Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Need stringing scale for a AE Chickering BG

Hello,

I'm in need of a decent stringing scale for an American Aolian Chickering baby grand.
There is no scale stamped on the plate.
The original measured wires when unstrung make for wild tension.

Would really like to have a scale made where it will be fairly even tension (~150-160lbs) yet very good sounding.

This piano is not listed in Mr. Travis blue book of piano scales.

Any help is greatly appreciated and will pay your time!

Will provide speaking length measurements.

Thanks!

Tom

Do it yourself. Measurements are in inches and pounds.

Thanks, but I don't get having 21 unisons of #13 at the top???

Tom

You have to put in your own lengths. I think what I had in there came from a Knabe. Sometimes you will find that 21 unisons of #13 will work just fine.

Hi BDB.

My apologies for being a dummy, I can't thank you enough for this little beauty!

Mine measured 10 unisons of #13.5 at the top, yet they average 165 lbs- they stay.

It was the last 2 of 4 unisons of #19 after the double bass in the tenor section that got 189 lbs & 193 lbs! They're going.

I only altered Length1 and Gauge2 and it jived with another program from affleckpiano tuning. It's always good to see results concur within 1 pound.

Thanks!!!!!!!

tom

My conclusions from using this template is that all pianos can have in the neighborhood of 150-170 pounds tension at C88. Short grands should go down in tension towards the break, while large grands should up in tension. The break point is probably in the 5'-7" to 6'-6" range.

You can do a rough approximation of the tension of the wound strings by extrapolating the wire gauge, that is, each 0.001" in diameter corresponds to 1/2 increase in gauge. So measure the diameter of the highest wound string, figure what gauge that is, measure its length, and plug it in. If there is a jump, you might want to adjust the plain wire to suit.

I'll measure the highest bass strings for grins just to see the tension difference and you've mentioned.

Ready to start stringing tomorrow so I'll check one last time. Probably the current # 20 to start will be fine.

As you noted, between 150 to 170 lbs does seem ideal.

Thanks again!