<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=windows-1252"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello List and Mark K</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In your post you said (inter alia): = "<FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>The purpose of the 'downbearing' in = bowed string instruments is to hold the bridge in place, hold the strings in place, = and to ensure that the bridge thoroughly defines one end of the vibrating = string.  Perhaps this is also <BR>the case in pianos." Or perhaps not. The = strings are kept firmly in place not so much as by the downbearing as by the bridge = pins. In the stringed instrument there is also a "rib" - the "bass bar". This = goes with the grain of the belly and is there to stop the collapse of the belly. = It is assisted by the "sound post" which is, like the bridge, only held in = place by friction and transmits the sound waves to the back of the = instrument. In the piano we only have one sound board. Some pianos even have "wolf = notes".... (the so called "killer 8ve.")</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This gets us nicely away from those = Automotive Analogies - or AA  <FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>:-)</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" = size=3>Somebody ought to invent the equivalent of "string adjusters" for the piano. Think of = it! You turn up to tune a piano and merely have to twiddle (or Noodle) the = string adjuster on each string... The mind boggles. (or is it Noodles?) <G></FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" = size=3>Regards from a gusty dark Sussex.</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" = size=3>Michael G (UK)</FONT><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>