<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=rol= e_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000= 000> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT></DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>As always, if one is targeting recreating a piano = from 1890 because they specifically wish to hear what a new piano from tha= t era might have sounded like, of course, that is a very legitimate directio= n to go. <U><STRONG>But if you are trying to make the best piano you</STRONG></= U> <STRONG><U>can, why blindly throw up your hands and say that it is not possible to improve upon the work of the "Original Masters"?</U></STRONG> = Now before I get pummeled to death, understand that I don't think change for t= he sake of change is necessarily good. Have a good reason for making changes.= Consult with those that know about these kinds of things and have the experience.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DI= V> <DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>   In the case of the Mason AA which I started= this thread discussing there is any reticence at least on my part to improve this= piano. My only (major) <STRONG>limitation</STRONG> is the <STRONG>plate</STRONG> But which is also true of the old Stwy A being curren= tly mentioned. I have reproduced one of those with the original bridge & str= ing scale & with a really good board & bearing setup it was quite good. = In retrospect though the next one will probably get a closer look in the modification dept. I'm not a fan of the three bridge config. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  Hey I rebuilt a 8 ft. 6 ' Knabe( new board) = that had a transition bridge. Whats up wiht that? It didn/t need it. Del gave me scaling advise which I used & the piano sounded good. I swapped tri's fo= r bi's & evened out a very bumpy scale.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  Cheers</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  Dale</FONT></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>