<HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1251"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16705" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <P> <DIV>Dave, I would let the piano owner decide if Steinway parts are important to him.  You may want to give him a couple of options for different parts with different prices.  Encourage him to start before the end of the year brings price increases.   Steinway's parts price list come out January 1 each year.  This summer I replaced hammers, whippens and other good stuff on an old Steinway M.  This client wanted genuine Steinway parts.  On the recommendation of the folks at Steinway, I got the New York Improved whippens and hammers already glued on the shanks.  Since this is new work to you, I would definitely recommend having someone glue the hammers on the shanks before you get them.  On the M I did, the hammer line was perfectly straight, and there was no remedial work for me to do with the hammers.  That is I did not need to reglue any of them or even burn any shanks!  Traveling and spacing them did need to be done, but was easier on this job than on others I have done.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Bruce Dornfeld, RPT</DIV> <DIV><A href="mailto:bdornfeld@earthlink.net">bdornfeld@earthlink.net</A></DIV> <DIV>North Shore Chapter</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <P></P></BODY></HTML>