<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; cha= rset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff= f"> <DIV> <DIV>      <FONT size=3>   &n= bsp;     Fred</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  By the way it should have springs on it already.<= /FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>   Dale</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>    I have a customer with a small K= awai grand from the early 80's which has a <BR>very heavy touch weight. In m= y experience, this is very common among Kawai <BR>grands of that era (especi= ally the ones sold as Howards), and I expect <BR>downweights in the area of = 65 gm, upweights around 40 gm. I have serviced <BR>several, but never has a = customer wanted me to do anything about the <BR>weight. They've all either l= iked the heavy weight, or been too cheap to <BR>spend a dime. Until now.<BR>=     This particular customer has developed "wrist problems" (incip= ient carpel <BR>tunnel?), and is wondering whether to trade pianos or have t= his one worked <BR>on. So I need to be able to speak with authority and say<= BR>a) I can take care of this problem. It will cost $X. Or,<BR>b) You are be= tter advised to trade in and get a different piano.<BR>    My sens= e is that $X needs to be in the "up to $500" range. IOW, action <BR>geometry= changes are probably out of the picture.<BR>    So I wonder if an= y of you have experience in addressing weight issues in <BR>small Kawai's of= this vintage, and would be willing to share. Specifically, <BR>I'm wonderin= g if a combination of wipp spring adjustment, adding a bit of <BR>lead to ke= ys, and tapering hammers is likely to produce acceptable results. <BR>And wh= ether just springs, just lead, or springs and lead would be enough.<BR>Thank= s,<BR>Fred Sturm<BR>University of New Mexico</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>