Del, YOU taught me 5 degrees, remember? Seriously tho, it depends on the configuration of the bearing surfaces between the tuning pin and the aggraffe/capo bar/"v" bar/etc. In the typical grand there is a low bearing surface and then the aggraffe at a lower plane. In many grands there is a thicker bearing surface that dictates that the tuning pin angle needs to be greater in order for the string to "slightly" bear up against the coil. I should not have given the 5 degrees suggestion without clarifying the situation. For most of us, (rebuilders), it becomes intuitive as to what angle to drill at, regarding the configuration of the web/bearing surface(s), etc. In some of the really olde, open-faced pin blocks, the pinblock itself is at a pretty steep angle. In that case I choose to drill whereas the tuning pin is straight up and down, even tho the actual angle of tuning pin/pinblock surface may be as much as 10 degrees! I think the rule should be: examine the situation and drill accordingly. Best Regards, Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)
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