<html> <blockquote type=cite cite><br> How come I break strings so easily on the M & H, and I can practice and play the living daylights out of a 1901 Story and Clark upright (original parts), and not even stir the tuning job?  Now I understand that the M & H needs work done on it to prevent string breakage, longer tuning stability, etc., but this Story and Clark has been sitting and hardly had any work done to it (a tuning once a year), much longer than the M & H has or ever will. <br> </blockquote>The cold presssed hammers of by gone days, is very soft compared to most of the modern hammers. Walnut vs Maple moldings will make a significant difference in hammer mass.<br> String this old, will be stable with regards to tuning, but I'll bet the singing quality is below par.<br> Unless I could see and hear the condition of both instruments, it would be impossible to add very much more that has already been stated by others.<br> Regards roger<br> <div>Roger Jolly</div> <div>Saskatoon, Canada.</div> <div>306-665-0213</div> Fax 652-0505 </html>