<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=windows-1252"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1141" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com href="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">Farrell</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, April 23, 2003 = 5:06 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Key Button Wood</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>Key buttons are available in basswood or maple. Any advantage one = way or the other with either material?<BR><BR>Terry Farrell<BR>  <BR>_______________________________________________<BR>pianotech list = info: <A = href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives">http://www.ptg.org= /mailman/listinfo/pianotech</A></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>    I've never encountered hardwood key buttons on = older pianos.  It seems only Asian and maybe some German pianos = post-1980 or so have hardwood key buttons.  The hardwood probably lasts longer = and doesn't crush as readily when easing bushings.  On the other = hand, when the bushings are too tight, it's quite difficult to ease the = keys.</DIV> <DIV>    The main drawback of key buttons made of very = soft wood is their tendency to split when the hole is close to the = edge.  </DIV> <DIV>    I don't know if hardwood is more dimensionally = stable than soft, with changes in humidity.  Intuitively, I'd say yes, = but someone out there probably knows for certain.  </DIV> <DIV>    --David Nereson, RPT<BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>