<HTML>In a message dated 4/28/01 10:02:56 AM Central Daylight Time, dcp2@rmi.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">List I service a Steinway D (1920's) which received some water damage this past week.   In addition to the obvious damage to some hammers, damper felts, backchecks, and finish, I wonder about possible problems with the wound strings.   Is it likely they will go dead in the near future due to the moisture which collected in the windings?   If any of you have information regarding this I would appreciate a response. If your answer is in the affirmative, I wonder if you could give me a ballpark figure for the cost and installation for a new set of wound strings?  (I need this info for the insurance company.) Thanks much. Donald C. Price, RPT </BLOCKQUOTE> Donald To answer your question directly, if the water got on the bass strings, then the inner core wire will rust, and the strings will become dead. It would be best to replace them now. The cost of replacing the strings will be about $100 (whole sale) for the parts, and it takes about an hour to replace the strings. But then you have to add in 6 or 7 tunings to make the piano stable. But if there was enough water to merit replacing the hammers, back checks, and to even refinish the piano, then you should replace all the strings. Not only that, but if the water got on the pin area, you should also replace the pin block. And while you have the plate out, be sure to bake the piano for a couple of days to get the moisture out. Then you might find some cracks in the soundboard. This is a Steinway D. Don't let the insurance company let you do a "cheap" repair. If the piano sustained water damage, to get the piano back to the condition it was in before the damage, in my opinion, it should be completely rebuilt. Willem </HTML>