<HTML>In a message dated 1/9/02 6:33:41 AM Central Standard Time, mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Believe me, I have had plenty of strings break on old pianos - and clearly the strings on a very few old pianos will simply not hold the tension of standard pitch. The point here is that old strings clearly have the potential of holding standard pitch - and then some - and presumably many will hold standard pitch just fine. I think we needn't be shy about attempting to raise the pitch of an older (and otherwise sound) instrument to standard pitch. Terry Farrell </BLOCKQUOTE> Terry The strings are not always the problem. There could be structural problems that could damage the piano. I have had a soundboard crack. Others I have heard had bridges split. And there is an outside the chance the plate could break. None of these are the fault of the tuner, but they could happen. Of course they could also happen on a newer piano, but why chance it? Wim </HTML>