<HTML>In a message dated 2/3/02 10:37:59 PM Central Standard Time, Wimblees@AOL.COM writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Last week I was tuning a Haines Bros. uprt.  I've had bass wires break before, but this time one broke at the loop instead of around the coil. ( I was sure glad that action was between the wire and me.)  Just curious - how often has this happened to you.  I can only recall one other time that I've had this experience in 20+ years. John R. Fortiner Billings, MT. </BLOCKQUOTE> Check for mice infestation The loops have become rusted with urine. Wim </BLOCKQUOTE> I've had it happen a few times where no rust was evident.  Once, there was a studio upright in a restaurant where the string broke between the hitchpin and the bridge for no apparent reason (not during tuning, during playing).  No sooner did I have the one string replaced than the mate of that unison broke the same way.  The pianist thought the same string had broken again.  He was very angry. It was under warranty from the dealer and they wanted to know why too.  The only thing I could think of is that the string winder may have used his cutters to pull the wire from the wheel and put a nick in the wire above the tied off portion but below the beginning of the winding.  Otherwise, why would a wire break where there is no termination point? The eye grazing incident told by one reader suggests that some kind of eye protection, even regular glasses is a good idea when tuning but especially when stringing.  Hitch pins on grands have been known to shoot out like bullets. Bill Bremmer RPT Madison, Wisconsin <A HREF="http://www.billbremmer.com/">Click here: -=w w w . b i l l b r e m m e r . c o m =-</A> </HTML>