<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.5730.11" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff"> <DIV>My preference is as Marcel and David Skolnik wrote - I also use a 15 degree, extra short, #3, all from Schaff (Hale).  It works really well - for me.  I've been trying to find info for our students here at NBSS about choosing a tuning hammer tip.  It seems that the Hale tips are very variable - ie, a #3 is not necessarily the same as the next #3 - some #3's are larger, some are smaller, same with the #2's.  A large #2 may actually be larger than a small #3.  Or at least it seats like it is larger.  Maybe more or less taper is the correct terminology.  My experience with Schaff is that if you order a tip and are not satisfied with the way it fits, you can exchange it - no problems - but it's a hassle.  It seems that the Watanabe tips that Pianotek sells are much more consistent from tip to tip and in size.  And they seem to fit most heads - at least the Schaff ones.  It does fit the Renner hammers that Keith Bowman makes, which I think are Schaff.  Keith has a nice article on the Renner website on tuning hammers - his preference is a #2 tip, 5 degree.  I couldn't possibly tune with that - but again, to each his own.  But he really doesn't get into how it's bored and tapered, etc.  I would like to see material on that also.</DIV> <DIV>My advise to the students here at the school is to keep looking for tip until you find the one that fits right for you.  But it seems like consistency in manufacture could be a little bit better.</DIV> <DIV>Debbie Cyr</DIV> <DIV>North Bennet St. School</DIV></BODY></HTML>