<HTML>In a message dated 10/15/02 12:54:06 PM !!!First Boot!!!, ed440@mindspring.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Next month I'll be examining a 1970's D to write a proposal for major belly work.  </BLOCKQUOTE> Since Don brought up the subject of belly work, I have a question abut this. To me, belly work consists of new pin block and new soundboard (and everything that goes along with that). It has been my experience that most good piano, and especially Steinways, will not need any kind of belly work for a minimum of 50 years. The exception, of course, is damage, like fire, or flood, or a ceiling falling on the piano. But I have seen less than 50 year old pianos in istitutions getting new soundboard and pin blocks. Is this really justified?  Are pianos used in institutions more susceptible to needing major work than "in home" pianos? It would seem to me that regular maintenance will keep these pianos in better condition. Am I missing something here? Wim PS. Don, as far as replacing the back action, in my opinion, any time you can get rid of a Teflon action, do it. When someone is going to spend a lot of money on rebuilding a piano, I don't think a customer would reject the whole bid because of the couple of hundred dollars it will take to replace the back action, especially if you tell her about the consequences of not getting it done now. </HTML>