<HTML>In a message dated 6/12/0= 3 6:57:51 AM Pacific Daylight Time, stanwood@tiac.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-= LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">>Complementing these pre= sent choices are the generations of pianists >who have trained on the conventional action, and who might not know >how to handle an action with radically different inertia and frictio= n >could we come up with it. > >Bill Ballard RPT Last winter at the California Convention in San Ramon, we displayed a Steinway A3 Ebony plain case with original board, combining SMBA and PTD= . (Simplified Magnetically Balanced Action and Precision TouchDesign). &nb= sp;It had no keyleads except for the top section which had some back leads, a = 1/2 high Strike Weight and a 5.3 Strike Weight Ratio level, 10mm dip/44.5mm blow, Down Weight 51g bass to 46g treble, and Friction was upper Low zon= e 13g bass to 8g treble.  The piano was a hit except for Don Mannino = who played it for a while and asked... "Alright, what did you do....?" &nbsp= ;When we replied "Magnets" he said. "Now I get it... This would be great for a lo= t of pianists but not for me..."  He likes the feeling of mass in the keystick.  Personally I think it would have felt better with a litt= le more friction in the hammer flanges bringing F up to 15g bass to 11g treble. The piano sold soon after for $65k so someone liked it enough to shell o= ut so many clams.  The repetition in the pianos we've done with magnet= s seems to be a lot more solid and sure fired.  They certainly are "differe= nt"... in a good way for a significant percentage of pianists.  Pianists a= re pretty adaptable.. (They have to be!)</BLOCKQUOTE> I played the piano at the San Ramon Conference, and in the limited time = I had to play it, I found it to be more responsive with better repetition th= an just about any piano I have ever played.  Would I pay that much for = the full-magnet treatment?  Not on my salary....:-)  If I had enou= gh clams so that it wouldn't make a noticeable dent in my pocketbook, I woul= d seriously consider it.   The feel was very unique.  Will there be one at the convention? Dave Stahl</HTML>