Hi David, I don't know how good the block is with the #4 tuning pins, but I can't help but think that if they're reasonably tight, you should be able to do this without having to change out tuning pins. You should be able to loosen them just enough to pop the strings off of their hitch pins and tie them out of the way for you to work. Not being able to see it, I'm not sure what's in the way of the top of the bridge, plate wise. Something I've used on occasion is a little jig for my router (I think I'm going to bring one along to Reno) that is not much more than a pair of legs for the base to sit on that puts the base of the router up above the bridge top. It slides along the soundboard and will rout off the top of the bridge fairly smoothly. (A laminate trimmer might be a good tool here too.) That may get the majority of the material off of there. The rest could be done with a hand chisel and a mallet. It sounds like it would be pretty difficult to get things even and straight with the hand tools, but really, it's not. Go slow, take little bites. I would suspect that the hardest part might very well be how to get those bridge pins in (and out) around the area(s) where the plate struts may be in the way.?? If there's something more specific you need to know, we'll try. Good luck. Brian Trout Slidell, LA trouts_place@hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC