<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; cha= rset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff= f"> <DIV>Hi, Jim, and colleagues -</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I like Ed's suggestion of using a bit of string to "feel" around the no= se bolt.  Dental floss or strong thread perhaps.  I've used a stif= f but thin slip of paper as a feeler in similar situations.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If there is no contact there, I think you can rule that out as a source= of noise.  Probably if there is very firm contact, that would be unlik= ely to be the source.  Light contact would be very suspicious.  If= this spot is still suspect, you might try wedging some appropriate tool bet= ween board and bolt to see if it changes the noise situation.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I do think that a modest pitch raising, or a small change in relative h= umidity, or both, could change the dimensions and position of the board enou= gh to make this problem come and go, whether it's located at the nosebolt or= not.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I would not worry about the nosebolt (and plate) moving much in th= e future regardless.  The plate is pretty rigidly bound to the rim, bel= ly rail, pinblock, and via the nosebolts to the beams below the soundboard.&= nbsp; I imagine that if the bolt is bent, it would have been that way ever s= ince the plate was fitted.  (Easier to bend the bolt a bit than to move= it!)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It will be interesting to hear what the diagnosis is on this one! = Good luck.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT lang=0 face="Lucida Handwriting" size=5 FAMILY="SCRIPT" P= TSIZE="16"></FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Lucida Handwriting" color=#0000= 00 size=3 FAMILY="SCRIPT" PTSIZE="11">- Tom McNeil -</FONT><FONT lang= =0 face="Lucida Handwriting" color=#000000 size=5 FAMILY="SCRIPT" = PTSIZE="16"><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Castellar color=#008080 siz= e=5 FAMILY="SERIF" PTSIZE="16">V</FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Castellar= color=#008080 size=4 FAMILY="SERIF" PTSIZE="14">ermont </FONT><FONT= lang=0 face=Castellar color=#008080 size=5 FAMILY="SERIF" PTSIZE= ="16">P</FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Castellar color=#008080 size=4 FAM= ILY="SERIF" PTSIZE="14">iano </FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Castellar colo= r=#008080 size=5 FAMILY="SERIF" PTSIZE="16">R</FONT><FONT lang=0 f= ace=Castellar color=#008080 size=4 FAMILY="SERIF" PTSIZE="14">esto= rations</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>