A String Broke, can it be repaired?

Quick Answer:  Yes! The string can be replaced and sometimes repaired

Quirk Answer:  Nope, sorry, you need to replace the instrument with a new one, or spend thousands of dollars replacing all of the strings.

Long Answer:  Of course the string can always be replaced independent of the other intact strings.  There are several criteria I suggest using to evaluate whether it is advisable to repair the string or replace it, or suggest more intensive service.

• Where is the string broken?
• If broken at the tuning pin it is possible to tie(yes we make a special knot) a leader string to the original string.  The key to this working is whether the knot can be positioned in such a way that when tension is applied to the string the knot will tighten and be outside of the speaking length of the wire.  The speaking length of wire is where the string vibrates.
• How old is the piano?
• As a piano ages the strings will loose some of their elasticity and be more prone to breakage.
• Typically pianos over 80 years old may not benefit from repair or replacement.
• What condition are the strings?
• Strings that exhibit signs of rust or other corrosion are weakened and prone to failure.
• Where is the pitch of the piano prior to service?
• Pianos that are significantly low in pitch may experience a number of string breakages in the process of bringing the piano to proper pitch and I have not found the gradually increasing the pitch over several appointments will prevent breakage of strings.
• Is there evidence of other strings having been broken in the past?
• Look at the strings, if there are strings that are more shiny than their neighbors, those are replacements. If there are more than a few, your piano might be better served with a complete restringing or replacement with a newer instrument.
• Older string repairs are more difficult to see, I always will inspect the string as it wraps around the tuning pin.  Unless the technician is meticulous in their copying the original manufacturers stringing, you will likely see evidence at or near the tuning pin.
• Is the broken string a bass string or other string with copper wound around a steel core wire?
• I rarely will tie this type of string, I have in the past but I believe the result is less than perfect. I generally will send the string back for duplication to achieve the best sounding string that matches the original as closely as possible, I do not like to use "Universal" strings (more on that later)

I advise my clients that all broken strings should be replaced, but that due to the nature of new string the pitch of the replacement will drop significantly faster than the rest of the strings in the piano.  To combat this I will tune the pitch of the new string high and then insert a mute (when possible) to stop the new string from vibrating.  This allows the customer to enjoy the instrument without the need to a repeat visit after less than a month.  When the piano is serviced again, I remove the mute and listen.  If the pitch is close I will leave the mute out and be satisfied the new string is staying close to pitch. If however the pitch has dropped significantly, I again tune the new string sharp and mute it again.  When the pitch is stable, the mute is removed permanently.

On occasion a client may decline the replacement of a string due strictly to financial reasons, I understand that the added expense may not be in the budget, but advise that they may be allowing for greater damage to the mechanical workings on the note(s) with missing strings.  This damage would, in a normal home, take place gradually over several years and that the customer has some time to decide. I generally do not charge for the plain string itself when making a single string repair, but do charge for the labor and labor cost of each visit if the only service is tuning the replacement string.

This brings me to bass strings.  Because bass strings are either a single or double string per note, I prefer to replace the string as soon as possible, when you lose a string on a single string unison you will play the note but will have no sound, and on a two string unison when you play the note with a string missing you will experience a reduction of about 50% in volume.

I mention above that I do not like "Universal" strings. These are strings that are generic which allow a technician in the field to replaced the string broken by trimming the copper winding to the proper length and fitting it in the piano.  I find that even when I am using the original string as my template the sound of the universal string doesn't match the original intact string creating a note that doesn't sound as good as it should.  I prefer to take the original string and ship it to a string maker who will duplicate the original.  This duplication is a bit more expensive but for the quality of the sound it produces, worth the price.

If your piano has had numerous strings broken, it might be worthwhile asking for an estimate on replacing all of the strings.  It is generally not cost effective to make this repair on old uprights, consoles or spinets.  If however you are attached to the instrument and have the funds to make the repair ask for references of the technicians clients whose pianos for which he has done similar work. Complete string replacement is generally over $1000 and can be several thousand depending on the hourly rate, quality of materials, other repairs that might be necessary for the best quality repair (pinblock/wrestplank replacement).