<!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 6.00.6000.16414" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dear list,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm looking at a small Steck grand of perhaps 50 to 60 years of age that recently came to central Virginia from Mobile, Alabama. Although the piano is fairly near pitch (about minus 15 cents), the tuning pins are pretty tentative and the entire web area looks like the block was heavily doped at some point in time. This instrument was heavily played and even used as a teaching vehicle until recently. It is clearly of limited intrinsic or musical value. It IS of considerable sentimental value to its owner.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My question is this: what has been your experience or knowledge of repinning after a block has been doped? Would be going two sizes over be of any reasonable value or would the doping itself likely indicate that the block is just beyond salvaging? There have been some newer and presumably larger pins inserted in about seven places in the bass. Those feel about as "iffy" as do the others. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Any and all viewpoint appreciated. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thanks,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Robin Blankenship</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Mataoca, Virginia</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>