<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> Roy, In response to your question below, I think there are too many variables to make a blanket statement.  Sometimes I think it is better (notice I'm going broader than simple practicality) to replace the string and sometimes to do a repair.  For instance, the tone of a new bass string may be markedly different than its neighbors; I would not consider that better.  I would also consider the general condition of the piano when deciding which way to go.  And it is not necessarily true that if a string breaks once it will surely break again.  Only rarely have I found this to be the case during the 21 years I've been in business. As to your thought about selling a restringing job,  you included the big "if."  Yes, I agree with you, IF the piano is worthy of it, but most of the time it is not, unless you are going to sell a complete reconditioning at the same time.  And often it's not worth that, either. Regards, Clyde RCzekay@AOL.COM wrote: <blockquote TYPE=CITE>Would it not be much more practical to just replace the string with new wire? If a string broke once, it for sure will break again in the future. True, you will have to go back to bring it up to pitch a few times, but in my estimation that is a much better solution than tying a new piece of wire to an old length that is at the end of its life. Another thought...If you are tuning an older piano, and you break a few strings, it is time to sell the customer a restringing job if the piano is worthy of it. More than likely, the tuning pins will be on the loose side also. Roy Czekay, Milwaukee</blockquote> </html>