<HTML>In a message dated 3/26/2003 11:20:08 AM Central Stand= ard Time, gjg2@humboldt.edu writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">but what are they like in the weight department?  Are = they appropriate for, for example, teens vintage S&S or other older Amer= ican makes that used lightweight hammers?  Will I have to deal with tou= ch weight issues? Thanks.   Greg Granoff   RPT= Humboldt State University<BR= > </BLOCKQUOTE> Greg, I have used Isaac hammers a few times on professional musicians home pianos.=   While my experience thus far is somewhat limited I will take a try at= your questions. As far as weight is concerned, after I had shaped the tail, etc., their weig= ht was in the upper half of the mid range in Stanwood's chart.  One par= ticular quality I appreciated was their consistency.  The weights follo= wed a very even line and really needed only a minimum evening out, far less = work than I have ever had with Japanese or German hammers. Tonally, I too would sing their praises.  I have grown so weary of the = steel reinforced HOS (hammer shaped objects) and the unending fight to keep = the felt soft (well, less hard) that I was willing to try anything.  Th= e tone from Ari's hammers is so sweet right out of the box, you will be temp= ted to leave them alone.  However some may find the tone a little too s= oft. As far as how the wear, I can't say other than so far so good.  I may t= ry to get a set on a practice room piano one of these days to see how they h= old up in a tough environment. Andrew Remillard ANRPiano.com Northern Illinois University ANR Piano Service 2417 Maple Ave Downers Grove, IL  60515 630-852-5058</HTML>