<HTML>In a message dated 12/23/01 2:56:27 PM !!!First Boot!!!, mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Now why in the world would a 6 - 8 month-old bass string in a box be useless, and a 20 year old bass string on a piano be expected to sound reasonably good? Terry Farrell   </BLOCKQUOTE> I think it is the lack of tension on the string. Perhaps more moisture and dirt gets in them sitting in the back of my van. I don't know all the answers. All I know is that universals more than 8 months old are usually dead, or at least not as good as a newer one. Wim </HTML>