<html> >Jon, >Did you eliminate completely felt from the tuning pin area to the new >counterbearing bar? >Also, is Kawai the "other" name you are contemplating. I have had lots >of problems with them for the same reason as you. > >Joseph Alkana   RPT Joseph, No, there is understring felt before the bar. I eliminated the felt bearing application. No, it is not Kawai, it is the one with the tubular action rail which I detest for problematic parts alignment. One of these days. . . Jon Page ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> I recently restrung a Baldwin R and instead of recovering >> the tenor counter-bearing with felt, I replaced it with a half >> round bearing bent to the curve. Tuning is this area is much >> easier and there seems to be no adverse sympathetic >> vibrations. I am considering this replacement on another >> popular brand with a wide felt area in this location. >> >> Aside from "tradition" and/or cosmetics is there a real reason >> for this application? >> >> I think I read somewhere of the availability of hardened or rolled >> steel for this purpose. I just utilized a rod I had and fashioned a >> half-round suitable for the application. >> >> My experience has been that felt in this area creates a considerable >> amount of friction, whereas a steel counter-bearing creates less. >> >> What say you , >> >> Jon Page,   piano technician >> Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. >> <a href="mailto:jonpage@mediaone.net" eudora="autourl">mailto:jonpage@mediaone.net</a> >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <div>Jon Page,   piano technician</div> <div>Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass.</div> <div><a href="mailto:jonpage@mediaone.net" EUDORA=AUTOURL>mailto:jonpage@mediaone.net</a></div> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ </html>