<HTML><HTML>Hi,  everyone. I may have posted this months ago but I wanted to add to Mark's personal comments about playing a good piano. Perhaps 30 years ago a friend of my soon-to-be wife called her and said "My husband and I are splitting up and I must sell the piano. Do you know anyone who might be interested?" At the time of the call I was already in San Francisco (I live in Berkeley) so I immediately drove over to see this mystery. What greeted me was a glossy black nine-foot Yamaha, sitting opened on an almost bare concrete floor with an 18' ceiling typical of Market Street storefronts. I played for about an hour and then rushed back to my girlfriend's place to snag another pianist and force him to go play it. When HE returned an hour or so later he began to rant. using the furniture to demonstrate: "this was a nice forte (standing on the floor), and a really good fortissimo (jumps on the chair), and then fff (jumps up to the kitchen table!  AND THEN IT WENT LOUDER!  I could not reach its dynamic limit!" He of course was correct, but my own experience was a little different (although it included maximum power).  I can only play from sheet music. but I fortunately had some stuff available (Mozart, Debussy, and luckily Moussorgski's "Pictures"). First thing I noticed was the "deeper" and "heavier" action (of course, you dork, it's a grand). This initial impression soon faded as I began to listen to the music. Oh wow I can actually take that phrase to ppp where it belongs. Hey, that staccato works! Cool, using careful pedaling, dynamics and sustain phrasing  those DO sound like Kremlin bells! The bottom line: I was hooked since I told myself, and the Yamaha proved it: "You're a pretty good pianist after all." I had taught myself well, and was actually using the techniques that should have worked, but my practice pianos were unable to respond to my attempts. I became the second owner of one of the best Yamaha's made. The first CF (FC?) to be imported to California. I was blessed with it for ten years or so, but as situations change I had to part with it, although it still lives in Berkeley. Belated New Year to all. Cheers, Dave Talcott</HTML>