<html> <head> <style> P { margin:0px; padding:0px } body { FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma } </style> </head> <body>Dale,<BR>  <BR> Thanks!  <BR> Yes, it is a "feature" already.  I am using German plated bridge pins right now and think you are correct about an improvement in sound.  I haven't seen Ron O. on the list for a while, but I recall a thread about his having experimented with various bridge pin materials and why, and what the results are.  He also turned me on to electroplated agraffes.  <BR>  <BR> Terry did this bridge body for me, so, hopefully he will pop up with an answer as to where he purchased the ebony. <BR> I have some here that I'm experimenting with for caps, and the treble bar which I purchased from a local hardwood store.  We're also capping the ends of the keyframes with ebony.  Looks very cool, and the ebony holds up much better on the rest and the spring than the spruce end grain.<BR><BR><BR> <DIV><EM><FONT color=#330033><FONT face="Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif" color=#330000>                Michael C. Spreeman </FONT><BR></FONT></EM><FONT color=#000066><A href="http://www.spreemanpianoinnovations.com/">http://www.spreemanpianoinnovations.com</A></FONT></DIV><BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR id=EC_stopSpelling> From: Erwinspiano@aol.com<BR>Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2007 00:04:42 -0400<BR>Subject: Re: Ebony bridge caps<BR>To: pianotech@ptg.org<BR><BR> <META content="Microsoft SafeHTML" name=Generator><FONT id=EC_role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Michael</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Just got back from the beach & followed up ion this thread.  Beautiful bridge. </EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>   Speaking of harder & denser materials I have switched to the German bridge pins from piano tech.  They are plated & seem harder. They are slightly different sizes than the copper ones. I have not bent over any pins since switching to the German pins &  they're "shiny & sparkly" . I'm sure it could be a feature! grin.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  I don't grind off the tops any more as with the copper.  Looks neat & tidy & I swear the sound is cleaner.  I admit that observation is highly subjective.</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Where does one by decent ebony?</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Thanks</EM></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><EM>  Dale</EM></STRONG></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Here is a picture of the bridge in 220003.  The cap on the high end is hornbeam, the rest is maple.  You can see the exposed ebony laminations from the undercut section.  The ebony treble molding/cut off piece is blind doweled into the belly rail (thought I would mention that so I don't get questions from people, like, "where's the screws in the treble piece thingy?"). <BR><BR> <DIV><EM><FONT face="" color=#330033><FONT face="Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif" color=#330000>                Michael C. Spreeman </FONT><BR></FONT></EM><FONT face="" color=#000066><A title=http://www.spreemanpianoinnovations.com/ href="http://www.spreemanpianoinnovations.com/" target=_blank>http://www.spreemanpianoinnovations.com</A></FONT></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR> <DIV><FONT style="FONT: 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF; COLOR: black"> <HR> See what's free at <A title=http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503 href="http://www.aol.com/?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503" target=_blank>AOL.com</A>. </FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><br /><hr />Change is good. See what's different about Windows Live Hotmail. <a href='www.windowslive-hotmail.com/learnmore/default.html?locale=en-us&ocid=RMT_TAGLM_HMWL_reten_changegood_0607' target='_new'>Check it out!</a></body> </html>