Aftertouch Question

[JIMRPT]

et al;
 As Roger pointed out the better the quality of piano the less difference in
ratios.
What prompted me to start this thread were the comments that dip needed to be
consistent and the same.  I have no argument with this point of view
but...........if dip is truly consistent it will be the only thing that is.
Like a lot of other maxims i.e., hammer line should be straight and even, blow
distance needs to be the same, let off needs to be even, etc, etc, they are
true, mostly, but.....they actually work at odds with each other.
  As Roger alluded to with his comment about adjusting the hammer height of a
sharp if the aftertouch needed adjusting and with the changing ratios on
Concert grands, 'one answer doesn't fit all'.  And the answers.. don't.. give
us a clean straight hammer line or consistent dip, etc..
  Cosmetically a clean straight hammer line is desirable but functionally it
is not accurate as it does not conform to the actual string heights.  The same
is true of even dip/aftertouch in that it does not fit each note vis a vis
sharp/natural.
 My contention here is that an important thing to regulation is that each note
'feel' the same and that if each note 'feels' the same than we have blown
most, if not all, the other things away......  
  To carry this anal retentive point of view to the extreme consider the
surface area of the sharp vs the surface area of the natural.  We use the same
consistency of felt on both front rail pins huh ?, so the feel will be the
same...right?  But with the smaller area of the sharp allowing it to bury
deeper into the front rail punching, on any given weight, than would a natural
with the same weight, can they feel the same?  Wouldn't a firmer felt used on
the sharps front rail provide a more 'even' touch or feel? Or does the,
usually, shorter and slower throw of the sharp make up this difference?
  Practically speaking of course all these things are limited in their
functions by the actual working distances/weights from the at rest position,
through their cycle, to the catchment postion and very very small differences
do not overly intrude into the process.
  So I suppose what I am trying to say is that we should use the maxims of,
even consistent, and equal as they apply to the mechanics of regulation
because they work and work well but........there is room for improvement above
the even, consistent, and equal level.  While this area is not really
appppropiate in our everyday work on the consoles and generic grands we
service it is appropiate on those 'special' cases we come into contact with
and paying attention to this area of regulation will pay dividends. 
  Now I suppose there are those that will say; But Jim, you can't feel .003 or
.002 difference in aftertouch!  Well.....  possibly this is true, but if you
can't feel it why not give it a try, since you can't feel it anyway what will
trying it hurt? :-)
Jim Bryant (FL)