<!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 6.00.2800.1479" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Bob Hull asked: "<FONT face="Times = New Roman" size=3>2. What are Kawai pinblocks like to duplicate? Any<BR>labor = increasing characteristics?  I have read that a<BR>great pinblock to flange = fit is not essential since<BR>the bushings and plate bear the pull of the strings."</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Bob, </DIV> <DIV>A Kawai Pinblock is pretty standard and should not be a problem. As = to the "flang fit", don't fall into this trap! It may be espoused that there is = not a need for a "pefect fit", and that the plate and bushings bear the load. = That is pure B.S. IMO. Always attempt to get a good fit of a replacement = pinblock. This will manifest itself in a quickly Stable piano. i.e. you won't have = to tune it six gazillion times to get it to settle down, after restinging. Careful fitting of the pinblock is a must. The = plate bushings do nothing! (Unless they are of a different = construction.<G>) Yes, the plate bears most of the force. It was designed to do just that. = But, the object is not to bear the force as much as to distribute the force = and create a stability in the instrument.</DIV> <DIV>If the piano you are doing the estimate on, has a lot of falseness = in the strings, you'd best repin the bridge(s). No need to "put pliers on a few = pins"! Just listen.<G></DIV> <DIV>Best Regards,  </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joe Garrett, R.P.T.<BR>Captain, Tool Police<BR>Squares R I</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>