<html> Hazen,   I've run across a few like that. Rare, out here where rust doesn't exist, but when you get one like that, there's nothing you can do, and no reason to kick yourself. It was just.... time.... for those strings to go. Yes, it was nice and fortunate that the customer was ready to re string, but if he wasn't... there's nothing wrong with "telling it like it is".  Sell the job and do the right thing under the circumstances. Win-Win. (you did double check your ETD, right?) Wait'l he hears it when you're done! Later, Guy Nichols, RPT Ft. Stinkin' Desert, NM At 08:48 PM 3/20/2003 -0500, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Hi,    Today I had to tune an older console Chickering,and over pulled it 4 cents,as it was below standard pitch.I satrted pitching it from AO,with my accutuner,tuned a couple of notes,and bamm,a broken string.A few more notes,another broken string,and another.I let the pitch down first,even used a lubricate around the hitch pins,and on the coils.I have never felt a string respond in this manner,as,I would let the pitch down,and it would go down smooth.But as soon as I tried to bring it back up,it wouldn't budge,and if it did,bamm.Even a half step low,it still would not come back smoothly,also this was in the low bass only.Has anyone ever run across anything like this.I have been tuning since the seventies,and have never had this kind of problem.The strings were dead sounding,and he decided to restring the bass,thank goodness,as I was about stumped.When I went to take off the bottom string,it broke at the coil. Thanks, Hazen Bannister </blockquote></html>