<HTML>In a message dated 10/21/02 10:17:49 PM Central Daylight Time, John5828@austin.rr.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">In setting let-off in heavily played pianos, is it beneficial to set let-off a little further away from the string than normal to reduce hammer wear? I've got a couple of new Yamaha C2's in dance studio environments and I want the hammers to last a long time.  (In fact, I've had let-off set just slightly low and my plan seems to be working.) thanks, G. Voltaggio</BLOCKQUOTE> To answer your question directly, yes, a little more let off will reduce hammer wear. But it will also cause strings to break. So it's up to you which you want to do, replace strings, or shape hammers. But why do you want to "save" the hammers on these two pianos? Are they yours, or do they belong to the dance school? In either case, heavy use causes hammers to wear out. That's called "normal wear and tear" for a dance studio piano. Increasing let off might save a few months, but eventually they have to be replaced. In the mean time, you might be replacing a bunch of strings. Personally, I would leave the let off where it is, and inform the customer to start saving up for those new hammers. Wim </HTML>