<HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3132" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"> <DIV>Tom:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>A question. You said that you got more sustain after re-pinning the bridge "with a longer profile". I take you mean that they extend higher above the bridge surface than the originals? Of the two factors--1) new and tight pins, and 2) higher profile--to which do you attribute the longer sustain. There is no experimental data that I know of that speaks to bridge pin height (there has been sporadic discussion on this list), and I know the Wapin folks have played with bridge pin angle and termination position with interesting results. Any thoughts? Or are there too many variables involved here?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Paul</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV><STRONG>"If you want to know the truth, stop having opinions" (Chinese fortune cookie)</STRONG></DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 07/22/07 07:42:43 Central Daylight Time, tompiano@bellsouth.net writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"> <DIV> <STYLE type=text/css> .aolmailheader {font-size:8pt; color:black; font-family:Arial} a.aolmailheader:link {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal} a.aolmailheader:visited {color:magenta; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal} a.aolmailheader:active {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal} a.aolmailheader:hover {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal} </STYLE> List <BR>Had some time to do some experimenting with this Steinway B which had the <BR>WD40 treatment. If you remember, the instrument was quite decent prior to <BR>the owner spraying WD40 everywhere. Now the tone and sustain is dead. <BR>Many of your suggestions dealt with wood becoming soft, espeically in the <BR>bridge cap.  Some suggestions dealt with terminations be hampered. All good <BR>leads. <BR>1. I cleaned with the termination points ( capo/ agraffe, bridge pins/bridge <BR>cap) on 5 notes throughout the piano. <BR>Result- some clarity improvement, but no improvement in sustain. <BR>Test - plucking the string only ( hammers also are damaged) and listening to <BR>the sustain and quality of tone. <BR>2. Check bridge pinning. So loose they came out by hand with ease. <BR>   Installed #8 bridge pins with longer profile <BR>Result:  Increase in sustain by 5 seconds. Tone much fuller. Still not up to <BR>my expectations, but an improvement no less. <BR>Some good news:   the wood on the bridge cap appeared very firm and not <BR>mushy. <BR>My hunch is that once the board is stripped, sanded, and refinished, new <BR>bridge pins installed, new agraffes, and capo cleaned/shaped thoroughly, the <BR>sustain will improve dramatically. <BR>I'll keep you posted. <BR>Tom Servinsky <BR><BR><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>