<html> <body> RicB - Your observations are often insightful, so I'll take a moment to try to draw you back to what I think is the issue At 08:08 PM 2/1/2004 +0100, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>My own degree of understanding of these matters still remains at a rather young stage, yet one theme comes back again and again in these discussions. That is that the sound that the panel is able to project is dependent upon its stiffness and mass.  Certainly any particular combination of these is in itself independent of string coupling. John Hartman is correct in saying that down bearing can increase the stiffness of the panel without added to the panels mass... tho the strings have mass to... and these  things have a habit of working both ways in some sense or another... Still essentially John is correct.</blockquote> That downbearing increases functional stiffness and thus, impedance is not being questioned, by me, at least, at this point, so I'm not sure I understand what John is correct about. On the other hand, Phillip Ford, in his post just now IS questioning it, so go figure. The question I'm trying to address in this particular thread is whether downbearing plays more of a role in string / bridge coupling and vibrational energy delivery than is being acknowledged in the original question by Jean-Jacques Granas and in the response by John Hartman.  In its simplest form, I am challenging the implied conclusion that zero or negative downbearing is an acceptable, or desirable condition.  Further, the only other questions relevant to this particular thread would address the ability to and method of accurately and consistently measuring the downbearing angles as they exist on the strung piano, not issues of killer octave problems, panel stiffness, crowning method, etc. I had added the disclaimer about not being a rebuilder because I'm not attempting to discuss whether some certain amount of measured angle is too little or too much.  Are there any builders or rebuilders out there who would, with no hesitation, put out a product which had zero or negative downbearing? David Skolnik </body> </html>