<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=UTF-8 http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charse= t=utf-8"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2730.1700" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff= f"> <DIV><FONT face=Geneva color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT= face="Times New Roman" color=#000040></FONT> <DIV><BR></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=3 FAMI= LY="SERIF"><B>  The bell is just a plate stiffening device. A short b= eam from the belly rail to the case in the same area would allow for another= nose bolt that could take the place of the bell. I cant say the bell has an= y effect in and of itself to influence tone but does stiffen the plate web w= here it attaches thereby influencing tone. There must be a modest down = force of the bell bolt to do so which by the way will increase the downbeari= ng a small amount (tone effect) These bolts also seem to come loose fro= m time to time and cause a weird rattle.</B></FONT><FONT face=Geneva color= =#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR><BR></FONT><FONT face="Times = New Roman" color=#000040 size=3 FAMILY="SERIF"><B> Does that help= ?--Dale</B></FONT><FONT face=Geneva color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SAN= SSERIF"><BR></FONT><FONT face=Geneva color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SA= NSSERIF"></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Geneva color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF">&nbsp= ;    This reference to the "bell" brings to mind a question I= have long had. S&S piano plates are sometimes billed as cupola plates. = Does this refer to the shape of the stress holes in the plate, or to Steinwa= y's use of a shop cupola furnace to produce sufficient amounts of molten iro= n for the larger plate ?</FONT><FONT face=Geneva color=#000000 size=2 = FAMILY="SANSSERIF"></FONT> </DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040>  <FONT size= =3><STRONG> Glenn</STRONG></FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=3><STRONG> &= nbsp; I don't know. Anybody else? I thought  that term was used in refe= rence to the bass bridges on S&S  uprights or have I got it AL= L wrong?</STRONG></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000040 size=3><STRONG> &= nbsp;  Dale</STRONG></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>