<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2716.2200" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Had to unbridge all bass and many = treble strings on Hamilton Studio to repair bridge cracks (heater bar, no humidistat ...)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>3 of the 5 heaviest bass strings and 6 = of the heavier plain wires went "TINK" (you know the sound) --some as I was = turning them down (loosening the wire), others while I was very carefully = starting to tighten them. A becket breaking nightmare!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>That is some heavy, heavy wire: = trying to form new beckets and get them in the holes is not fun. One I had to splice: = Ever try tying knots in the core wire of a Hamilton A0 (1st string)? Here's the = real question ...</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The biggest wire I had with me is #20 = and it's smaller than whatever that stuff is in the A0 (didn't mic it but it's = fat) ... with the knot above the speaking length, is there any problem with using = a somewhat lighter wire, other than the potential for the "SNAP, = TWANGGGGG, SPROIOIOIOING" of a breaking string if it can't take the = tension?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>... and, no, the strings and coils were = not dusty, rusty, or crusty. Why did they break? Why me? Why late on a Friday afternoon an hour from home? I, myself, almost went snap, twang, sproing!</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alan Barnard</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Getting Over It in Salem, MO</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>