<HTML>In a message dated 6/11/03 4:49:00 PM Central Daylight= Time, Wimblees@aol.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I'm wondering if we, as a commi= ttee, can come up with some general guidelines that gives more definitive in= formation to the bean counters that will give them a better idea as to how l= ong a piano will last if it is used x number of hours per year, and how ofte= n it needs to be reconditioned, or rebuilt.  </BLOCKQUOTE> Bean counters not withstanding, this is still a question I would like to hav= e answered. Airplanes fly a certain number of hours before they are reconditioned and ev= entually put in the graveyard out in Arizona. We get a maintenance schedule = for our cars. But what are some guidelines for pianos? How many "hours" of playing do a set of hammers get before needing to be rep= laced? How many times can we restring a piano in the original pin block. Whe= n does a soundboard need replacing? How many times can a piano be rebuilt, w= ith a new soundboard and pin block and strings? Last year this subject was talked about briefly, but I don't think we ever g= ot a definitive answer. I realize these are all questions with lots of answe= rs, based on usage, climate control, budgets, etc. But this is the kind of i= nformation that would be useful, even to techs out in the field. Any one want to give some answers? Wim </HTML>