<!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 5.50.4912.300" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV>Paul: I got my February issue several days ago.  You should have yours soon.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>dave *********** REPLY SEPARATOR *********** On 1/25/02 at 11:37 PM larudee@pacbell.net wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid">Erwinspiano@AOL.COM wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE="CITE"> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" TYPE="CITE">The details are in the article, but the disadvantage is that the 1/0 pin will be less rigid.  This can be a problem in a Steinway type design where the distance between the point of string tension and the pin block is roughly three times greater than in an open face design, and where there is no plate bushing to mitigate the leverage.   Hi Paul -- I'll read the article but would you mind saying this a different way as it's not clear to me. I find that using no 1 pins in new blocks is not a problem unless fit too tight but what pin isn't. I don't have any trouble with no. ones otherwise. I'll read the article, really!  I can't deny that no 2 are stiffer but ones render nicely when fit well which is why I like them.</BLOCKQUOTE>      >>>>>>>>>>Dale Erwin</BLOCKQUOTE>Dale, Part of the problem, even when you read the article, is that it's in two installments, and the February issue isn't out yet.  The answer to your question will probably lead to more questions, all of which are addressed fully in the article.  The simplest answer, however, is that in a Steinway the string height above the pin block - not the plate - is roughly three times greater than it is in an open face design like a Bechstein.  Since the string tension is roughly the same, the leverage exerted by the string on the pin is three times as great.  If the pin sizes are the same in both cases, pin flex will produce roughly three times as much string movement in the Steinway as in the Bechstein - i.e. it is less stable.  Going to a larger, stiffer pin size will partly compensate for that. Chances are that at this point we get into "but what about...," in which case I get to rewrite the whole article on line.  I would just as soon wait for the February Journal.  There will probably still be plenty to debate, but at least not the stuff I've already covered in the article. Best regards, Paul</BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML> <PRE> _____________________________ David M. Porritt dporritt@mail.smu.edu Meadows School of the Arts Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX 75275 _____________________________</PRE>