<HTML> In a message dated 10/6/03 8:47:52 AM, mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE CITE STYLE="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE="CITE"> You want to measure the angular relationship of the string in three areas:= along the speaking length; along the bridge top; and along the backscale ju= st aft of the rear bridge pin. Those measurements will give you all the data= you need to characterize downbearing. Be aware that all these references to setting bearing to "the thickness o= f a nickel" or whatever level above some reference point may be fine and dan= dy, but are completely dependent on the length of the backscale. As the back= scale length between two systems where this type of measurement is being use= d varies, inaccuracies in the reference thickness will be introduced.= How much downbearing is desirable will depend on the soundboard assembly = design, where you are in the scale, and a host of other factors I know very = little about! Terry Farrell </BLOCKQUOTE> I really like that term backscale. If I remember S&S threads a fiber lin= e on the plate, shims it up with various thickness metal slips, then sawcuts= the cap to clear this line. This means the bridge cap plane is so many thou= above the string plane. This assumes bridge cap is parallel to board and bo= ard is some kind of smooth curve and not dimpled down. If you wanted to meas= ure actual angles for the angular relationship, you could but it ain't easy,= and I also don't know factors are involved in setting good down bearings, b= ut I'd like to know !</HTML>