

[@garix51]

@@MrPianoTech Thank you very much! All the best Marco

[@kevinmongiello1991]

Is that a 3 string unison or is it not? It seems there is 4 strings there (or 2). Thanks.

[@sayonara6301]

Do you sell strings and equipments? Tks

[@MrPianoTech]

Sorry, no. I get most of my supplies from Schaff

[@GreenbergEthan]

Michael, Can you explain a bit more about the twists you gave the new bass string near the hitch? Why do you do it and how. The video was a bit unclear there.

[@MrPianoTech]

Sure! So the copper winding on bass strings is wrapped around the steel core. You want to twist the entire string in the direction of the winding to keep it tight. Sometimes you’ll encounter a piano with bass strings that make a buzzing sound when played, that’s the winding coming loose. When a piano that I’m not putting new strings on exhibits this problem I’ll loosen the tuning pin, about one full turn or so should do it, enough so that you can remove the string’s loop off the hitch pin at the end opposite the tuning pin. Then, using pliers, you’ll twist the string in the direction of the winding, one or two full turns usually does it, then slip the loop back on the hitch pin and retighten. The buzz should be gone. When installing a new string, after you attach the bass string to the hitch pin, and have coiled the string onto the new pin, you’ll do the same thing but from the end with the tuning pin instead. So before I pound the new tuning pin into the pinblock, I’ll give it a solid full turn or so in the direction of the winding. If I’m doing a field replacement of a bass string, after I put the wound loop onto the old tuning pin, I’ll do the twisting as if the string was buzzing, as noted above, at the hitch pin. It just keeps the winding tight.

[@mmINDUSTRI]

Kok stringku pedot terus ya

[@MrPianoTech]

If I'm translating properly, are you asking why your strings keep breaking? On some pianos it can be due to rust. On others the strings can have an oxidized look to them, where they aren't quite as shiny as they should be. In this condition the strings can become brittle and break easily.

[@ivell5]

Wait. Bass strings: How do you remove the copper winding in the back of the string? do you remove the entire winding to the front and then reapply it or is there another way? You dont show this in the video. Also, did you turn the entire string with on the end 1,5 turns? Your hands are out of view in that moment. Thanks in advance!

[@MrPianoTech]

On universal replacement strings, you can put a light crimp on it with side cutters then unwrap it to that spot. Yes, twist in the direction of the winding with the other end already connected.

[@jackester6742]

You pronounce the 'th' in 'thinner' and 'thicker' like the 'th' in 'the'. Everyone else ive known pronounces it with more silibance like the 'th' in 'myth'.