<HTML>In a message dated 10/2/2003 2:18:45 PM Eastern Daylig= ht Time, mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I just looked at a late 1980s B= aldwin studio, serial #1417324, style #4023 (model number?), with a pinblock= separating from the back assembly (about a quarter-inch separation). The pi= ano has 3 backposts, but the back assembly is covered with veneers. Does any= one know if the backposts on these pianos extend to the top of the back asse= mbly (top of back assembly also covered with veneers - yes, I will be able t= o tell when I yank these veneers off - but was curious before I get into it)= . Any knowledge of this Del? The three top plate screws are centered over th= e three post centerlines, so I suspect they may extend up to the top.   The couple times I have done this repair has been with older instruments whe= re the backposts did extent to the top - and of course I through-bolted thro= ugh them. If, by chance, this is a piano - like some Kimballs - where the ba= ckposts terminate at the base of the top back assembly (about at the pinbloc= k bottom), has anyone done this type of repair on that design? I see no evid= ence that the rear portion of the upper back assembly has moved - appears th= at only the pinblock has moved, so I suppose it would be just fine to epoxy = and through-bolt to the back of this design. Anyone aware of any pitfalls I = might not be seeing here?   Also, any non-bionic technician willing to share how many hours they have ta= ken to do a repair like this - start to finish, not including pitch adjustme= nts and tuning (just clamping, drilling, bonding, bolting and cleanup)? </BLOCKQUOTE> I've done many pianos like this. Mostly they've not been Baldwins, however I= just finished my 4th Baldwin in 4 months. I figure about 4-5 hours total. I= usually take around 1-2 hours to loosen the tension, glue, clamp and bolt t= he thing back together. The second day is typically something from 2-3 hours= to bring back the tension, tighten up the coils, and properly space the str= ings. The last one I did was a spinet with the veneer on the top. Since the = veneer was not cooperative in coming off, I found a sheet of brown name-boar= d felt to cover the top. Saved a lot of time messing around with matching ve= neer! Good luck!! will wickham</HTML>