<HTML> In a message dated 10/26/03 5:54:53 AM, cedel@supernet.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE CITE STYLE="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE="CITE">Tom, are you aware th= at there are universal strings available larger than #1 </BLOCKQUOTE> Yes, I do.  Still, my suggestion in the post was that perhaps at times= , with the right instrument, replacing a broken string with an undersized st= ring might be an appropriate choice.  No one really responded to that,= specifically. Yes, tying the old one back in would probably be the best choice of all.&nbs= p; There are plenty of old uprights that have dead bass strings, with students = as their primary players, and households that have no money for a better pia= no or new bass strings, who have thrown the old string away, that might bene= fit from this technique.  At least, that's what I wanted to suggest.  I accept any and all flame= s directed at this concept. Tom Sivak</HTML>