<HTML>Ric: The crown of the hammer would move in a different arc than that of the shank= .  When the hammer shank is vertical, and the arc it travels in is at i= t's apex, the tip of the hammer is on a downward descent.   Draw a= straight line between between the tip of the hammer and the hammer center p= in.  When that line is vertical, the tip of the hammer is moving straig= ht into the string.   The shank would be tilted back.   = Thus, putting the center pin closer to the string means that the tip is hitt= ing the string on a more horizontal plane.  It makes sense.  Maybe= it's a question of which arc you want to worry about.   Roy Peters</HTML>