<HTML>In a message = dated 3/6/04 9:38:49 AM Pacific Standard Time, davidlovepianos@earthlink.net= writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-= LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I would not lift firmly nea= r the hammer strike point.  You can put a kink in the string very easil= y.  Gentle lifting with a hook as near to the capo bar or agraffe as po= ssible is best.  Better is to massage the string from underneath with a= blunt tool.  An old agraffe in a combo handle works quite well and you= can massage all three strings at once.  </BLOCKQUOTE> David, You're right.  In fact, what I meant(and should have stated) is tha= t the goal is to get the strings level at the strike point....lifting too fi= rmly near the strike point could indeed mar the string!  Thanks for the= correction.   Dave S.</HTML>