<!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 5.50.4913.1100" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><BR>"Thank you Greg Newell for = your tip to use a lubricant -- would McCall's VJ<BR>Lube do?  It came with the course.  Otherwise I will order Protek's Center<BR>Pin Lubricant as = you mentioned.  Is it applied with a small paint brush or<BR>something else?  Also, I will follow your advice on checking whether = the<BR>string has ridden up with the bridge pin."</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    I would not use a = paste such as VJ Lube. Use the CLP, it can't hurt the tuning pins should some reach = them. I use a small eye shadow applicator; it's a sponge on a small stick. I = just put the solution on the sponge and then wipe the strings on first the back = side of the aggrafe and then on the front.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    And don't worry = about the broken string. Sometimes even after all these years I'll have a string break; = not too often, mind you, but it does happen. Yours probably happened because of = water damage/humidity/rust from the flooding the piano was involved in. If = you're using a "steady pull" method of tuning, that can sometimes increase your = likelihood of breaking strings. Try using the jerk method; kind of a = gentle snapping motion. That can prevent string breakage to a large extent. = Also, next time you move a pin and don't hear a change in the pitch, stop and check = everything immediately. Even the very best technicians make mistakes. = Glad to have you on the list.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>