<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT size=2>Hey folks (at least the ones that are still = home)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>I have a newer Baldwin 248 that is breaking = strings.  The piano is I think 4 years old.  The first thing I had to do was = replace the low treble wound strings.  These are the first 6 strings on the = long bridge.  They had the windings resting about a half inch above the = "V" bar.  I can't believe this thing mad it out of the factory.  = Baldwin to their credit replaced them, but the customer paid for the = labor.  None of these 6 replacement strings has broke.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Anyway, now this piano has a habit of breaking = strings.  They are scattered around the piano, meaning different wire sizes have broke.  They all break at the hitch pin.  And they all have = broke with no outside influence, meaning not during tuning or playing.  In = fact they were remodeling and had the piano covered up for months with no one playing.  There is no rust anywhere.  I have examined the wire = at the breaks, and nothing jumped out at me.  I know this piano is rarely = played and she is not a beater. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>The customer is concerned, and frankly  I don't = have an explanation for her.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Any thoughts?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Mike Bratcher</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>