<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 1/23/2008 5:28:37 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, Jfarris@mail.utexas.edu writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Here at UT Austin, when restringing a piano, we replace agraffes and <BR>replace bridge pins. Standard bridge procedure includes, scraping off <BR>the old DAG, sanding the caps, gluesizing the pin holes, re-notching <BR>the bridge, etc. Here's my question/comment. When sanding, the old <BR>string groove is not completely removed, but it is minimized <BR>significantly. When I'm not trying to alter downbearing, just <BR>reproducing what was there (mostly), is that OK? In other words, is <BR>leaving a little groove a problem? Is removing it completely more of <BR>a problem or more desirable? Y'all have fun with this one.<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR>-- <BR>Jeff Farris<BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV>Hi, Jeff -</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I think there is no need to remove the string grooves.  Years of pressure from the strings have compressed the wood of the cap slightly to create the grooves.  That compressed wood at the bottom of the grooves is very slightly more dense and very slightly more stable than fresh wood.  The angled bridge pins have a clamping effect as they trap the strings against the bridge.  This effect would be very slightly enhanced by the 'form fit' of the grooves.  All these factors are minute, but to the extent they are there, they are probably working in our favor.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10">~ Tom McNeil ~<BR>Vermont Piano Restorations<BR>VermontPiano.com<BR><BR>346 Camp Street<BR>Barre, VT 05641<BR>(802) 476-7072</FONT></DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Start the year off right. <A title="http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489" href="http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489" target="_blank">Easy ways to stay in shape</A> in the new year. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>