<HTML>In a message dated 2/20/03 3:46:34 AM !!!First Boot!!!= , precisionpiano@alltel.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">So, my question this time, "How= hard to you guys and gals set the pins"? And do you feel confident with it's holding power? Thanks for your input! Benny L. Tucker Precision Piano Tuning &Repair </BLOCKQUOTE> Benny Setting the pin is not something that is considered "hard." So I don't know = exactly what you are saying when you say your setting the pin hard. The stri= ngs, yes, you should hit the key hard, so that the string will settle down, = and be rendered over all the pressure points. But to set the pin, your doing the right thing, by releasing the tension. Bu= t you might want to do one more thing. When the string is "there," and you'v= e released the tension on the pin, just wiggle the tuning hammer a little. D= on't put pressure on the pin, and don't bend it. But with your fingers, just= lift up the handle of the hammer and wobble it up and down. (or back and fo= rth on a vertical). That is all there is to setting the pin. And as far as your tunings staying or not. Although setting the pin and the = string will make it more stable, if a piano is out after several months, esp= ecially after the winter we've just had, it isnot anything you did wrong. Al= l of our pianos went haywire this winter. Wim </HTML>