<!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 6.00.6000.16525" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2>Mike,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2>Comments interspersed:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=gmail_quote style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid"> <DIV bgcolor="#ffffff"> <DIV><SPAN><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV></SPAN></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV>As for William R Monroe,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Again I must point out, you must not have read the original post in it's entirety. I stated; He was/is an excellent technician, rebuilder and teacher. </DIV> <DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" color=#ff0000 size=2>Yes, I was sarcastic.  And, I meant no disrespect to the technician you cite specifically.  I apologize for that.  My point was that many times we continue to perform destructive activities in our profession (or our lives) without realizing we are.  I'm sure that most if not all on this list would discontinue a practice should they realize that it is destructive to pianos.  Just because we haven't yet realized we are being destructive does not make us less so.I read your entire (original) post.  I stand by my statements.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV></DIV> <DIV>He always said to be very wary of those who seemingly know it all, for it is they who have stopped learning! </DIV> <DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" color=#ff0000 size=2>True enough, my point, in part.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" color=#ff0000 size=2></FONT> </DIV></DIV> <DIV>After all if you aren't going to ACCEPT something out of hand then conversely you shouldn't REJECT something out of hand either, right?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" color=#ff0000 size=2>Absolutely.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" color=#ff0000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>It's like many things, it sounds foreign and strange when you read a description of it, when you see it done or actually do it yourself and can see the results for yourself and the lack of bridge damage, you may find yourself with a new technique in your arsenal or at least less apt to rush to judgment about the next new and different one you read about!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=2>I know (from experience - don't assume that the responses to your post are NOT based on experience) that one can get a tonal improvement from "seating strings."  I know (again, unfortunately, from experience) that seating strings in even a modest manner (hammer shank in this case) can damage the bridge, particularly the leading edge.  I also question the longevity of results gained from string seating and believe that often this technique addresses a symptom, not the disease itself.  Of course, there are exceptions, always, to most everything we do.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" color=#ff0000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" color=#ff0000 size=2>I'd recommend you experiment on an old instrument.  Remove the strings from their hitches on a section of the bridge (which you will be replacing) and plane it down to remove string groves.  Run your fingers across that lovely smooth surface.  Put the strings back on, whack away for a bit, remove the strings again and look, feel, measure the bridge surface, paying particular attention to the leading edge of the bridge.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" color=#ff0000 size=2>Maybe you don't damage the bridge, maybe you do.  I'd bet a 2lb hammer will create some relief.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#ff0000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" color=#ff0000 size=2>William R. Monroe</FONT></DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Mike<BR clear=all><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>