S&S tuning pins...

[Ron Nossaman]

>Problem is, they reduce flagpoling less and less in a fairly short period of
>time.  How long does it take before you see visible gaps between the pin and 
>the
>bushing in a new piano?  Often as little as five years, in my experience, and
>never more than ten.
>
>Paul

And often immediately (maybe even sooner), but it's on the side of the
bushing away from the string and that's not the part that helps anyway.
It's the side the tension is pulling the pin into that is providing the
benefit. How many bushings do you see with gaps on the string side of the
pin? Those would be the ones with no flagpoling buffer. 

Ron N