steinway

[Ron Nossaman]

>  I have no problem with Denro pins except that the bluing is
>only on the head. Maybe someone more informed than I can tell us if that
>makes much of a difference.  . Nickel oxide,  forms over time,  is a
>pretty good lubricant.  I haven't used nickel plated pins forever.  I
>don't even broach the subject with clients.  What they don't know won't
>confuse them.  

Hi Dale,
I seriously doubt that I'm any more informed than you are, but I still have
an opinion or two. I use the Denros, and prefer the look of blued pins over
nickel any day. I haven't done any formal comparative studies on the
subject, but I think I'd rather have unfinished raw cut threads in a block
than threads that have been finished with anything after being cut. It's
the raggedness of the cut thread that makes for the smooth turning after
installation, and I'd rather not see it potentially compromised by any sort
of a finish. That may not be a real concern, but for now,  that's what I
think I want. The down side, if it actually counts for anything, is that
any cut thread that is visible above a bushing develops a light rust that's
visible if you look close. I don't really consider this to be a problem,
and haven't been able to detect any long term tuning problems as a result.
Also, the denser the pinblock material used, the more critical both the
thread condition, and sizing become. For anyone using Delignit or
Falconwood, it's a good idea to mic and sort the pins like Jon suggested.

That's my take, anyway.

Ron N