<HTML>In a message dated 10/7/02 4:07:05 PM Central Daylight Time, oleg-i@wanadoo.fr writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Mike, may mean that an old wire that have been beaten to death with hard worn hammers, is unlikely to produce a good sustained tone, what I believe absolutely. Isaac Oleg </BLOCKQUOTE> It is generally accepted that bass strings become dirty, and thus become dull. And when a new bass string is put on, one can hear a definitely difference between the new and the old strings. That is why a new set of bass strings makes a piano sound much better. But when we replace a treble string, there is no difference in sound, at least not that I can hear, regardless of how old the piano is. (within reason).   So, is there a reason, other than rust, why treble strings should be replaced? I asked this question last year on CAUT, and no one really had answer, except one technician said that by replacing the strings, dirt and dust will be removed from the contact points, agraffs, etc., which might have cause buzzing, or other noises. Wim </HTML>