<HTML>In a message dated 3/23/02 9:11:13 AM !!!First Boot!!!, gcasper@pacbell.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Since my post of last week regarding the strange behaviour of a Pease baby grand, and heeding the advice of the few who responded, I have determined that the plate is indeed cracked. That's what was causing the chaos in tuning and playability. Now the question is... is it worth trying to repair the plate on this inexpensive piano, or should I just junk it</BLOCKQUOTE> Greg The out of pocket cost of restringing a piano is about $250. Add in a pin block, and you're up to about $350. The cost of welding a plate is going to run in the neighborhood of $350 - $500. So now we're up to $800. That doesn't even include your labor. So ask yourself this question. Can you sell the piano for enough money to not only pay for the parts, but also your labor?  If it was up to me, I would say no. Wim </HTML>