<HTML>In a message dated 9/29/03 6:03:22 PM Central Daylight= Time, A440A@aol.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I think the arc of the tail is = the single most critical component for good checking, with a properly angled backcheck also essential.  I haven't f= ound a note that wouldn't check,yet, when I had the tail at a 2.5" radius and a smo= oth back check slightly angled away from 90 degrees to the hammer shank at rest.=     So, I guess   I can only offer an unqualified, I dunno.&nbs= p; Regards, Ed Foote  </BLOCKQUOTE> If I had a set of hammers from my other pianos that were hung as if by chanc= e, I would look at that. But these are Steinway hung hammers, and they did a= very good job. The second thing is, why would one key/hammer work perfectly= , and the next one, with all the same characteristics, not. So you unqualifi= ed answer is valid. Wim </HTML>