<HTML><BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff">In a message dated 10/18/02 4:13:55 PM Central Daylight Time, jon= page@attbi.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">At 08:49 PM 10/18/2002 +0200, y= ou wrote: > > André, > > I too set all key dips to 10mm but would like to know one thing...= > > What is the consensus about where along the keystick does this 10m= m get > > measured, > > at the front, back a little further or over the front rail pin.<BR= > > > > > Also, are there differences between these manufacturers about the = dip > on sharps. >We should always put the key dip tool (the little plastic Yamaha or Stei= nway >block) at the front and feel with our finger the connection with the lef= t >key and the right key because very often the keys are not horizontal but= lie >at an angle (because the balance rail pins are usually not exactly 90= º. >If the key is slightly falling to one side and you measure for instance = only >the right side you get a distorted picture. >I have made it my custom to very fast shift the key dip measure block fr= om >left to right and my finger goes along, feeling the differences on eithe= r >side. Most manufacturers use 12 mm for the sharps. Yes, I split the difference 'left-to-right' when measuring with the block <B= R> and set the sharps' height ~12mm, but that did not answer the questions. Not having either of the above mentioned key dip blocks, I can't measure <BR= > that spec.  I have a 3/8" block with some punchings glued to the bottom= , sanded scientifically set to .390 (just a bit back making the front - not <B= R> the overhang - making the front 10mm).          Actually, the punchings are= glued to what some may call the top, the side with the overhang.  I was shown to place the dip block 'upside= down'          on the key, thereby having = the overhang on the block mated to the overhang on the key while depressing. It is a lot faster than aligning          the overhang to the adjacen= t keys once depressed. I've heard differing theories on 'dip' - where to measure and to how judge/calibrate sharp dip, and am curious to find out what someone with your vast experience can boil it all down to... and what if any are the factory's particulars in these regards. Warm greetings from sunny Cape Cod, Regards, Jon Page,   piano technician Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. mailto:jonpage@attbi.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ </BLOCKQUOTE> Jon and Andre, the one thing I have learned over the years is that nothing i= s set in stone.  I believe the 10mm dip is a good figure that I use mys= elf as a starting point and I must admit it works quite well in most cases.&= nbsp; But with all engineering and designs not being equal I find there are = quite a few times it is necessary to compromise a little. There is a key dip tool from Mazzaglia Tools (978-372-1319), I have used for= a number of years and find it magnificant for setting an extremely consista= nt key dip. It consists of a 400 gram weight that rests on the key top (with ears to ass= ure consistancy in placement) and a cross piece that rests on the two adjace= nt keys centered on a pin adjustable for heighth to guage the correct dip di= mension.  It is not as functional on sharps but I just use the weight i= n conjuction with a Jaras dip tool to set the dip on sharps. David Koelzer Vintage Pianos DFW</HTML>