Time to level pins, dress coils...?

[JIMRPT@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 12/07/1999 9:23:22 PM, you wrote:

<<"The only way I know to be sure that it would be stable would be to do the 
fine tuning and then go back some time later and find out how well it held.
  I am open to all and any ideas.
  Diane">>

Diane;
 There ain't no simple answers here (my opinion).

Why do we "want" coil height the same and close to the plate?
ans: Because it makes the 'backscale' rendering more even, and the closer to 
the plate is the coil the less the 'flagpoling' effect  will bother us. Also 
it makes the appearance better looking.

Why do we want the coils neatly pulled/pushed together?
ans: Because it looks better than coils running everywhere. :-)

Does a tight coil, close to the plate, 'guarantee' anything?
ans: Nothing, probably, except that they will be neat looking and all lined 
up.  Even though a proper pin/string/backbearing surface angle/height can, 
and does, help prevent "bleed through" of energy from the string.

 As Newton said, if this S&C thingee has held its tune for 25 years with this 
spaghetti you describe it probably would be just fine to stay as it is.

Would it be better for the coils to be neat and a uniform height above the 
plate? ans: Well yeah but ................... "if it ain't broke don't fix 
it" just 'might' apply in this case...........in all probability the increase 
in the "fine" tuning prospects of this instrument are not gonna be justified 
for the  expenditure of funds for this particular adjustment. The question we 
need to ask ourselves is........ if the work we 'want' to do is gonna improve 
performance, and  be noticed or appreciated by anyone other than the tech 
following us. :-)

  If you decide to go ahead and pound these puppies...do take the advice of 
several and make sure the length of the pin will not cause problems by 
protruding from the bottom of the block.

My call would be clean this thingees up but I haven't seen how they are and I 
don't know the other factors in this particular instrument/family.

Yo call ma'am. :-)
Jim Bryant (FL)