<html> Hi Matthew,                   If you are keep breaking strings in capo bar area, it is time to restring the top section, I would polish the bar shoe shine style with emery cloth, then carefully inspect the pressure points to make sure all the grooves are gone. Also clean up the forward bearing points and lub both bearing areas with parafine wax. The acute angle of the forward duplex is often part of the problem, combined with tuning technique. These instruments are not the most tuner friendly in the treble. Others more knowlegeable can give some tips on tuning M & H, the two I occasionally work on are bears to say the least. Regards Roger At 06:39 AM 12/11/99 -0800, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite cite>Greetings! In the five years of this Mason & Hamlin grand, all of the 50+ strings have broken in the area where they pass under the capo bar.  Not one string has broken in the mid treble range, and only a few in the bass (which I can understand).  All of the hammers were reshaped and voiced a few months back, and a string has broken.  Do you think the capo bar is too sharp? Matthew </blockquote> <div>Roger Jolly</div> <div>Saskatoon, Canada.</div> <div>306-665-0213</div> Fax 652-0505 </html>