<HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1251"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1522" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <P> <DIV>David N. Said: "Many old pianos were designed to be tuned <DIV>to A=435, and bringing them up to 440 adds more tension than they were </DIV> <DIV>designed to take, but thankfully, it's not a whole lot more, and most of </DIV> <DIV>them can take it. But on some of them, there's a risk of breaking a </DIV> <DIV>lot of strings or the soundboard or even the plate. "</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>--David,</DIV> <DIV>I disagree with this statement. To tune a "435" piano to 440 will add, (average), approx. 5 lbs tension per note. This is so miniscule that it should never push the strings/plate/structure beyond it's limits. Most Plates are waaaayyyy over engineered, (my guess is twice what it has to take.) Almost all string scales never exceed 55-60% of the breaking strength of the wire. And that would be on a "tightly" designed piano, which, to my knowledge, there are NONE! I am speaking of that period that is supposed to be in the "International Pitch" era. There is one piano, (a European name that escapes me at the moment), that had a very lightly engineered plate. That one, although it was purportedly designed for a pitch HIGHER than 440cps, broke plates on a regular basis!</DIV> <DIV>Your statement smatters of "Urban Legend".<G></DIV> <DIV>Regards,</DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon)</DIV> <DIV>Captain, Tool Police</DIV> <DIV>Squares R I</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <P></P></BODY></HTML>