<HTML>In a message dated 9/11/03 4:36:03 PM Central Daylight= Time, marysmith@mail.utexas.edu writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Now, what Eric and I are talkin= g about - the pitman - is indeed the brass rod (in the old-style) that slide= s through a bushed hole in the keybed to connect the damper pedal to the tra= y. In newer Steinways, that brass rod has been replaced with a wooden dowel = </BLOCKQUOTE> My piano has a wood dowel. There is enough room on the pedal rod to lower th= e pitman to lower the tray. Thanks for the advice. Wim </HTML>